MOSCOW. Oct 29 (Interfax-AVN) - The Yakovlev design bureau has started talks with Ukrainian partners on joint development and production of YAK-152 trainers, a source in the Russian defense industry told Interfax-Military News Agency on Friday.
"Talks have begun between the Yakovlev design bureau and the Ukrainian party on development and mass production of the YAK-152U trainer with a piston engine. In particular, the possibility of mass-producing the plane at an aircraft repair plant in Odesa is being discussed," the source said.
Ukraine is represented at the talks by a private company, he said.
"Expenses on research, development and tests, as well as on arrangement of mass production will be divided among participants in the program," the source said.
The plane may be fitted with the AI-450 engine designed by the Progress design bureau in Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia, he went on.
"The Yakovlev design bureau will come up with the plane's pre-design before the end of the year. All expenses on the YAK-152U project development will be covered out of the Yakovlev design bureau's own funds," he said.
The YAK-152 was submitted for a competition of trainer projects with piston engines that was held by the Russian Air Force. The SU-49 plane of the Sukhoi design bureau was declared the winner of the competition, but Yakovlev decided to continue working on the YAK-152, because experts say that the new aircraft has export prospects. The volume of the market for planes similar to the YAK-152 is estimated at several hundred pieces.
According to experts contacted by Interfax-AVN, the new plane will be offered to customers for $160,000-170,000.
The YAK-152 is being developed on the basis of YAK-54 sport plane. It will be fitted with the M-14Kh engine with a capacity of 360hp. Equipment will be mounted in the same order as on the YAK-130 combat trainer.
The R&D and testing program for the trainer is estimated at $2-3 million by specialists.
The trainer's take-off weight is 1,320kg, maximum speed 375kmph, and maximum range of flight 1,000km.