Rosoboronexport,
The 7th Biennial International Aerospace Exhibition, Aero India 2009, will be held at the Yelahanka Air Force Station, Bangalore, India, from 11 to 15 February 2009. Its organizer is India’s Ministry of Defense.
The present exhibition will be a significant event not only for the Asia Pacific region, but also for the world’s major manufacturers of combat and civilian aerospace equipment and air defense facilities. The air show is expected to be dominated by India’s tender to supply the national Air Force with 126 Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA).
Nearly 600 foreign and domestic companies will be showcasing their products at Aero India 2009. This stems from a desire amongst major aircraft manufacturers to enter competition for large arms procurement orders under the Indian Air Force Modernization Program. In turn, many countries in the region show interest in modern combat planes and helicopters, weapons and avionics as well as in upgrading their national military arsenals.
Certainly, the global financial crisis has somewhat affected the arms market. However, its impact on military-technical cooperation turned out not to be as severe as on the other sectors of the world economy. This primarily pertains to the countries not dependent on petrodollars.
Specialists and guests will be able to see tens of various combat and civilian planes. Helicopters will be widely exhibited which is caused by the Indian Army’s plans to procure 500 light helicopters in the coming ten years to meet the needs of its airmobile units.
The exhibitors will showcase a diverse lineup of training facilities, engines, avionics, missile and bombing armament.
According to RF Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation’s decision, the Rostekhnologii State Corporation is the organizer of the Russian exposition. The federal state unitary enterprise Rosoboronexport, the sole state intermediary agency in the field of military-technical cooperation with foreign countries, will participate in Aero India 2009 under the aegis of the State Corporation. The unified Russian delegation is headed by Alexander Fomin, first deputy chairman of the RF Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation. Viktor Komardin, deputy director general of Rosoboronexport, will head the enterprise’s delegation.
A 1,000 sq. m exhibition area will accommodate stands of 20 Russian exhibitors displaying armaments, military equipment, and aerospace products as full-scale hardware, models, advertising leaflets and posters.
The content and dimensions of the Russian stands, planned meetings and negotiations will be focused on further strengthening Russia’s military-technical cooperation with its long and reliable partners in MTC as well as on looking for new would-be purchasers of aircraft and armaments made by Russia independently or jointly with foreign partners in production.
India, hosting this traditional air show, has been our most important strategic partner for over several decades. Moscow and Delhi currently implement the 2001-2010 Military-Technical Cooperation Program valued at US$ 18 billion. Most defense deliveries under the Program have been completed or are in the final phase. In December 2008, the Intergovernmental Commission for MTC defined a strategy for the bilateral relations in the period through 2020.
Among the ongoing major projects are the delivery of Mi-17V-5 transport helicopters to the Indian AF, license production of Su-30MKI aircraft and T-90S tanks, and Il-38 maritime patrol aircraft modernization. In addition, the Russian defense industry fulfills Indian delivery orders for MiG-29K, MiG-29KUB fighters and Ka-31 helicopters.
The trend seen in recent years is a growing Indian industry’s involvement in the development and production of Russian aircraft for the Indian Air Force. The bilateral cooperation is advancing to a qualitatively new level: from arms deliveries to in-depth joint R&D efforts, purchase of Russian technologies and licensed production of armaments and military equipment in India. Our MTC features a high level of cooperation and trust in carrying out joint R&Ds and production of armaments and military equipment. This meets Moscow and Delhi’s strategic and mutually beneficial interests.
Much attention is paid now to the joint Multi-Role Transport Aircraft (MTA) program. The MTA is initially planned as a double-use transport. It has to meet the demanding requirements of the military and yet be commercially attractive. The technical and financial risks involved are shared between Russia and India. Once launched into production, the new aircraft will replace military transports operational with the two countries.
Another contract signed by Rosoboronexport late last year calls for active joint development efforts on a fifth-generation fighter. It is planned that the future aircraft will use a new platform with up-to-date technical components, including stealth technologies. The fighter will combine super maneuverability and supersonic speed, long range and high counter-air defense capability. It will be fitted with a new-architecture multifunction avionics suite.
In the engine area, Russia has transferred to India production documentation for such a high-tech product as the RD-33 Series 3 aircraft engine. Our country is developing the AL-55I turbojet intended to power the Indian HJT-36 trainer.
Over the past 40-plus years the volume of Russian and Indian military-technical cooperation has exceeded US$ 35 billion. India accounts for around one third of Russia’s total arms exports. Moreover, aircraft products make up the bulk of the deliveries. Such a large-scale and growing pattern of the partnership relations helps further strengthen the traditional friendly ties between our nations and armed forces. Russian President Dmitry Medvedev’s visit to India held early last December confirmed this once again.
India has always strived to buy the newest weapons from Russia. That is why it now possesses the most up-to-date weapons and military equipment. The Russian defense industry and Rosoboronexport’s exhibit at Aero India 2009 will contribute to the expansion and strengthening of the cooperation.
Russia’s MiG-35 fighter will surely draw strong interest among the guests and exhibitors. It was on display at the previous exhibition in Bangalore, but now the visitors and specialists will be able to see and assess the flight performance of the machine that has embodied the Indian AF’s best operating experience with previous MiG aircraft. It is this aircraft that will compete in the tender to supply 126 MMRCA fighters to the Indian AF.
The Russian aircraft has perfect aerodynamic lines and has acquired incredible super maneuverability, owing to an exclusive thrust vector control technology. None of MiG-35’s rivals can boast such capability which gives it an undeniable edge in real air combat. Furthermore, heavy use of composites in the frame has made the aircraft less observable to enemy radars. The fighter’s double weapons load and 1.5-fold higher fuel capacity compared to its predecessor are also its irresistible benefits.
The Zhuk-AE active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar is a unique component of the MiG-35, which was proposed for the tender by Rosoboronexport and Russian Aircraft Corporation (RSK) MiG. The radar can track up to 30 targets and attack simultaneously up to six most dangerous of them. Its target detection range of 140-160 km also wins admiration and can be further extended to 250-280 km when more receive/transmit modules are used. Along with its powerful precision-guided weapons, high-performance active self-defense system and superb performance characteristics, the lightweight MiG-35 has turned into a medium-sized aircraft – a superfighter of the 21st century.
The participants and guests of the show will be able to be convinced once again of the advantages of the Su-30MK2 multi-role super maneuverable fighter intended to win air superiority and engage surface and ground targets with precision weapons. The fighter can effectively perform missions both independently and as part of a group in any weather.
Visitors will also be able to get acquainted with the performance characteristics and capabilities of the Yakovlev Yak-130 combat trainer. Its aerodynamic layout and powerplant and system parameters allow flying in almost all flight conditions typical of current and future combat aircraft.
The Russian delegation will also demonstrate the Mi-35M transport/attack helicopter. Its combat capabilities and flight performance have been markedly improved through installation of a day/night surveillance and targeting system, new engines and a new rotor system. It can operate 24 hours a day in hot climate and mountain conditions. The Mi-35M is the sole attack helicopter in the world capable of handling assault, airlift and medevac missions.
The lineup of Russian helicopters includes also the Mi-26 heavy-lift military transport helicopter, the world’s biggest freighter. It can carry equipment and large-sized cargos weighing up to 20 tons inside the cabin and externally. In terms of load-carrying capacity, the Mi-26 is comparable to the US C-130 Hercules military transport aircraft.
Rosoboronexport’s stand displays air defense weapons as well. The Tor-M1 and Buk-M2E SAM systems, able to effectively destroy enemy tactical and strategic planes, helicopters, cruise missiles and other targets, offer a great export potential.
“India and Russia are the countries possessing high-tech capabilities and having a long history of mutually beneficial military-technical cooperation,” said Viktor Komardin, head of Rosoboronexport’s delegation. “We’ve taken part in all the seven air shows in Bangalore. We hope that during meetings and talks with our partners in MTC at the exhibition we’ll implement the accords reached during the recent visit by President Dmitry Medvedev to India as well as prepare new mutually beneficial agreements and establish promising contacts.
