MOSCOW. March 23 (Interfax-AVN) - Aircraft modernization and spare parts deliveries will account for over USD200m in the overall exports volume of Russia's MIG Aircraft-Building Corporation.
"In 2004 we intend to modernize aircraft and export spare parts for a total of USD216m. However, according to our predictions, this sum may be even greater," MIG Director General/Designer General Valery Toryanin told Interfax-Military News Agency on Tuesday.
"As far as spare parts deliveries are concerned, the potential in this sphere is great, but until recently it has not be used to the full extent for a number of reasons. For instance, aircraft modernization and spare parts deliveries accounted for about USD180m of the overall USD350m plan in 2003," he said.
According to Toryanin, a total of about 6,000 MIG-family aircraft (MIG-21 Fishbed, MIG-23 Flogger, MIG-27 Flogger, and MIG- 29 Fulcrum) were exported to 50 foreign countries in the past. A total of 25 states currently operate MIG-29s.
Toryanin said that India, Yemen, Algeria, and Slovakia were among MIG's promising partners with respect to upgrading aircraft, exported earlier.
Toryanin also noted that MIG offered a wide range of modernization options. For instance, the MIG-29 may be upgraded to the MIG-29SMT version.
"In fact, the customer receives a new modern aircraft after the modernization," Toryanin said.