"Joint development and technology transfer": how Russian aviation will change after the unification of KB "MiG" and OKB Sukhoi

The process of merging PJSC Sukhoi Company and RSK MiG into a single military aviation division is at the stage of operational transformation, which implies a reduction in management costs.

Ilya Tarasenko, who combines the positions of deputy general director of the United Aircraft Corporation (UAC), head of PJSC Sukhoi Company and RSK MiG, said this on the sidelines of the Army-2020 international forum in Kubinka near Moscow in an interview with RT.

“Our task is to develop the competencies that Sukhoi and MiG have, to preserve both engineering schools and to make them move towards new projects, each in its own direction,” Tarasenko said.

As the deputy head of the UAC explained, the resource potential of both enterprises will be used to accelerate research and development work (R&D) and to reduce the cost of creating new models of aircraft.

Answering the question of whether the traditionally existing competition between Sukhoi and MiG will continue, Tarasenko said that the rivalry between the two schools will be present at the stage of selecting promising projects. At the same time, work on the modernization and implementation of new models in hardware will be carried out by joint efforts of the two companies.

• Interview RT Deputy Head of the UAC Ilya Tarasenko on the sidelines of the forum "Army-2020"

Synergistic effect

The creation of a single military aviation division in the Russian Federation was officially announced at the beginning of February this year by the press service of the UAC. As noted in the corporation, the consolidation of the research and production capacities of Sukhoi and MiG "will allow more efficient implementation of existing programs and the development of promising projects."

“Ilya Tarasenko will focus on the formation of a military aviation division of the UAC on the basis of PJSC Sukhoi Company and JSC RSK MiG. This structure will be engaged in the development, production, sale and maintenance of the entire line of current and promising combat aircraft of the UAC, ”the corporation's website said.

Earlier in an interview with RIA Novosti, Tarasenko said that in June Sukhoi received the functions of the sole executive body of the MiG corporation. In practice, this means that the division is managed from a single center. According to the top manager, a development strategy for the military aviation division for the period up to 2035 will be prepared in the near future.

Tarasenko stressed that the KLA plans do not include the merger of the two design bureaus.

The deputy head of the corporation is confident that the functioning of unique Russian engineering schools within the framework of a unified structure will bring a synergistic effect, which will be expressed in "joint development and technology transfer." For example, in the future, Sukhoi and MiG should focus on creating a sixth generation combat aircraft.

“I would like to note once again that each design school will retain its originality and uniqueness, which will be expressed in new projects of light and heavy aviation systems ... MiG and Sukhoi are complementary systems of operational-tactical aviation,” he said Tarasenko.

Also, as the deputy head of the UAC expects, the "consolidation of resources" of the two enterprises will strengthen Russia's competitive advantages in the global combat aviation market. From the point of view of Tarasenko, the appearance of a military division will give the Russian Federation "a colossal opportunity to make a serious breakthrough."

Experts believe that the emergence of the military aviation division is mainly dictated by the need to change the organization of management of design and production assets in the aircraft industry. "MiG" and "Sukhoi" will "help out" each other if any non-standard engineering solution or a site for the production of aircraft is required.

“Consolidation of assets of Sukhoi and MiG fits into the global trend when competition in the aviation industry does not take place within the country, but between states or even groups of countries. The previous type of competition (and then with certain reservations) has survived only in the United States, "Oleg Panteleev, executive director of the Aviaport agency, explained in an interview with RT.

• MiG-35 in the assembly shop at the aircraft plant in Lukhovitsy
• © Alexey Zakvasin / RT

According to the expert, in modern conditions, design bureaus should work in cooperation. For example, within the framework of the Russian military aviation division, MiG and Sukhoi engineers will interact on projects of promising heavy and light class fighters, using each other's advanced developments.

Military expert Alexei Leonkov also sees no point in maintaining intense competition between Sukhoi and MiG. In an interview with RT, the analyst noted that the tactical and technical requirements for aviation complexes are determined by the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation. The tasks of aircraft manufacturing enterprises, in fact, boil down to translating the wishes of the military into reality.

“The sooner the consolidation process ends, the better it will be. If what is declared by the UAC is fulfilled, the domestic aviation industry and our aerospace forces will undoubtedly benefit from this, ”Leonkov stressed.

"Attractive couple"

Talking in an interview with RT about the most attractive products in the Sukhoi and MiG line, Tarasenko focused on the MiG-35 light multipurpose fighter and the Su-35 heavy combat aircraft. Both vehicles, from the point of view of the deputy head of the UAC, have high tactical and technical characteristics and good export potential.

As Tarasenko clarified, the MiG-35 should in the future replace the MiG-29 fleet, which are in service with the Russian Aerospace Forces and about 30 other states. The top manager expects a great demand for the new car from domestic and foreign operators.

Currently, the KLA is pinning special hopes on India, which previously announced a tender for the supply of 17 combat vehicles and for the production of another 93 units on its territory. The total amount of the deal is estimated at $ 18 billion.

“We have identified all potential customers. The main one is, of course, India. We and Rosoboronexport are now in the stage of intensive negotiations ... Of course, the MiG-35 is the main export-oriented product of the MiG corporation, - said Tarasenko.

The MiG-35 is a deeply modernized version of the Soviet MiG-29 fighter, which is considered one of the world's most widespread light fighters. Russian Aerospace Forces operate this vehicle in updated versions. Also, the first serial MiG-35s have already appeared in the combat aviation of the Russian Federation.

The main difference between the MiG-35 and its predecessors lies in the presence of the Zhuk-A onboard radio-electronic station (BRLS) with an active phased antenna array. This product allows the vehicle to detect targets at a distance of up to 200 km and track up to 30 objects.

The maximum take-off weight of the MiG-35 is 23.5 tons, the practical range is 1.8 thousand km, the combat load is 4.5 tons, and the cruising speed is 1.2-1.4 thousand km / h. Simultaneously, the MiG-35 can fire up to six targets. The arsenal of the aircraft allows you to intercept enemy aircraft and strike with precision weapons at ground and surface targets without entering the air defense zone.

Another domestic aircraft, the Su-35, which Tarasenko also mentioned, has even broader capabilities. The airborne radar of the fighter is equipped with a phased antenna array Н035 "Irbis", which is capable of detecting and tracking up to 34 targets at a distance of up to 400 km.

A dozen of the Su-35 suspension units can accommodate up to 8 tons of various missile and bomb weapons, including guided munitions. The maximum take-off weight of the aircraft is 34.5 tons, the practical flight range without refueling is 3.6 thousand km.

China became the first foreign buyer of the Su-35. In 2015, Beijing signed a contract with Moscow for the supply of 24 aircraft for a total of $ 2.5 billion. Later, Indonesia entered into a deal for the purchase of 11 aircraft.

In the medium term, Russia expects to raise about $ 7 billion from sales of the Su-35 to foreign countries. This forecast was announced on 23 August in an interview with Interfax by the general director of Rosoboronexport, Alexander Mikheev.

According to Oleg Panteleev, the MiG-35 and Su-35 are "a very attractive pair" for the RF Ministry of Defense and foreign customers. These machines are representatives of different classes and are close in characteristics to the fifth generation.

“In my opinion, it is advisable for a military power to have both light and heavy fighters in service, for which a certain range of tasks will be outlined. In this context, the combination of Su-35 and MiG-35, which our industry offers, looks quite attractive for a potential buyer, "Panteleev summed up.