The Russian Government has selected the Komsomolsk Na Amur aircraft production association (KnAAPO) as the industrial enterprise to fulfil a $1.5 billion Chinese order for 40 more Sukhoi Su-30MKK multirole fighters.
KnAAPO was competing against AVPK Sukhoi for the order. The former also built China's earlier Su-30s and its Su-27SKs. Sukhoi will probably own a majority stake in KnAAPO following a decree from Russian President Vladimir Putin last month.
The order will boost China's Su-30MKK fleet to 80, and further orders are expected to increase the number to between 100 and 120. The newly ordered fighters are likely to be equipped with the Phazotron-NIIR Zhuk-MS multimode radar in place of the Su-27's N-001, which equips in-service Su-30MKKs. China is also considering a batch of twin-seat Su-27s for its naval aviation force.
Meanwhile, the Russian vice premier responsible for the military industrial complex, Ilya Klebanov, says the winner of the LFI fifth generation fighter tender will be selected by the end of this year.
"The tender has been launched de facto, so all the companies who wanted to bid have already submitted their proposals, including those who are hardly able to make anything that might fly," Klebanov says, naming RSK MiG, Sukhoi and Yakovlev as among the applicants.
Earlier this month Russia and India agreed to join forces on the programme and Klebanov says a draft co-operative programme plan will be ready next month.
It is believed India will participate financially and do some design work, while a Russian company will be project leader.
Source: Flight International
