VLADIMIR KARNOZOV / MOSCOW
RSK is offering a modified version of its advanced aircraft to the Russian air force and export customers such as India The second RSK MiG-AT advanced trainer prototype resumed flying earlier this month after incorporating aerodynamic and flight control system (FCS) changes.
The MiG-AT will be handed over to the Russian air force for further evaluation tests in September.
Aerodynamic changes include "longer and smoother" air intakes and a refined digital FCS from MNPK Avionika. The cockpit head-up display has also been upgraded.
The trainer can be equipped with Aerospace Equipment avionics or the Thales Avionics TopFlight system. Russian developed avionics replace French-built systems in the second aircraft. Snecma has provided the Larzac 04/20 engines for the first two aircraft but TMKB Soyuz is developing the RD-1700 for the MiG-AT.
Director of the Mikoyan engineering centre Vladimir Barkovsky says: "We have established close co-operation with French industry on the MiG-AT." He hopes that joint marketing will lead to sales in the Middle East and India, where the BAE Systems Hawk was announced as the favoured candidate by the defence minister last year.
RSK believes the refined MiG-AT will ease India's concerns about the trainer. A further increase in performance will come with installation of the RD-1700s now under test, delivering 3,700lb thrust (16kN) in-place of the 3,150lb-thrust Larzac. Meanwhile, Snecma and Klimov are studying an increased mass- flow fan to boost the Larzac's thrust.
MiG-AT chief designer Vasily Shtykalo says integration work for French weapons is continuing. RSK is also working on a combat version of the trainer armed with guided weapons and a radar, either a NIIP or Phazotron-NIIR system.
The MiG-AT production lineat MiG's Voronin centre in Moscow has already completed six airframes.
Source: Flight International
