From BR,

PHOTOS of IN pilots training in Russia on MiG 29 KUB:

http://i598.photobucket.com/albums/tt66/fulcrum29/Navy2.jpg
http://i598.photobucket.com/albums/tt66/fulcrum29/Navy1.jpg
http://i598.photobucket.com/albums/tt66/fulcrum29/Navy3.jpg
http://i598.photobucket.com/albums/tt66/fulcrum29/Navy4.jpg
http://i598.photobucket.com/albums/tt66/fulcrum29/Navy5.jpg

I noticed that the Kh-59 was displayed in front of the MiG-29K at MAKS 2009, does anyone know if the K is really capable of carrying it? also what about the KAB-1500?

Finally does anyone know if a targeting Pod has been fitted to the MiG-29K?

First photo of a Indian MiG-29KUB on the Admiral Kusnezov.

Google translation

MiG-29K and MiG-29KUB flew with the heavy aircraft-carrying cruiser “Admiral Kuznetsov”

JSC “RSK” MiG “successfully conducted on heavy aircraft carrier (heavy aircraft),” Admiral Kuznetsov “flight tests ship-based fighters MiG-29K/KUB, mass-produced on request of the Indian Navy.
In tests on MiG-29K and MiG-29KUB 28 and 29 September 2009 made several landings and takeoffs on the deck of the cruiser, located in the Barents Sea.
During test flights the aircraft flown by test pilots RAC “MiG” Mikhail Belyaev, Pavel Vlasov, Nikolay Diorditsa and test pilot of Air Force Colonel Oleg Russia match.
The flights conducted Deputy Director-General RSK MiG on flight operations – Chief Flight Test Center im.A.V.Fedotova Hero of Russia Pavel Vlasov. Over the course of testing observed by representatives of the customer.
Flight tests MiG-29K/KUB on heavy aircraft carrier “Admiral Kuznetsov” sum up the great work of creation in Russia of a new shipborne fighters.
General Director RAC “MiG” Mikhail Pogosyan, who was during a test flight aboard the cruiser “Admiral Kuznetsov”, thanked the pilots for their excellent work and stressed that the flights from the deck require the highest flying skills. Mikhail Pogosyan, expressed confidence that the aircraft will be needed MiG-29K/KUB Russia’s Armed Forces. The head of the Corporation “MiG” is also noted that the successful tests on the ship will contribute to the further development of the program MiG-29K/KUB in India and the increased interest of other foreign customers for new aircraft RAC “MiG”.

Test pilots performing flights on MiG-29K and MiG-29KUB during testing in the Northern Fleet:

– Mikhail Belyaev – Test Pilot Class 1;
– Pavel Vlasov – Hero of Russia, Honored Test Pilot of Russia, Deputy Director RAC “MiG” by Flight Operations – Chief Flight Test Center (persons) im.A.V.Fedotova, head of flight services;
– Nicholas Diorditsa – Hero of Russia, distinguished test pilot of the RF, OFFICERS im.A.V.Fedotova;
– Oleg Match – Senior Test Pilot of the State Flight Test Center to them.

Marine MiG-29K (single) and MiG-29KUB (double) – Multi-purpose aircraft generation “4 + +, designed to solve the problems of ship air defense compounds, gaining dominance in the air, destruction of surface and ground targets with precision weapons controlled day and night all weather conditions.
First flight of skilled MiG-29KUB held in January 2007 the first serial aircraft took off in March 2008

The main technical and technological innovations on the fighters MiG-29K/KUB:
– Improved airframe with a high proportion of composite materials;
– Folding wings with improved mechanization, providing improved takeoff and landing characteristics;
– Digital integrated-wire aircraft control system with quadruple redundancy;
– Significantly reduced visibility in the radar range;
– Increased combat load;
– Increased internal fuel capacity and the availability of in-flight refueling;
– The ability to refuel other aircraft fuel in the fuel unit refueling equipment PAZ-1MK.

Fighters MiG-29K/KUB the improved performance and higher reliability of assemblies, systems and components. Compared to the previous fighters, flying resource MiG-29K/KUB increased more than 2 times, and flight hour cost is reduced almost in 2,5 times. The avionics MiG-29K/KUB based on the principle of open architecture. The fighter is installed multifunctional multimode pulse-Doppler airborne radar station (radar) “Zhuk-ME. Compared with the previous-generation radars, it has a greater range of viewing angles in azimuth, double the detection range, lower weight and higher reliability. Radar” Zhuk -ME provides support up to 10 air targets and the simultaneous firing of rockets on four of them. MiG-29K/KUB equipped with modern multi-channel optical-location station and the system of targeting passive homing anti-radar missiles.
The complex consists of arming guided missiles, air-to-air and air-to-surface, adjustable, bombs, rockets, aerial bombs and built-in 30-mm cannon. At the request of the customer into the arms may be introduced new models of aircraft weapons.
For MiG-29K/KUB developed a complete set of teaching aids, including an integrated simulator with the system of mobility.
The strategy of integration capabilities RSK MiG and Sukhoi Company, the new fighter MiG will be implemented in the system created for the new generation of combat aircraft.

http://translate.googleusercontent.c…_jtDVOsQ5myGXg

Wait, what? Why? The MiG-29K isn’t a CAS aircraft like the Su-25.

I think he meant the Su-25UTG that are used on the Admiral Kuznetsov.

Anyway the Su-25UTG is only used as a trainer. So if the Su-33 is retired the Su-25UTG will as well, as the MiG-29KUB will logical take its place.

A new photo of an India’s MiG-29K.

Taiwan designs fighter jet

June 19, 2009

TAIPEI – TAIWAN has completed the design of its own third-generation fighter jet with Russian expertise, to make up for a scuppered US purchase deal, a newspaper report said on Friday.

The fighter, developed by Taiwan’s government-owned Aerospace Industrial Development Corporation (AIDC), is based on the F-35 Lightning II joint strike fighter (JSF) being developed for the US Air Force, the China Times said.

Designed by Lockheed Martin of the US, the F-35 carries a price tag of more than US$90 million (S$133 million), it said.

Taiwan began developing the jet after a deal to buy F-16 C/D fighters ran aground in 2007 as Washington disapproved of the pro-independence policies of the Democratic Progressive Party which was then in power, it said.

That deal, worth at least NT$100 billion (S$4.8 billion), would have been Washington’s biggest arms sale to the island since 2001.

The newspaper said the design for the fighter, with double engines and short take-off ability, was completed after AIDC sent staff to Russia. It did not specify which Russian agency or company was involved.

China has threatened to invade Taiwan should it declare formal independence, prompting the island to acquire more advanced weaponry.

The two sides have been rivals since splitting in 1949 after a civil war but ties have improved dramatically since the Beijing-friendly Kuomintang party came to power last year. — AFP

http://www.straitstimes.com/Breaking%2BNews/Asia/Story/STIStory_392521.html

Another article, pretty much the same information.

Turkey sends delegation to Russia for Mi-28 attack helicopters

Turkey, whose earlier request to buy US Cobra attack helicopters has so far been turned down on grounds that they are not available, is sending a military-led delegation to Russia today to further talks over the planned acquisition of at least 12 Mil Mi-28 “Havoc” attack helicopters as a stop gap measure in the fight against the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), Today’s Zaman has learned.

A Turkish military delegation’s planned visit to Moscow, expected to start today, comes in the midst of calls made by Turkish Chief of General Staff Gen. İlker Başbuğ in Washington for the US administration to sell urgently required military hardware to Turkey, including attack helicopters and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).

Gen. Başbuğ made a June 1 speech at the annual meeting of the American-Turkish Council (ATC), held in Washington, during which he urged the US to carry the existing cooperation between the two NATO allies in the fight against the PKK from the existing US supply of real-time intelligence to a new phase of cooperation. “This cooperation should go beyond the existing intelligence cooperation,” Başbuğ said.

Turkish fighters have been engaged in aerial bombardments of PKK targets in northern Iraq since December 2007, using US-supplied real-time intelligence, which has been critical in pinpointing PKK targets accurately to avoid serious collateral damage. The US has been using UAVs, satellites and Lockheed Martin-made U-2 High-Altitude Reconnaissance Aircraft (Dragon Lady) to supply Turkey with real-time intelligence on PKK activities in northern Iraq, while the Turkish military has been using Israeli-made UAVs purchased earlier as a stopgap measure to gather intelligence on the PKK inside the country.

Turkish military analysts told Today’s Zaman that Gen. Başbuğ meant with his statement in Washington that Turkish-US cooperation should go beyond the existing intelligence cooperation and that the US should sell military hardware to Turkey.

Turkey has already applied to the US for the purchase of two General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc.-made Predator UAVs, while an earlier Turkish demand for the purchase of up to 12 US Bell-made Cobra attack helicopters have so far been turned down by Washington due to their unavailability in the next several years.

But the US’s refusal to sell the Cobras to Turkey is believed to be because of Turkey’s decision in 2007 to produce 50 Italian AugustaWestland-made attack and tactical reconnaissance helicopters, named “ATAK,” when the Italian company agreed to transfer technology so that helicopters meeting specific Turkish requests will be built at Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) facilities in Ankara.

The first T129 attack helicopter (designated as the T129, a Turkish version of the A129 Mangusta) is planned to be produced in 2015.

Ankara signed a deal worth around $2.7 billion with AugustaWestland in June 2008 for the production of 50 ATAKs, but the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) declined AugustaWestland’s offer of off-the-shelf A129 Mangusta attack helicopters as an interim solution on the grounds that the current A129 helicopters would not meet its urgent operational requirements.

US companies did not bid in the attack project as they could not meet the Turkish contract terms and conditions, which sought a transfer of technology, prohibited under US law.

According to a senior Turkish defense industrialist, had Turkey signed a deal with the US for the production of attack helicopters, he is confident Washington would have supplied Turkey with Cobras as an interim measure.

Since the possibility of the US supplying Turkey with Cobra helicopters is now low, Turkey has sped up efforts to buy the advanced Russian Mi-28 helicopters that the TSK has been keen on buying.

During the visit to Russia, a Turkish military-led delegation will learn the price and quick delivery options of the Mi-28 helicopters, the Turkish sources said. Turkey is believed to have five or six operational Cobras in its inventory. Attack helicopters are one of the key players in the fight against the PKK. Turkey entered talks with Russia’s Rosoboronexport late last year for the purchase of 12 Mi-28 attack helicopters, as revealed by Today’s Zaman at the time.

http://www.todayszaman.com/tz-web/detaylar.do?load=detay&link=177448

Russia to resume production of twin seat Su-25’s in 2010

DATELINE: MOSCOW May 25

Approval has been given to a plan to have the Ulan-Ude Aircraft Plant manufacture Sukhoi Su-25UBM aircraft -modernized trainer attack planes, the general director of the Shturmoviki Sukhogo (Sukhoi Attack Aircraft) company said on Friday.

Manufacture of Su-25UBM craft is due to start next year, when two such planes are to be built, Vladimir Babak told Interfax-AVN. “It is planned to gradually build up the production volumes of Su-25UBM’s in subsequent years,” he said.

The Su-25UBM’s “will be supplied for combatant units in addition to Su-25UB aircraft that are already in use,” Babak said.

The Su-25UB planes “will remain in service for another seven to 10 years and will go out of use as their service life expires,” he said.

He also said the Ufa Engine Manufacturing Plant, which has been producing increased-traction R195 engines for the latest batches of Su-25 planes, was ready to resume making engines of this type for Su- 25UBM’s.

The R195 engines to be installed on Su-25UBM’s will undergo “no changes or improvements” to their design as “they completely meet the customer’s requirements,” he said.

http://www.russiandefenseblog.org/?p=154