Russian Air Force News & Discussion

[Feanor]

A contract was signed for long-range S-400 missiles to be delivered, from Avangard.

Блог "ВеÑтника ПВО" - ММЗ "Ðвангард" подпиÑал гоÑконтракт на поÑтавку ЗУÐ* Ð´Ð»Ñ Ð—Ð*С С-400

About time, to be honest.

DACT exercises between MiG-29SMT, MiG-31, and Su-34. I'd love to see the details of air to air engagements involving the Su-34s and MiG-29SMT.

http://lenta.ru/news/2012/04/24/exercise/

 

[alexkvaskov]

Air defence

Regarding the future of Russia air defenses - are both the Tor and Buk going to remain in service? As far as I know, the Buk (especially the more recent variants) have a longer range than the Tor.. but is it really necessary to have two such short range AD systems?

Also, if the Pantsir S1 is to replace the Tunguska, would it make sense to have it replace the Tor as well? And where does the Morpheus come into all this?

 

[Feanor]

Regarding the future of Russia air defenses - are both the Tor and Buk going to remain in service? As far as I know, the Buk (especially the more recent variants) have a longer range than the Tor.. but is it really necessary to have two such short range AD systems?

Also, if the Pantsir S1 is to replace the Tunguska, would it make sense to have it replace the Tor as well? And where does the Morpheus come into all this?

You're conflating the PVO SV and PVO VKO. The PVO SV will retain the Strela-10M, Tunguska-M1, and Igla/Strela MANPADS for point air defense. Tor-M1 will be the brigade level air-defense system. Buk-M1 is the medium range, and S-300V the long range system for the land forces. The Morpheus is likely to replace the Tor.

VKO will use the Pantsyr-S1 as a complement to the S-300 and S-400 systems, as the mainstay of their air defense. The S-500 will be the long arm, and BMD system.

 

[Haavarla]

At last some official news about the long awaited AL-31FM2 engine performance.

FEDERAL STATE UNITARY ENTERPRISE «GAS-TURBINE ENGINEERING RESEARCH AND PRODUCTION CENTER «SALUT» | NEWS | NEWS | AL-31F M2 engine contemplated by OKB Sukhogo (Sukhoi Design Bureau)

Now the neath thing about this engine if we compair it with Saturns 117S engine is that it require no internal or external rework of the airframe to install the FM2 engine.
This is not the case with the 117S engine which have a larger forward comp fan diameter(Su-35S airframe).

Also they state that it will improve in fuel consumption and TBO.

It is unclear if the max nominall thrust is 14.000kgf with a special setting for 14.500kgf, which can be engaged on the pilot command, or if max power setting is indeed 14.500kgf.

And also the increased tear & wear on the airframe itself due to more thrust. It should be some increase strenght on internal structure if you ask me.. if not the engine TBO may increase but the airframe total life may decrease..

 

[Feanor]

Well the FM2 engine is meant for Su-34s, and possibly Su-27SMs in the future. It had to be designed to fit the existing airframe. 117S could be built to optimize performance, instead of being built to fit the existing design exactly.

 

[Klaus]

In the new issue of AIR International there is an article on the modernisation of the VVS. The author quotes an interview with A. Zelin, who says that in total five or six regiments will reequip with the Su 34. (As there are 129 aircraft on order already this could mean that the service will order another 15 to put up a 6th unit). The second unit to transfer to the type will be the one at Krymsk AB. Furthermore, the Su 34 will be upgraded to allow the use of several new missiles, including a nuclear-capable long-range cruise missile.

Besides that, 41 upgraded Su 24M2s currently serve with two bomber regiments.

The Su 30SM will enter service in 2013 only. This year the VVS is going to receive 6 more Su 35s, the total number to be procured is 96.

Tranzas and Sokol are developing two UAVs. One will have a weight of 800 kg, the other of 4,5 t. The latter will be combat-capable. First flights are planned for 2014.

 

[Feanor]

A contract for 4 Ka-62 prototypes has been signed between OAO Kamov, and the Arsenyev plant.

http://bmpd.livejournal.com/219263.html

So it looks like the semi-dead program is being re-animated. It's much necessary given that Russia has issues mass producing light helos. Ka-226, and Ansat-U production has been fairly slow (compared to say Mi-8 and Mi-24 variant production, or even the Mi-28N). Then again there is the question of whether they will even be meant for the military. The Ka-60 was meant for military service, the Ka-62 originally was meant to be the civilian derivative. So perhaps the project is being re-animated for civilian markets.

There is also the issue of engines. the Ka-62 was originally supposed to have Turbomeca Ardiden 3G engines, but that may change.

 

[Haavarla]

I'm not sure this Ka-62 will meet any contracts from VVS,Army or Navy..
I cant see the real need for such a light and small heli.

On the other hand the Russian state(Police/healt etc) and many of the giant Oil/gass companies might order Ka-62.

 

[Feanor]

I'm not sure this Ka-62 will meet any contracts from VVS,Army or Navy..
I cant see the real need for such a light and small heli.

On the other hand the Russian state(Police/healt etc) and many of the giant Oil/gass companies might order Ka-62.

Are you kidding? The MoD almost bought a bunch of Eurocopters because there was no suitable domestic alternative. Rumor mill had it that this was because neither Ansat-U nor Ka-226 could be delivered in sufficient quantities, fast enough. But I don't think that's true. Not with the time frame they're operating with, and not with the money they have. There is also the fact that Russian helo-production is in excellent shape. So I suspect it might have been something else. After all the Ka-226 is hardly a new design, more like an upgraded Ka-26. And the Ansat-U had been having issues with some of it's digital components. That's why a new Ansat-1M has been shown recently, with hydro-mechanic control system. Essentially a downgraded version of the helo.

http://bmpd.livejournal.com/212901.html

 

[Haavarla]

Thx for the Link.
I'm not question the Russian out-put rate of helios.

Helios like Ka-226 are utility helios with other role or task.
The Ka-62 are not utility heli.

How many eurocopters did Russian MoD buy, and what role does they have.. flying around VIPs?

 

[Feanor]

Thx for the Link.
I'm not question the Russian out-put rate of helios.

Helios like Ka-226 are utility helios with other role or task.
The Ka-62 are not utility heli.

How many eurocopters did Russian MoD buy, and what role does they have.. flying around VIPs?

They didn't buy any. There was a tender for 50 light helos, for field mail service, and light transport roles. The tender conditions strongly implied that the MoD wanted certain Eurocopter models, but in the end the tender was cancelled. It's unclear why, possibly because of the Ka-62 project, possibly because upper political leadership didn't want such a major foreign-sourced purchase.

There are details here:
http://bmpd.livejournal.com/209274.html
http://bmpd.livejournal.com/174091.html

"Сухоруков еще раз заявил... ...По поводу конкурса на закупку 50 легких вертолетов, который был признан несостоявшимся, первый заместитель министра лишь констатировал его неудачу, сообщил об острой потребности в учебных вертолетах и несопосбности промышленности их нужное количество. Поскольку Министерство обороны по прежнему считает "одну из моделей" Eurocopter наиболее подходящим учебным вертолетом для российских условий можно предположить, что тендер будет объяявлен вновь."

Sukhorukov here states that it's for training purposes, but that's just not correct. The second link has a link to the official tender docs.

 

[Haavarla]

Interesting.
I guess the question is wether the Ka-62 will be able to steal some market from the eurocopter. The Ka-62 might come off with a lower price.

Designing and building the Ka-62 for some small MoD contract..50 are not much in the long run.

Perhaps China are interesing though..

 

[Feanor]

The Made in Russia blog has a list of helo deliveries to the VVS over 2009-2011.

The totals are 36 Mi-28Ns, 12 Ka-52s, ~14+ Ansat-U, Mi-8AMTSh at least 15 in 2010, and at least 10 in 2011, no info for 2009 (so 25+), 4 Mi-26, all in 2011, 4 Mi-35M all in 2011.

Сделано у Ð½Ð°Ñ - Итоги 2011 года в картинках: ВВС - чаÑÑ‚ÑŒ 3

The Ka-226 numbers are not there, neither are the Mi-8MTV-5 numbers. There was also a number of Ka-32 purchased for AVMF SAR, and at least 1 Ka-31 purchase. It's unclear what the status of the deliveries is.

 

[Klaus]

5 Ka 226 have been delivered so far. And afaik the MoD ordered 2 Ka 31s in 2010.

 

[Feanor]

5 Ka 226 have been delivered so far. And afaik the MoD ordered 2 Ka 31s in 2010.

Do you have a source for the Ka-226 and Ka-31 deliveries?

I know another Ka-31 was ordered this year along with 5 Ka-32.

 

[Haavarla]

Seems like the Su-35 b/n: 901 are also in the State Trials.
The Company trials has ended afaik..

russianplanes.net ||

Thats a lot.. how much weight totaly on those 11 missiles?

Edit:
On different note.
There are plans for ordering 90 Su-35S for the VVS.

http://ria.ru/defense_safety/20120514/648871997.html

So much for the earlier posters on this forum stating the 48 Su-35S was only a short stop gap before the Pak-Fa..

I'm not sure if these 90 are on top of the allready 48 on order or not..

 

[Klaus]

@Feanor: The delivery of the Ka 226s was reported on ruaviation.com, the order for two Ka 31s was mentioned in an article on red-stars.org about two years ago.
To be honest, I don't know whether the latter have been handed over yet, but producing 2 helicopters shouldn't be too much for a period of 2 years.
The recently ordered Ka 31s and 32s will all be delivered in 2013, according to AIR International.

@Haavarla: The VVS will receive a total of 96 Su 35s, this has been confirmed by Zelin himself, so there will be a follow-on contract for another 48 aircraft.

 

[Feanor]

A rare photo of a Tu-214P in flight. The aircraft is supposedly an ELINT aircraft, but specifics are hard to come by. Though it does have some exterior features...

bmpd -

A contract for two aircraft was signed in 2002, to be delivered in 2008, but delivery dates have slipped, so now handover of the first aircraft is planned in 2013. The second is planned in 2014, and is still being assembled.

Also Aeronautics Defense Systems is negotiating with the Ministry of Defense for a contract involving 24 ground control stations, and Orbiter-2M UAVs.

http://bmpd.livejournal.com/229482.html

EDIT: First 3 modernized An-124-100M aircraft have been handed over, 4 more are being prepped for the same upgrade. A total of 10 aircraft are planned for this upgrade. Another 10 are planned for the An-124-150 upgrade.

http://lenta.ru/news/2012/05/17/three/
http://www.arms-expo.ru/049057054048124050055054055054.html

 

[Feanor]

Some more photos of the Yak-130 carrying impressively large payloads.

bmpd -

Also, apparently a total of 30 Ansat-U helos are planned at this time, through 2020. These are very modest numbers. And while this is indeed enough helos for the helo-pilot school, it raises serious questions about the future of the type. Given the MoDs attempts to purchase Eurocopters earlier, to fill a similar niche.

Lenta.ru:

Also there is news about an Su-25SM replacement, and it doesn't sound like they mean the Su-25UBM, but rather a whole new aircraft which has already been included in the state arms procurement program 2020. This suggests that it will feature some signals-management technology, and that we will see the aircraft towards the end of the decade. It's also supposed to feature a new radar.

ВВС Ð*оÑÑии заменÑÑ‚ штурмовики Су-25*—*ОÐ*УЖИЕ Ð*ОССИИ, Информационное агентÑтво
Lenta.ru:

Also, as part of the state defense order, the Zala-421-16E-M UAV has been modernized. This type was previously purchased by the MVD, and possibly FSB, but not the MoD (to the best of my knowledge). Since the state defense order is for all force wielding structures, not just the military, it's unclear whether the MoD will buy it. But it certainly is a better option then the Grusha UAVs they're currently acquiring.

http://arms-tass.su/?page=article&aid=106901&cid=25

 

[Haavarla]

Another Mi-26 delivered, and one more fresh out of factory for test flight.
How many is delivered by now, 8-9?

http://img-fotki.yandex.ru/get/6304/117885493.7/0_95894_edbb3c65_orig

http://s019.radikal.ru/i624/1205/d3/b3c03163c38a.jpg

Nice grey paint as well.