MOSCOW. Aug 4 (Interfax-AVN) - One of the two M-55 Geofizika high-altitude aircraft in service with the Russian Defense Ministry may be transferred to the Myasishchev Experimental Engineering Plant.
"Our enterprise has received a letter from the Russian Defense Ministry, which says that it agrees to transfer one of the two M-55 Geofizika high-altitude aircraft to the Myasishchev Plant," a source at the Myasishchev Plant told Interfax-Military News Agency.
According to him, the plant will receive the aircraft, after it has paid its depreciated cost.
The source said that the procedure for paying for the aircraft had not been determined yet.
"Construction of the aircraft has been funded by the state budget. Being a state enterprise, the Myasishchev Plant can procure the aircraft only with state budgetary assets. In fact, the state will have to pay for the M-55 aircraft twice," he said.
According to the source, the M-55 Geofizika aircraft is expected to be employed for conducting various scientific researches. This aircraft has repeatedly participated in European high-altitude atmosphere researches. The M-55 boasts unique flight characteristics. Given a lifting capacity of 1.5-2 tons, it is capable of flying at an altitude of up to 21.5 km.