India Requests Speed up of Licensing Agreement for Su-30MKI Fighters
Execution of the licensing agreement for the organization of series production in India of up to 140 Su-30MKI fighters is planned earlier than the intended times at the request of the Indian side, the president of OAO Irkut Scientific Production Corporation (NPK Irkut), Oleg Demchenko, has reported.
“Execution of the licensing agreement most likely will come about as early as 2012,” he noted.
In connection with India’s request, NPK Irkut has decided to speed up delivery of the corresponding airplanes and technological complements to India – “shifting” of the contract being fulfilled is being realized with the deliver of more “advanced” airplanes (assembled, but not test flown), which will be realized earlier than the times accepted. “Delivery of the airplanes according to phases three and four will be shifted to phases 2 and 3,” the head of NPK Irkut specified.
O. Demchenko declared that this year a contract with India already has been initialed for the delivery of 18 Su-30MKI fighters. On may expect signing of the contract in 1 – 2 weeks. Of the 18 Su-30MKI airplanes for India, 12 aircraft are already in final assembly. Delivery of the 18 Su-30MKI to India together with the earlier Su-30 fighters delivered to this country will be by a trade-in ((in English)) system – taking into account a deduction of the cost of the Su-30K.
“In order to begin delivery of the 28 Su-30MKA airplanes to Algeria and the 18 Su-30MKM to Malaysia, it is necessary to begin their assembly as early as 2006 and to roll them out for final assembly at the end of the year, O. Demchenko thinks.
According to him, it is planned to deliver the Su-30MKM fighters for Malaysia numbering 18 aircraft in 2007 and 2009. The fighters for Algeria are 28 Su-30MKA units and the start of deliveries is 2008 and completion is in 2009.
Answering a question about differences of the Su-30MKA variant of the fighter for Algeria from the Su-30MKI fighter for India, O Demchenko said that a few changes have been made in the Su-30MKA version. For example, the components from Israel are absent. The Su-30MK variants for India and the Su-30MKA are 95 percent alike. For example, the main difference is that the Su-30MKA cockpit equipment for Algeria will not be English language, but French.
According to the estimates of Western analysts, the worldwide need for fighters of the Su-27/30 type for the period to 2013 is estimated at 348 aircraft.
From: http://www.royfc.com/cgi-bin/today/acft_news.cgi
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