MOSCOW. June 27 (Interfax-AVN) - The Russian aircraft industry should integrate with CIS aircraft industries, ex-head of the Russian Armaments Directorate Colonel General Anatoly Sitnov says.
"If Russia fails to integrate the aircraft industry of the former Soviet Union, including scientific establishments, air carriers, manufacturers, repair plants, etc., it will fail in everything and its aircraft industry will disintegrate into separate workshops," Sitnov told Interfax-Military News Agency on Tuesday.
According to him, if Russia fails to integrate with Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Belarus, and other aircraft industry states, it will enjoy 1.5-2% of the international market at best.
"We have to realize that Russian aircraft industry, design bureaus, and main manufacturers are in trouble. All major production facilities, save for the Ulyanovsk plant, are fitted with 25-30-year old equipment. They have to capabilities of manufacturing contemporary products," Sitnov said.
According to him, Russia may face the same situation as post-war Germany and Japan, which were not allowed to manufacture aircraft. "German Messerschmitt and Heinkel are a good example - they ceased building aircraft and the German aviation ceased to exist. Japan cannot boast any achievements in aircraft industry, even despite its outstanding progress in state-of-the-art technologies," Sitnov said.
According to him, CIS aircraft industries feature an imprint of specialization and cooperation, established during the Soviet times.
"For instance, An-70 military air transport and An-140 regional airliner production remain prerogative of Ukraine. It will take Russia at least 45-50 years and billions of rubles to copy the Ukrainian aircraft industry," Sitnov said.
According to him, if Russia spoils the An-70, it will suffer a setback of 35 years.
Commenting on Russian-Ukrainian cooperation in the field of aircraft industry, Sitnov called on Russia to look up to Europe. "Europe is a good example: not a single European state could compete with Boeing, now they have teamed up and are on a par with it," Sitnov said.