MOSCOW. April 7 (Interfax-AVN) - The YAK-52 trainer aircraft will be upgraded into the YAK-52M after it is repaired by the Ivanovo Aircraft Repair Plant.
"The Yakovlev Design Bureau is currently developing the operational documents for the YAK-52M version," a competent source in the Russian aircraft building industry told Interfax- Military News Agency Monday.
Yakovlev Design Bureau President Oleg Demchenko personally supervises the process, he said.
According to the source, the YAK-52M will have a new canopy for its twin-seated cockpit, the SKS-94MYa ejection seat modernized especially for the aircraft, and new onboard equipment (heading system, day/night instrumentation, etc.).
"The YAK-52 can be modified optionally," the source said.
In particular, according to the Air Force requirements, the aircraft can be equipped with avionics rendering it day/night all- weather and leader-wingman action capabilities for advanced training of pilot cadets. The version for aircraft clubs and preliminary training will have weaker avionics support.
The source would not elaborate on the cost of the upgrade. He just said that it "will cost much less than USD100,000." Experts contacted by Interfax-AVN say it may be worth USD35,000 to 45,000.
"For cheaper upgrade, the YAK-52 will not have liquid- crystal displays," he said.
The terms of the upgrade and the number of upgraded aircraft will depend on whether the Defense Ministry will fund the program, he emphasized.
The YAK-52 sports twin-sitter and trainer was mass-produced in Romania, with a total of about 1,800 aircraft built. The planes were widely exported, including to the United States, where there are about 150 of them in service.
The current fleet of the YAK-52s is estimated at about 600 aircraft, with approximately 200 of them to be subject for modernization. This will make it possible to keep the planes in service until 2012-2015, when the required number of SU-49 new- generation trainers is to be commissioned.
Russia operates a total of 1,000 YAK-52 planes.
The YAK-52's maximum take-off weight is 1,290 kg and maximum level flight speed is 285 km/h with service ceiling of 6,000 m and range of 550km.