SU-37 news

Flight International 8-14 August
Alexander Velovich/MOSCOW

The Ramanskoye Instrument Design Bureau (RIDB) is working on an avionics ssystem integration based on standardised electronic
blocks for virtually all Russia’s combat aircraft development programmes.

Guivi Djandjgava, RIDB general director, along with seven other Russian avionics manufacturers, has formed the Technocomplex
consortium.
A presidential decree is expected to be issued soom, giving Technocomplex, of which Djandjgava is a chairman, control of
state-woned shares of each of the members of the consortium.

The consortium expects 90% of its revenues to come from exports. RIDB has delivered 10 avionics suites for the Su-37KK Flanker,
the exports version of Sukhoi’s thrust-vecctored fighter bound for China. “The aircraft has gone through validation & development
flight tests and is ready for series production,” comments Djandjgava.

The suite is based on new RIBD-developed computers, liquid crystal displays (LCDs), digital stores managments system and
integrated inertial-dual satellite navigation (US GPS plus Russian GLONASS) systems providing modes for advanced air-to-air and
newly introduced air-to-surface weapons. A new infrared sensor developed by the UOMZ Uralsky Optical Mechanical Plant will
replace the older OLS-27.

RODB uses a conservative approach to development of its computers, which continue to be based on Intel-compatable 486 DX2/DX4
processors. Djandjgava says this is dictated by the level of the Russian electronics industry.

Djandjgava adds that the avions systems developed for the Su-37KK can be retrofitted in the Russian Airforce’s SU-27/30s. The
suite is based upon Russian-built components except for the Japanese built LCDs, but a effort to launch production of this
component at NPO Platan is under way.

Development of the avioncs suite for Indian’s Su-30MKI’s is taking a different approach, with suppliers from five countries countroes
being selected by the customer and RIDB acting as system integrator.

The first set of equipment has been shipped to IAPO of Irkutsk following tests on the Ramanskoye integration stand. Djandjgava
says that the final production configuration of the Su-30MKI is due to make it’s maiden flight this month. A second aircraft is to join
the flight tests in September. Four of five will be asembled by the end of the year with flight tests expected to be completed by the
middle of next year, when delieveries to India will be resumed.

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Well, it sure looks like the “Terminator” won’t just be an airshow attraction for much longer, I’ll bet the more advanced types won’t be far behind with all the capital flowing in!