Su-27IB again: interview with Col.Gen. Mikhaylov

Order Given to him for Takeoff

The air force commander-in-chief, General-Colonel Vladimir Mikhaylov, has made a sensational announcement for Russkiy Kur’er: he has decided to return to the plant for revision of two new fighter bombers.- Vladimir Sergeevich, at the end of last year, aviation received new fighters. These are in fact the first reinforcements to the air force in last decade. And at the same time you are always talking about the low level of financing. Aren’t there contradictions here?

– There is not a lot of money. The money is always low. And the air force, actually, is experiencing a significant deficit in funds. Financing of the air force today is traditional: Fifteen – sixteen percent from the total Defense Ministry budget. But let’s recall that the air force for several years already has existed as a unified type of force – in essence, the air force and the air defense forces. And up to this, each of these types was being financed for at an amount of 15 – 16 percent from all military expenditures. After the unification of the air force and the air defense forces, they “forgot” to unify the financing.

– and nonetheless, let’s return to the rearming of aviation… You nevertheless have received new airplanes. Where did the funding come from?

– I had approached this question attentively and even had to replace my own deputy for armament and the air force chief of the financial and economic directorate. I won’t hide it, this happened in order to select the main things from many financial sources – those, which provide the resolution of primary missions. We have closed financing of a whole series of subjects, for which they have criticized me repeatedly. But I as before am convinced that with the existing budget it is impossible to operate with the fingers spread apart. Would we, for example, be able to finance seven projects for upgrade of the Su-27 airplane at the same time? Of course, not. This means, one had to select the most prospective ways and cut off the others.

– And what then was left?

– First, about what we threw away. You may not believe it, but the results of one of the experimental and research operations for which the air force had been paying a good 10 years, went onto half a page of meaningless phrases. Now the answer to your question. One of the results of the work that has been carried out is those very five new Su-27SM fighters, where were flown to Lipetsk, to the Center of Combat Training and Cross Training of Flight Crews, from Komsomol’sk-on-Amur, where they were built. By the way, your newspaper has written about these airplanes in detail. The second example of the “seven bank owners”* is the Su-34 fighter bomber, which the Novosibirsk plant produces. More precisely, the Su-27IB – that is how it will be called now. Yes, there were claims on this example. And so as not to produce airplanes which immediately after leaving the factory have to be sent for upgrade, I had to stop the assembly of the eighth aircraft. We added a supplement to the tactical-technical task and showed the Novosibirsk people what they needed. In particular, we changed the avionics – now it is close to that which is installed on the Su-27SM And the manufacturers, I am giving them their due, they did everything as needed. And they even have not required additional money of us. At the end of December of last year, the new aircraft was lifted into the air. The next examples of the Su-27IB will come in a new aspect ((OBLIK)). And not only the next. We plan to return to the plant for the alteration of both the fifth and the sixth aircraft.

– On of the main air force problems is the low flight time that military airmen have. Just when will aviation begin to fly as it was in Soviet times?

– Last year, air force airmen flew more and further than in previous years. Total flight time was increased significantly. During the year, more than 400 airmen received third class, and 386 – second class. And not only active airmen, officers, flew. Even the flight time of cadets grew significantly. I hope that in the coming year we will get to the threshold of the General Staff requirements: every graduate of an aviation school should have 200 hours flight time.

– But doesn’t intensification of flights lead to an increase in the number of catastrophes?

– I would not begin to make such declarations. Last year there were 11 flying accidents and catastrophes in the air force. In principle, this is the traditional annual level. But the difference of 2003 is the fact that all accidents took place over only 4 months: from 19 June through 17 October. I think, in particular this “concentration” also became the reason for the sharp criticism of the air force by the ministry of defense in summing up the year’s results. The main reason for the accidents is the human factor. Judge for yourself. The first air catastrophe, on 19 June, is increased use of fuel. The MiG-29 crew – a cadet and instructor – didn’t notice this for 6 minutes. And when they paid attention to the instrument displays, they didn’t believe them at first. The group flight leader rendered no help to the crew. The result: they didn’t make the airfield by three kilometers. The next accident: A MIG-25, region of Monchegorsk. There was false actuation of information about an engine fire on takeoff. The main thing here is not to change the engines operational regime. The airman makes a contrary decision. Elementary technical ignorance. The collision of Mi-24 helicopters in August in the Far East is in general pure hooliganism… The last tragedy is the catastrophe of the Tu-160 strategic bomber in the Saratov Oblast’. I repeat, the crew was not to blame. The crew acted absolutely correctly, executing all instructions. The misfortune is that one of these instructions which was compiled in 1997, is absolutely mad. The sequence of refueling the airplane with liquid nitrogen during fueling of less than 50 tonnes was abolished by this instruction. They had loaded 46 tonnes into the Tu-160 that was lost. Following the instruction, they did not load the liquid nitrogen. As a result, during a sharp descent of the airplane and the use of fuel, the tri-section pressure support system failed to function in the fuel tanks. The tanks, crudely speaking, folded up. An explosion. A breach of the strengthening characteristics of the wing. The crew was not able to do anything else in a most complicated situation. After the emergency, at my order we found the initial example of the instruction. I is a paradox, but it even wasn’t approved by the air force commander-in-chief. In the violation of all standards, the very same man signed it who also had prepared it. There’s the human factor for you. So as to finally close the subject, I will report that the Tu-160 will resume their flights as early as 16 January.

– Let’s return to the start of our conversation. Which new aircraft nevertheless will military aviation receive?

– Above all, it is the Su-27SM. I am convinced, this airplane has imbibed in it all the very newest and best that we have put into various Sukhoy modifications, including into those which Russian is exporting successfully, the Su-30MKK and the Su-30MKI. The distinguishing features of the upgraded aircraft are: the capability for use of armament both “against the air” and “against the ground.” New avionics (the five Su-27SM from the Far East reached Lipetsk toeing the line!) And at the same time, I will note, the price of the airplane’s upgrade absolutely is incommensurable with the price of a new airplane. This is an aircraft very close to the fifth generation. In the end, it fails in two details: the airplane still is too noticeable on radar and for the time is unequal in armament to the fifth generation. However, I am certain that the Su-27SM will not be inferior to one series-built foreign airplane. I will note, we absolutely have not touched the fighter’s aerodynamics. They are magnificent. Although, to be honest, I would not begin to divide airplanes by generations. In my opinion, this is an artificial scale. But that is how it has gone… As regards the fifth generation airplane, despite the wide-scale upgrade of the fleet on hand that has begun, we are not lowering the pace of its development. A literally a few days ago I adopted a decision about the start of the upgrade of 20 more Su-27. I think, over the coming year we will rearm one regiment fully. Right now at the Lipetsk center, research pilots and methodology pilots will perfect the method for use of the new aircraft quickly. And then they will begin to transfer the experience to airmen of the line units. The Su-25. We will upgrade one regiment in the best case. The aircraft has turned out to be too expensive. I see a future of attack aviation for the Su-27IB. There are about 25 – 30 years upgrade potential left for this airplane. Combat training airplanes. Of the developments being offered – the MiG-AT and Yak-130 – we have selected the latter. And of no less importance is the fact that the Yak has seven directions: form combat trainer to reconnaissance airplane. Three aircraft already are in production at the Nizhniy Novgorod Sokol plant. All three will be enlisted for tests. But we already are ready to order a fourth, fifth and sixth aircraft. As regards the MiG-AT, it will be manufactured for export, although I also told the developers that I do not object to the appearance of a squadron of these airplanes in the air force. We need combat training airplane a lot.

– And how are long-range aviation’s prospects?

– Rearmament of the Tu-95 and Tu-160 strategic bombers. They should “know how” both to bomb and to launch missiles. It is rather simple to upgrade them: In connection with the exchange of avionics for a smaller size there will be significant space. Only the engines worry me in strategic aviation. They are reaching the end of their life not in performance, but in date of assembly. Essentially, flight time for the engines is minimal, because since 1991, our long-range aviation practically as been idle. Right now a brigade of specialists from the 13th air force institute and the assembly plant has been created which by a method of inspection and removal of all technical parameters will extend the service period for the engines without performance of overhaul. In a word, we are ready to fly more. We even plan combat training missions over the Atlantic.