479 participants and high-profile premieres: what new technology is presented at the MAKS-2021 aerospace show

On Tuesday, July 20, the International Aviation and Space Salon MAKS-2021 will start in Zhukovsky near Moscow.

The business program of the exhibition will last until the 23rd, and the general public will be able to familiarize themselves with the exposition on July 21-25.

During the work of the salon, the capabilities of modern aircraft over the airfield of the Gromov Flight Research Institute will be demonstrated by the pilots of the aerobatic teams "Swifts", "Russian Knights", "Berkuts", "Falcons of Russia" and the Indian squadron Sarang.

According to experts, this year MAKS is unusually rich in high-profile premieres of promising models of military and civilian equipment.

The list of participants includes 479 organizations from the Russian Federation and other countries.

Among the largest foreign corporations, Airbus, Boeing, the French engine and electronic equipment manufacturer Safran, the German engine-building giant MTU Maintenance, and the Russian-Indian company BrahMos Aerospace will present their products.

The Brazilian aircraft manufacturer Embraer is taking part in the show in absentia.

“Taking into account objective limitations due to covid, this year MAKS can be called the world's largest international exhibition of aerospace technology.

For many companies, the salon in Zhukovsky is a unique opportunity to demonstrate their products not only to Russian partners, but also to a wide range of potential foreign customers, "said Oleg Panteleev, executive director of the Aviaport agency, in an interview with RT.

"Genuine interest"

However, the main premiere of the salon, according to experts, will be the presentation of the new Russian fighter, which will be held by Rostec.

The appearance and characteristics of the car are still intriguing, but from the teaser, which was distributed by the state corporation, it follows that the plane will be equipped with a single-engine power unit, unconventional for the domestic engine-building school.

It is also assumed that the fighter was developed largely for export purposes, as the video shows Air Force pilots from different countries.

“Russia is one of the few countries in the world that has full-cycle technologies for the production of advanced aircraft systems, as well as a recognized trendsetter in the creation of combat aircraft.

We are convinced that the new product developed by UAC specialists will arouse genuine interest not only in our country, but also in other regions of the world, including our competitors abroad, ”said Rostec on the eve of the aircraft presentation.

An extensive exposition at MAKS-2021 is presented by the United Aircraft Corporation (UAC).

Visitors to the salon can familiarize themselves with the export modification of the fifth generation Su-57 fighter, the business version of the SSJ-100 short-haul passenger airliner, and the Il-114-300 regional aircraft.

The debutant of the exhibition in Zhukovsky will be the MS-21-310 passenger aircraft with PD-14 engines developed by the UEC-Perm Motors enterprise.

This machine made its first flight in December 2020.

Earlier, the PW1400G units of the American company Pratt & Whitney were installed on the MC-21 family liners.

With the start of commercial operation, the UAC expects the MS-21 to become one of the best aircraft in its class due to its original aerodynamic design, equipment with Russian engines, the use of new alloys, composite materials and onboard equipment.

Serial production of the MC-21 should be launched in 2022.

According to the latest data, the portfolio of orders for the family of these passenger cars is 175 units.

In the light aircraft segment at MAKS-2021, the multi-purpose aircraft LMS-901 "Baikal", which is being created to replace the legendary An-2, was presented for the first time.

According to the developer - the company "Baikal Engineering", the car will become a reliable, unpretentious in maintenance and affordable vehicle.

The main investor of the project is the RF Ministry of Industry and Trade.

• LMS-901 "Baikal"

• © "Baikal Engineering"

Baikal is being developed taking into account all modern trends in small aircraft.

One of the main features of the LMS-901 is the unusually low cost of a flight hour - 30 thousand rubles.

In terms of a number of characteristics, the LMS-901 should surpass its Western counterparts - Cessna 208, Quest Kodiak 100, Pilatus PC-6.

The developer's plans are to go out to export and occupy up to 5% of the global market for light multipurpose aircraft.

As the chief designer of Baikal Engineering, Vadim Demin, said in an interview with RT in May, at first the car will be equipped with an American General Electric power unit.

However, in the future, the LMS-901 will receive the Russian VK-800SM engine, which "will greatly reduce the risks for customers."

Among foreign aircraft, the debutant of MAKS-2021 is the wide-body airliner A350-1000, designed to carry 440 passengers in a single-class layout.

The flight range of the vehicle can exceed 16 thousand km.

The advantages of its brainchild Airbus include Rolls Royce Trent XWB 97 engines with a 15% increase in thrust, as well as a wide integration of modern materials - the liner is 53% made of composites.

The Czech company Aircraft Industries (Let Kunovice) presented its own novelty of aircraft technology to the public.

In Zhukovsky, the company demonstrates the product L-410NG - a representative of a new generation of the multi-purpose Czechoslovakian L-410 Turbolet, popular in socialist times.

As noted in the manufacturer's materials, in comparison with its predecessor, the modernized aircraft has an increased payload, the most spacious passenger cabin in its category, and improved flight and operational characteristics.

"The new wing design with wet wings and increased fuel capacity opens up new possibilities for wider use of the aircraft as a marine, patrol and observation version," - according to the Aircraft Industries website.

"Unique opportunities"

A number of the latest Russian vehicles were presented at MAKS-2021 from helicopter technology.

One of them, the Mi-171A3, is the first helicopter in the Russian Federation, designed specifically for offshore operations and maintenance of offshore drilling platforms.

It was developed in accordance with the standards of the International Association of Oil and Gas Producers (IOGP).

Mi-171A3 is adapted for the transportation of people, cargo and search and rescue missions.

The first flight of the car is scheduled for early 2022.

“The Mi-171A3 has unique transport capabilities in its class - it can carry 24 passengers, while foreign counterparts can accommodate up to 19 people.

At the same time, the Mi-171A3 is cheaper than its foreign competitors and surpasses them in terms of the cost of a flight hour by more than 20%, "Rostec reports.

• Helicopter Mi-171A3

• © Rostec

Another premiere of the aerospace show in Zhukovsky is the Ka-32A11M multipurpose helicopter, which is a deep modernization of the Ka-32A11BC, which has proven itself in the international market.

The machine is equipped with a VK-2500PS-02 gas turbine engine with an electronic digital automated control system.

The power of the power unit allows the use of an external suspension with a carrying capacity of up to 5300 kg.

Also, the avionics and the helicopter cockpit have undergone modernization.

For the first time at MAKS-2021, an improved multifunctional light-class helicopter Ansat-M is being demonstrated.

This machine made its first flight at the end of 2020.

During the tests, the device confirmed the declared range of 640 km.

At the same time, with an additional fuel tank, the flight distance increases to 790 km.

Ansat-M received a modern autopilot, new rotor and tail rotor blades, which, thanks to improved aerodynamics, reduce the noise level and increase the takeoff weight of the helicopter to 3800 kg.

An important innovation of the machine was the wider use of composites in construction - their share increased from 15 to 35%.

According to Oleg Panteleev, despite the coronavirus pandemic, the organizers of MAKS-2021 managed to gather at the site in Zhukovsky an extensive exposition of promising aviation technology and organize a rich business program.

“MAKS is being held in difficult conditions, but as far as can be judged, the organizers managed to minimize the risks associated with covid.

The interest of foreigners and the desire of Russian manufacturers to surprise with new products can be traced.

A number of domestic samples, of course, can be called high-profile world premieres, which, apparently, will be followed by negotiations on cooperation, ”the expert believes.

In a commentary on RT, the head of the Bureau of Military-Political Analysis, Alexander Mikhailov, also drew attention to the fact that the difficulties caused by the coronavirus pandemic did not prevent the presentation of a wide range of new products at MAKS-2021.

“The main event is, of course, the presentation of a new Russian military aircraft, but the salon in Zhukovsky is rich in civil aviation vehicles, helicopters, and a variety of onboard equipment. Demonstration of such a wide range of products is an indicator of the success of the Russian industry. This reflects Moscow's desire to increase the export of high-tech products, "Mikhailov summed up.