Less than 25% of Albanians had been kicked out of Kosovo when NATO decided it was not going to let such an outrage continue…

Much less – probably closer to 0%… Most of the displaced were ‘internally displaced’ – i.e. people who had fled their homes to get away from fighting between the Yugoslav security forces and the KLA. Probably at this time there weren’t even many forced evictions as the KVM observers were still on the ground and there weren’t any Serbian paramilitaries inside Kosovo… Obviously things took a drastic turn for the worse when the air campaign started and many evil things were done by both sides – esp. by the Serbs.

I always thought it was just to make them look flash.

PS Second pic looks like what I imagine the MiG MFI would have looked like if developed fully.

Not exactly RuAF news but what the hell:

MOSCOW, March 14 (RIA Novosti) – Russia will start deliveries of MiG-29K Fulcrum-D carrier fighters to India for the Admiral Gorshkov aircraft carrier in May, the chief of the Indian Navy Staff said on Friday.

Admiral Suresh Mehta, who heads a group of Indian military officials that arrived in Russia on Thursday on a week-long visit, inspected on Friday the assembly of MiG-29K Fulcrum-D fighters at a plant near Moscow.

“We are nearing the [aircraft] delivery stage. The first MiG-29K fighter will be transferred in May this year,” Mehta said, adding that the deliveries under contract had been “slightly delayed.”

The contract, signed on January 20, 2004, stipulates the delivery of 12 single-seat MiG-29K and 4 two-seat MiG-29KUB in the period from 2007 to 2009, to be later deployed on the Admiral Gorshkov aircraft carrier, being refitted in Russia for the Indian Navy.

A MiG spokesman confirmed on Friday the timeframe for the deliveries of MiG fighters to the Indian Navy.

“The contract has been signed, and we are finishing the construction of the first batch of MiG-29K fighters and plan to start deliveries in May,” the spokesman said.

Also on the agenda of the Indian delegation’s visit are discussions on a controversial contract on modernization of the aircraft carrier.

After long-running delays and disputes, Russia and India agreed in February to raise refit costs for the aircraft carrier, berthed at the Sevmash shipyard in north Russia for the past 12 years.

Vijay Singh, the Indian defense secretary who inspected the Admiral Gorshkov in late February, said there would be “a substantial increase” in the “reworked estimate” for modernization work on the ship.

The minister did not mention any figures, but according to The Times of India, New Delhi is willing to pay another $600-800 million for the 44,570-ton aircraft carrier.

“It should be completed by mid-2010. After that, it will undergo 18 months of extensive sea trials by the Russian Navy to ensure all systems are working properly,” he said.

The carrier, renamed the Vikramaditya, is to replace India’s INS Viraat carrier, which although still operational is 50 years old.

India contracted the $1.5 billion Admiral Gorshkov for its navy in 2004. Moscow has since demanded an additional $1.2 billion, which New Delhi replied was “exorbitant.”

The defense secretary said Vice-Admiral Dilip Deshpande, the controller of warship production and acquisition, would visit Russia to work out “the essentiality and reasonableness of costs” by the end of March.

After it is has been refitted, the Gorshkov is expected to be seaworthy for 30 years.

The contract to deliver the Admiral Gorshkov aircraft carrier to India, which state-run arms exporter Rosoboronexport signed with the Indian Navy, covers the modernization of the ship and equipping it with modern weaponry, including MiG-29K Fulcrum aircraft and Ka-27 Helix-A and Ka-31 Helix-B anti-submarine helicopters.

Meanwhile, the chief of the Indian Navy Staff called on Friday “a hoax” reports of a U.S. offer to provide India with a much-sought-after aircraft carrier to replace the outdated INS Viraat.

According to various U.S. sources, Washington was likely to offer the Indian Navy the USS Kitty Hawk aircraft carrier – to be decommissioned in 2008 – for free, provided India agrees to purchase 65 Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornets for onboard deployment.

“These rumors are nothing but a hoax created by the media. As far as I am concerned, our country has never received such an offer,” Admiral Suresh Mehta told a news conference.

More news…

Russia to revamp military transport aircraft fleet

YEKATERINBURG, March 4 (RIA Novosti) – The Russian Air Force has outlined plans to modernize the country’s ageing fleet of military transport aircraft, the Air Force’s commander said on Tuesday.

According to various sources, there are up to 300 transport aircraft in service with the Russian Air Force, including An-12 Cub, An-72 Coaler, An-124 Condor and Il-76 Candid planes. Most of the aircraft entered service in the 1960s and 1970s and are considered unsafe by modern safety standards.

Colonel General Alexander Zelin said the Air Force had recently determined which planes would be chosen as the core of the military transport fleet in four categories.

“In the light transport category, we have opted for the Il-112V plane,” he said, adding that the aircraft is still at the design stage.

“There are some problems with financing, and the project has been delayed, but I think the aircraft will make its maiden flight as early as in 2009,” Zelin said.

In the medium-lift category, Russia relies on a joint Russian- Indian project set to be implemented in three to four years. Russia and India signed last year an intergovernmental agreement on the joint development of a multi-role transport aircraft (MTA).

The MTA medium transport aircraft project envisions the development of a transport plane with a 20-ton cargo capacity to be in service with the Russian and Indian Air Forces.

The Il-76ND and its upgraded variant, Il-76MF, will constitute the core of the heavy-lift transport fleet, the Air Force commander said. An assembly plant for these aircraft is being built in Ulyanovsk, in the Volga region.

According to Zelin, the An-124 and its modernized version, the An-124-100, will remain in service as a strategic heavy airlift transport aircraft. Russia currently deploys an air regiment equipped with these planes.

First Deputy Prime Minister Sergei Ivanov said on February 27 that Russia’s fleet of military transport aircraft had become dangerously obsolete and the country may be left without military cargo planes by 2015.

However, comprehensive upgrading may extend their service life until 2020-2025, he said.

YEKATERINBURG, March 4 (RIA Novosti) – Russia’s Air Force will start procuring its first batch of new Yak-130 trainers in 2009, the Air Force’s commander said on Tuesday.

The Yak-130 single-seat aircraft can be used as a light strike aircraft or as a trainer for fourth and fifth generation fighters. With a production line launched in May 2003, the plane is also being marketed for export.

“In 2009, we will start purchasing the first batch [of planes] for the Krasnodar military flight school,” Alexander Zelin told a news conference following a meeting with CIS air defense officials in the Urals.

Zelin said the Air Force was planning to commission about 200 Yak-130s to equip four air regiments in the future.

The Yak-130 is a highly maneuverable aircraft with an extended range of about 2,000 kilometers (1,250 miles) and a maximum speed of 1,060 km/h (600 m/h) in level flight. It can carry a combat payload of up to 3,000 kg (6,600 pounds), consisting of a variety of Russian and Western developed weapons.

Zelin also said the Czech-made L-39 trainer, used for training of cadets at military flight schools, would remain in service with the Russian Air Force because its long service life and performance characteristics meet the current demands.

Almost forgot about the Malaysians… Wonder how they’re getting on with the MKM.

MOSCOW, March 3 (RIA Novosti) – Russia has delivered four Su-MKM fighter planes to Malaysia under a contract signed in 2003, a spokesman for the Sukhoi aircraft manufacturer said on Monday.

The Southeast Asian country will receive a total of 18 Su-30MKM fighters under a $900-million contract by the end of 2008. The first six aircraft were delivered in 2007.

“After final assembly, the Malaysian pilots will be able to conduct the first flights in the new planes,” the spokesman said.

The contract also stipulates the construction of a service center for Su-30MKM fighters in Malaysia, and Russia’s assistance with the country’s national space exploration program.

The Su-30MKM is a multi-role Flanker version based on the Su-30MKI model and features a customized avionics package built to Malaysian specifications.

The jets are being manufactured at Sukhoi’s Irkutsk aircraft manufacturing plant in Siberia.

Malaysia currently operates a mixed fighter fleet with the Russian MiG-29N Fulcrum and the U.S.-made F/A-18D Hornet and F-5 Tiger in service.

According to some sources, the Malaysian Royal Air Force is considering a new Su-30MKM contract.

Su-family fighters constitute the bulk of Russia’s arms exports. Last year, Sukhoi exported 50 of these aircraft, accounting for 50% of Rosoboronexport’s export revenue.

Doesn’t show for me either – can some one post it here please.