FlightGlobal.com
Home
Premium
Archive
Video
Images
Forum
Atlas
Blogs
Jobs
Shop
RSS
Email Newsletters
You are in:
Home
Aviation History
2002
2002 - 0035.PDF
Technology transfer on Komsomolsk-on-Amur with 15,000; and NAPO in Novosibirsk with 10,000. Rationalising capacity, and combining resources to create a fifth-generation fighter, were the main reasons behind Putin's creation of the Sukhoi holding company in October. "From that moment on there was no more internal competi tion. Those who break this order will be punished by the state," Klebanov says. The holding company's marketing department and chief designers, in consultation with Rosoboronexport, will decide from now on which manufacturer supplies aircraft to new customers. Long-term planning The industry has been boosted by the Russian National Council's approval of a concept document and other guidelines on the "main principles of the Russian Federation in the sphere of VPK [military- industrial complex) development up to 2010 and beyond", Klebanov adds. This approval, along with predictions for Russian economic development for the next 10 years, has enabled long-term planning of the national defence budget. The economic forecast is key to shaping the recently validated 2001-2010 weapons programme, which is intended to match the country's military appetites with its financial resources. Klebanov, who is responsible for super vising the Russian defence industry, says: "The weapons programme gives us a firm foundation for national defence planning. The most important thing now is to keep within the agreed parameters and provide cash on time and in full for programmes, moving away from the previous adminis tration's practice when in some years only 20% of the necessary cash was actually provided for national defence." Faced with a shortfall in domestic fund ing, Russian industry has come to depend on exports. With the Middle East and South-East Asian markets already well exploited, Rosoboronexport has been given the task of focusing on two areas: Africa and Latin America. "They are complicated markets, which demand barter, cheap long- term credit and certain 'gifts' in weaponry, but we are well prepared, with a properly working arms sales system," says Klebanov, who was given additional responsibility as head of the ministry for science, industry and technologies in October. Some of the income from weapons sales will be spent on developing new technolo gies in an effort to maintain Russia's military superpower status and keep its defence industry competitive. "President Putin saw fit to strengthen the apparatus responsible for organising science and industry development, as we need closer "Russia has one of the strictest weapons sales control systems. We have a list of weapons permitted for sale. No armaments that might be considered 'terrorist' weapons are on the list" RUSSIAN VICE-PREMIER ILYA KLEBANOV co-operation between industry enterprises to fulfil major defence programmes such as the creation of fifth-generation combat air craft," Klebanov adds. He says that 50 technologies will be crit ical to the world's development in the next 10 years, and that Russia can take a leading role in eight to 10 of them if it funds research now. The Russian Academy of Sciences and the defence ministry are in the process of defining these technologies and choosing which to pursue. "Today the funding for fundamental science is dispersed over a large area. In the future, we shall drop many scientific pro jects to concentrate funding on eight to 10 promising areas. We will fund the whole Iran has chain, from fundamental science studies to acquired real production of the technologies," licence Klebanov adds. production Technology development and the of the creation of new weapon systems are to be Antonov carried out in collaboration with countries An-140 which are ready to provide intellectual and regional financial capital. "Russia is one of the very turboprop few nations that can set the standard for (oe/oiv). international co-operation in defence and Local technology. We are ready to co-operate manufacture closely with other countries. We more of combat often make proposals than receive them," aircraft Klebanov says. Indeed, Chinese, Indian, could follow Malaysian and South Korean governments have a hard job sorting through the numerous Russian proposals on military- industrial co-operation. Combining direct sales with technology transfer has so far been the norm - China purchased 80 Su-30MKKs and secured pro duction licences for 200 Su-27SKs, while India ordered 50 Su-30K/MKIs and will assemble 140 more under licence. Sharing technology The Russians have been more willing to share technology with India than with China. There is provision in the Su-30MKI agreement for assembly in India of the air craft's phased-array radar. But the Chinese are not allowed to make radars or engines. Malaysia, which has a requirement for 12-18 multirole fighters, is being offered local assembly of avionics, including mission computers and multifunction dis plays. Barter deals involving delivery of Malaysian goods to Russia are also being encouraged. South Korea, which is run ning a competition for 40 aircraft, has been offered the manufacture of parts for the Su-35, plus test equipment, software packages and technologies for making composite and titanium components. The practice of combining direct sales with technology transfer is also being applied to helicopters. In the Turkish con- www.flightinternational.com FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL 1-7 JANUARY 2002 33
Sign up to
Flight Digital Magazine
Flight Print Magazine
Airline Business Magazine
E-newsletters
RSS
Events
