ILA: MiG-29 production takes off, as Indian carrier trials near end

RAC MiG is boosting production activities to meet increased demand for its MiG-29 series of combat aircraft, with the design bureau also close to completing a series of aircraft carrier-based trials for India.

Following its receipt of major orders to supply the Indian and Russian navies with its MiG-29K deck fighter and MiG-29KUB trainer, MiG's production partners will complete 24 aircraft in 2012, up from 11 last year. A further dramatic increase is expected, however, with chief executive Sergey Korotkov having indicated that the annual rate may have to grow to 36 units to keep up with demand.
MiG says it is on track to complete embarked tests with the MiG-29K/KUB aboard the ex-Russian navy vessel the Admiral Gorshkov, which will soon re-enter Indian use as the INS Vikramaditya.
"The testing flights are to be fulfilled before the ship's handing over to the Indian navy, scheduled for December 2012," MiG announced at the show, with the work including using the carrier's "ski jump" ramp.
The service has already received a first batch of 16 aircraft, and will get the first four examples from a follow-on order for 29 more later this year.

MiG-29 Fighter Jet Crashes in Siberia

A Russian Air Force MiG-29 fighter crashed on Thursday near Chita, in Siberia, the Defense Ministry said.
“The plane crashed near Domna airport, 27 kilometers from Chita,” ministry spokesman Col. Igor Konashenkov said.
The pilot’s body was found by a rescue team, he said, adding that a Defense Ministry commission is on its way to the scene to establish the causes of the crash.
According to first reports, the plane crashed into a hill.

Germany Seizes Russian Military Plane Engines

 German customs have seized two shipments of military airplane engines from Russia on the grounds that they violate the country's stringent arms trading rules, a news report said Sunday.
Customs stopped the shipment of four turboprop engines for Tu-142 reconnaissance aircraft destined for India and a shipment of MiG-29 fighter jet engines en route to Algeria because they lacked the necessary permits, the weekly news magazine Spiegel reported.
The Tupolev engines, discovered at Hahn airport in the state of Rhineland-Palatinate, are worth $3.3

Russia demonstrates its best combat aircraft at Dubai airshow

Russia will demonstrate its most advanced combat aircraft and air defense systems at a major airshow in the Middle East, which started on Sunday.
The Dubai Airshow will be held on November 13-17 in the United Arab Emirates. The Airport Expo complex in Dubai is expected to host about 1,000 exhibitors from 50 countries which will showcase their products to more than 55,000 guests and visitors.
Visitors at the show "will be presented advanced products of the Russian aerospace industry, such as the Su-35 and MiG-29M/MiG-29M2 multifunctional fighters, Yak-130 combat trainer, and Be-200 amphibious aircraft," Russian state arms seller Rosoboronexport said in a statement on Friday.
The Russian exhibit will also feature a variety of military helicopters, such as the famed Mi-171 transport helicopters, Ka-52 and Mi-28NE attack helicopters and the Mi-26T - the world's heaviest-lift helicopter.
Air defense equipment will be represented by the S-300VM, Tor-M2E and Buk-M2E air defense missile systems, Tunguska-M1 and Pantsir-S1 air defense gun/missile systems, Igla-S man-portable air defense system, radars, electronic warfare equipment, command, control and communication systems.
Russia has firmly established itself as the world's second largest arms exporter after the United States. Combat aircraft account for almost half of all foreign sales by Rosoboronexport.

Structural fault in mig-29 fighter

Russia has pointed out structural faults in MiG-29 aircraft. There was a MiG-29 accident in Russia in December 2008. RAC-MiG has intimated that corrosion on the fin root ribs has been identified as the cause of crack development.
There is no plan to decommission MiG-29 aircraft.
The repair scheme and preventive measures are in place and IAF has not encountered major problems concerning the issue. IAF has not entered into a new deal for procurement of MiG-29 aircraft.
This information was given by Defence Minister Shri AK Antony in a written reply to Shri Prabhat Jha & Balavant Alias Bal Apte in Rajya Sabha today.

Mig-29