NAPO’s website:

Side-by-side arrangement of the crew enabled developers to avoid redundancy of some instruments and controls, ensured excellent forward and downward out-of-cockpit view, maintained reasonable ergonomic and sanitation standards and made provisions for rest and full healthy meal during multi-hour flights.

Flight Tests of Upgraded AL-31FM1 Engine Ending

Flight tests of the upgraded AL-31FM1 engine are ending, the MMPP Salyut general director, Yuriy Eliseev, reported to an ARMS-TASS correspondent at the Farnborough 2006 salon.

According to him, “the AL-31FM1 has a thrust one tonne greater in comparison with the AL-31F series-produced engine, and a service life practically twice as long. Moreover, an engine with a thrust of 14 tonnes already has been assembled on the work bench. That is, routine systematic work is proceeding on the upgrade of the AL-31F engine and the introduction into it of the next generation of engine elements, such as a low-pressure compressor, a variable thrust vectoring and so forth.”

As Yu. Eliseev noted, “the AI-222 engine production program for the Yak-130 also has a great potential. We have begun its series production both in the interests of Russia’s air force and we are beginning to buy the metal for fulfillment of the Algerian contract.”

As Yu. Eliseev thinks, “work is only beginning on the AI-222 topic for the Yak-130 combat training airplane, and in the future one should expect new contracts.”

Source: 18.07.06, ARMS-TASS

and

A New Tail for the “Rook”

Serial upgrade of Russian air force operational Su-25 attack aircraft is taking place at the aircraft repair plan in Kubinka. “Upgrade of the Su-25 attack aircraft into the Su-25SM variant has been included in the state defense order for 2006. It is planned to upgrade more than five Su-25 attack aircraft this year at the aircraft repair plant in Kubinka,” an agency source said. The Su-25 attack aircraft being upgraded this year will be the first serially upgraded airplanes of this type using assembly-line ((SERIYNAYA)) technology. Work also is continuing on the upgrade of the Su-25UB combat training attack aircraft into the Su-25UBM variant.

The state flight tests have shown that the Su-25SM in comparison with the conventional basic Su-25 attack aircraft has approximately two times higher accuracy characteristics for navigation and combat usage of aerial bombs. The Su-25SM allows the use of the Kh-29L and Kh-25ML guided missiles, the self-guiding KAB-500Kr aerial bomb and other armament. At the same time, man-hours for servicing the upgraded attack aircraft are approximately 25 – 30 percent lower, specialists note.

Source: 19.07.06, Krasnaya Zvezda

and

Russia’s Air Force Has Received an Upgraded Tu-160

Sergey Ivanov has promised Kazan’ aircraft builders… “The ministry of defense will not leave you in any more trouble”

((Very long article barely touches on Tu-160 (all of which has been said before), but discusses “better times are coming” for Kazan’s factory workers. Talks about upgrade and construction of transports so that they conform to international standards, the building of automobiles, finances, etc. Not translated here.))

Source: 19.07.06, Voenno-Promyshlennyy Kur’er

“Perspective:”

Prospective?

Heck, they should new-build a MiG-25R variant with turbofans and modern recon equipment. It’d be an awesome recon variant. As it is, the MiG-25R will eventually not be viable anymore due to age and the Su-24MRs (and Su-17M4Rs) will have the mission all to themselves until an appropriate Su-34R is developed.