MOSCOW. April 30 (Interfax-AVN) - The Russian Defense Ministry will order special-purpose planes made on the basis of the TU-214 passenger aircraft, a competent source in the Russian defense industry told Interfax-Military News Agency on Wednesday.
"The Air Force commander-in-chief has recently signed technical requirements for designing a special-purpose plane in the Defense Ministry's interests. The matter in question is a TU- 214 passenger plane with enhanced range of the VIP class," the source said.
Conditions of the contract for supplying the plane are under discussion, he went on. "The current plan is to order one aircraft for the Russian defense minister. The customer would like to receive the plane in late 2004," he said.
The source also noted that the Defense Ministry has ordered two pieces of a longer-range derivative of the TU-214. The contract provides for building the planes, testing them and transferring them to the customer in 2007.
"The name of the planes cannot be disclosed," the source said.
According to some experts, this may be a patrol variety of the plane that will replace the TU-204P project that was under development earlier.
Mass production of TU-214 planes is handled by the Gorbunov aircraft production association based in Kazan. This factor, as well as an extended operation range of up to 7,000km, tested power plant of two PS-90A engines, and domestic on-board equipment make the plane attractive for law-enforcement agencies.