Russian 5th generation avionics news

Development of Radar for Fifth Generation Fighter Under Way Using Enterprise’s own Funds

Financing of the creation of the aircraft radar (BRLS) for the fifth generation fighter is being realized exclusively using the developer’s funds, the NIIP Tikhomirov general director, Yuriy Belyy, declared to Interfax-AVN.

“Up to now, NIIP Tikhomirov has been performing all work on the future BRLS for the fifth generation fighter at its own expense,” Yu. Belyy said.

He recalled that the Tikhomirov NIIP won the competition for the best project of a future BRLS for the fifth generation fighter and was determine the lead developer of the complex.

“Today no decisions have been made about sources of financing of the scientific research and experimental design work for the creation of the fifth generation fighter. There may be four such sources in all: budgetary funds in accordance with a state defense order line item, the personal funds of the developing enterprises, allocations from the export of the AVPK Sukhoy enterprise’s product and foreign investments. Today, the financing is lacking from all sources. Therefore, for the time being the Tikhomirov NIIP is working in the interests of the future Russian fighter only with its own funds,” the general director said.

According to him, at the concept design stage, the Tikhomirov NIIP has been developing only the integrated radar system. “Right now, as the result of the competition, the Tikhomirov NIIP in cooperation with the Leninets Holding Company (St. Peterburg) and the Fazotron-NIIR Corporation has signed and agreement for the creation of an integrated radar system,” Yu. Belyy declared.

He explained that “the forward and side coverage radar sets (LOKATOR), the millimeter (wave) radar set and rear view radar set and the electronic countermeasures complex (KREhP). At the same time, KREhP signals are passed through an active phased array antenna array (AFAR).”

“The side coverage radar will not be located on the fuselage, but in a fairing beneath the fuselage. The Tikhomirov NIIP is supposed to coordinate the fighter’s whole avionics complex (in frequency and timing patterns and the like),” said Yu. Belyy.

He emphasized that there is a special engineering program for creation of an AFAR for the fifth generation fighter at the Tikhomirov NIIP.

“The Tikhomirov NIIP is generating cooperation today on the creation of the fighter’s avionics, in which on the order of the enterprises already are included, including enterprises included previously in the ministry of the electronics industry system,” Yu. Belyy said.

Source: 11.09.03, Interfax-AVN

– Side-coverage radar?
– note AFAR=AESA

Fazotron-NIIR Corporation Creating Aircraft Radar for Fifth Generation MiG Fighter

The Fazotron-NIIR corporation will continue work on the creation of an aircraft radar (BRLS) for a future fifth generation fighter in accordance with an agreement with the Russian Airplane Building Corporation (RSK) MiG, the general director and general designer of the Fazotron-NIIR corporation, Anatoliy Kanashchenkov, reported to Interfax-AVN on Wednesday.

“Fazotron-NIIR has signed an agreement with RSK MiG on the development of a radar for a future fifth generation fighters created at RSK MiG on its own initiative,” A. Kanashchenkov said.

According to him, RSK MiG had proposed to the Fazotron-NIIR corporation the development of a BRLS for the fifth generation fighter being created. “The offer was accepted and this summer an agreement was signed by four organizations, including Fazotron-NIIR, RSK MiG and also engine-building firms,” A. Kanashchenkov said.

He recalled that the MiG corporation had adopted a decision in principle to continue work on future fighter on its own initiative.

In A. Kanashchenkov’s opinion, that developer who creates the best active phased array radar (AFAR) will win the competition for the fifth generation fighter in actual fact.

“The Fazotron-NIIR corporation has adopted a decision to continue scientific research and experimental design work on the creation of a new BRLS with an AFAR with subsequent alternative testing of it and a real demonstration of its capabilities,” A. Kanashchenkov said.

In his opinion, Fazotron-NIIR is the most advanced company in the area of future fighter avionics complexes.

“Over a 5 year period, Fazotron-NIIR has executed scientific research and experimental design work in accordance with a state defense order to the stage of the detail design and has defended it. Other developmental firms are at the preliminary design stage,” said A. Kanashchenkov.

According to A. Kanashchenkov, not only will Fazotron-NIIR be working with RSK MiG in the creation of the fifth generation BRLS, but also with the Sukhoy OKB. According to him, it is planned to make flight tests of the future radar on Sukhoy OKB airplanes.

In 2002, AVPK Sukhoy was determined as the chief executor of work on the fifth generation airplane.

The Tekhnokompleks Scientific and Production Center, Ramenskoye Instrument Building Design Bureau, the Instrument Building Scientific Research Institute (Zhukovskiy), the Ural’sk Optical and Mechanical Plant (Yekaterinburg), the Polet firm (Nizhniy Novgorod) and The Central Scientific Research Radio Engineering Institute (Moscow) were pronounced winners in the competition held in the beginning of 2003 for the development of the avionics complex for the fifth generation airplane. NPO Saturn has been determined the lead executor for work on the engines for this airplane.

Source: 10.09.03, Interfax-AVN

Fifth Generation Avionics Being Created

The Tekhnokompleks Scientific and Production Center (NPTs) is developing elements of the fifth generation fighter’s avionics. In particular, a large-format, small-sized display with television imagery output and a 15-inch scope already has been developed. The new equipment allows a survey of an area, the reconnaissance of targets and aiming at night time. Navigational solid-state wave gyroscopes ((VOLNOVYE GIROSKOPY)) also have been created, on which the NPTs already has begun flight tests.

Tekhnokompleks is developing even the primary elements of the fifth generation airplane’s computer system which will be operating practicably as early as the first quarter of 2004. Ground information systems for development of flight assignments have been created for future aviation complexes.

NPP Zvezda already has constructed a new airplane emergency ejection seat system (SAPS) with a control system developed by Tekhnokompleks. The seat saves the crew in all likely catastrophic situations. This is a more perfect catapult than that which saved the lives of our test pilots at the exhibition in Le Bourget 2 years ago in an ejection during the Su-30 crash.

Tekhnokompleks enterprises are participating in the execution of contracts and work on program for the Su-30MKK and Su-30MKI airplanes, the SU-27IB multirole air complex, MiG-29SMT fighter, and the Ka-31 and Ka-32, Mi-24PN and Mi-28N “Night Hunter” helicopters. Today the corporation is working on the creation of avionics for fifth generation airplanes.

Source: 08.09.03, Krasnaya Zvezda

Upgraded Aircraft Radar Being Created for MiG-31 Fighter

The upgraded “Zaslon-AM” aircraft radar (BRLS) is being created at the Tikhomirov Scientific Research Institute of Instrument Building, the general director of the Tikhomirov NIIP, Yuriy Belyy, reported to Interfax-AVN on Wednesday.

“The Tikhomirov NIIP has an assignment in accordance with the state defense order line item to upgrade the ‘Zaslon’ BRLS for MiG-31 fighters. The upgraded BRLS has received the designation ‘Zaslon-AM’,” Yu. Belyy reported.

According to him, the Tikhomirov NIIP has 30 years of experience in the creation and development of radars with electronic scanning (the “Zaslon”) for fighter interceptors of the MiG-31 type.

Yu. Belyy reported that the Tikhomirov NIIP plans to begin bench tests in the near future of the upgraded BRLS.

“An agreement has been concluded with the St. Peterburg Leninets Holding Company for the development at this enterprise of a special bench for the overhaul and upgrade of the BRLS,” the NIIP general director declared.

He noted that the upgrade of the “Zaslon-A” radar includes, in particular, the replacement of the digital processing components ((VYCHISLITEL’NYE SREDSTVA)). “The program for the creation of the ‘Zaslon-AM’ BRLS is at the experimental design work stage,” the agency source reported.

In the opinion of experts, in the upgrade of the “Zaslon” BRLS with electronic beam scanning, the aging A-15A central processor is exchanged for the more modern “Baget-55” which allows the introduction of several new mode of operation for the “Zaslon-AM” BRLS for the upgraded MiG-31BM fighters while keeping the B1.01M antenna.

The “Zaslon” BRLS technologies have served as a base for the creation of the N-011M “Bars” BRLS for Indian air force fighters of the Su-30MKI type. At the same time, the “Bars” radar antenna’s weight is 100 kilograms versus the weight of the B1.01M antenna on the MiG-31 of 250 kilograms.

Source: 10.09.03, Interfax-AVN