Sapsan pod first prototype

First Prototype of “Sapsan” Laser Pod to Be Installed on Combat Airplane by End of this Year

The first prototype of “Sapsan” [peregrine] laser pod will be installed on a combat airplane by the end of this year. A second prototype will be manufactured next year. This pod is made in accordance with the same technical assignment for Su-27 and MiG-29 airplanes, the chief designer of the Ural’sk Optical-Mechanic Plant (UOMZ), Nikolay Rakovich, announced to ARMS-TASS at the Farnborough-2004 air salon.

According to him, “recently aircraft podded targeting systems have enjoyed broad development in the world, therefore, we needed to revise the technical and economic task for the ‘Sapsan’ pod in the direction of an essential increase in a number of characteristics. Right now we are summarizing the requirements of potential Su-35 customer orders. The creation of a pod for this airplane will be the next stage of development in Russia of this direction of work. A number of parameters will be increased several times. Cooperation on the pod for the Su-35 also will be broadened appreciably.”

Of the new systems at Farnborough-2004, the UOMZ presented the GOES-520 flight gyro-stabilized optoelectronic system which is intended for installation on Mi-28, Ka-50 and Ka-50-2 helicopters. Right now, according to N. Rakovich, the UOMZ is starting to market these systems to other types of forces- ground forces and the navy. In particular, the UOMZ is working on an upgrade program for the “Shturm-SM” land complex and the “Kredo” [credo] reconnaissance vehicle. The upgrade of the “Palash” [broadsword] complex and the “Bark” [bark] circular scan and targeting systems are the main directions in the naval theme.

The creation on the basis of the helicopter GOES systems for the protection of especially important objects which provides around-the-clock detection of unsanctioned penetration beyond the perimeter of an object being guarded is another direction of the operations. This system already has been presented at Domodedovo airport.

Answering an ARMS-TASS correspondent’s question about cooperation with European countries, the UOMZ representative said that work is underway on the upgrade of a the Byelorussian armed forces fleet of Mi-24 helicopters. Right now upgrade is underway of a master helicopter on which flight tests of the GOES-321M surveillance and targeting system is undergoing tests. As a result of tests, a decision will be made about the installation of this system onto other Byelorussian military Mi-24 helicopters.

UOMZ is participating as a subcontractor in the upgrade of the Polish military’s fleet of Mi-24 helicopters. Right now the main batch of helicopters is undergoing upgrade. Preliminary discussions are underway also with the Czech Republic, Hungary and Bulgaria.

The main volume of UOMZ product accounts for export orders. The state defense order for the upgrade of helicopters and the equipping of them with optoelectronic surveillance or surveillance and targeting systems is extremely small. Last year only 15 helicopters were upgraded according a line item of the ministry of defense and other force authorities. There is no state order for the upgrade and equipping of helicopters with UOMZ systems this year.

Source: 26.07.04, ARMS-TASS