LE BOURGET, France, June 18 (AVN) - Russian Air Force Commander Anatoly Kornukov studied the Russian section of the Paris Air Show here on Monday. The section is maintained by the Rosoboronexport state-owned arms trader, Aviaexport company and several other aircraft exporters.
"Russia is represented quite poorly" at the show, Kornukov told the Military News Agency after the tour through the exhibition. "There are only mock-ups and few full-scale specimen, even though they are promising developments that can be a success on the foreign market thanks to close co-operation with the French party (primarily in the sphere of on-board equipment)," he said.
"I do not think that there is a reason to shout hooray. We have a sort of slow-down. To present only four aircraft at the world's largest show is too little for Russia," Kornukov stressed.
Speaking about the renewal of the Air Force aircraft park, the commander said that the main stress would be laid on modernisation. Many promising developments, including MIG-29 Fulcrum and SU-27 Flanker fighters, SU-25 Frogfoot attack planes and SU-24 Fencer frontline bombers, will be exhibited at the MAKS 2001 aerospace show in Moscow. As to new aircraft, such as SU-27IB, there are still a lot of problems as far as the electronics and on-board computers are concerned, Kornukov said.
Asked whether Western devices will be bought for those planes, the commander noted that major attention would still be paid to domestic developments. "It is unfair to create workplaces for somebody else when domestic enterprises are not working at full rate of operation. We are not against international co-operation, but we do not want to live in bondage. We have everything we need to develop our own equipment, we only need to stop fiddling away the money and start spending them on selected programmes," he stressed.
Kornukov was also asked when the Defence Ministry would make its choice between MIG-AT and YAK-130 trainer aircraft, both exhibited in Le Bourget, as well as between KA-50 Hokum and MI-28 Havoc combat helicopters. "We have made our position clear as far as the helicopter is concerned, but the command of the Land Forces aviation has not yet made a final decision. Mil helicopters are the backbone of our park, and I believe that this company should be given preference, but the Kamov aircraft should be promoted on the market as well, as some helicopters of this series should enter our inventory. Then they will be treated in a different way at international tenders," the commander said.
Speaking about the trainer, Kornukov said that many questions remained unanswered concerning both MIG-AT and YAK-130. "We strongly object fitting these planes with foreign engines and on-board equipment. It must be our own engine, RD-1700 or RD-2500. These engines have been designed, but operational development is needed. We are against making these planes of purely training purpose. They must be of both combat and training purposes in order to allow young pilots and regular aviators make a smooth transition to fifth-generation planes. It means different intellect, different armament," the commander concluded.