Vietnam wants to buy 18 Su-30K ex Indian Air Force (now located in Belarus) and then upgraded them all (photo : Bharat Rakshak)
"Rosoboronexport"
has found a potential buyer to Russian fighter Su-30K, located in Belarus. As
the "B", in May Vietnamese
military delegation visited the 558th Aircraft Repair Plant in
Baranavichy, who was willing to purchase all 18 aircrafts. Price, for which
Russia is ready to part with heavy fighters, so attractive that Vietnam, used
to buy only new equipment, ready to begin negotiations on the acquisition is
second-hand. If Vietnam begin concrete negotiations for the first time since
the establishment of state monopoly of "Rosoboronexport" in the market
of one country will be competing just two Russian aircraft company.
The fact
that in mid-May Vietnamese delegation arrived to Belarus, said a source at the 558 th Aircraft Repair
Plant to "Kommersant". According to him, representatives of the
Vietnamese came to study the proposal for the purchase of 18 Su-30K units.
"The Vietnamese have been shown a few fighters that they have examined,
and then got an offer from Russia to start pre-contract work. Emphasis was placed
on the fact that the state of the Su-30K after the assessment carried out by
specialists recognized even if not perfect, but good enough - says source
"B." - managed to convince them that the plant has all the
capabilities to carry out repairs and modernization of the fighters under their
specific needs. "Source: "B", which is close to the
"Rosoboronexport", the fact of the visit of the Vietnamese at the
plant confirmed, refusing to comment further. Another interviewee,
"B" emphasized that the parties have not yet talked about the deal.
"We have a desire to begin negotiations soon," - he said. From the
official declined to comment in the "Rosoboronexport", and 558-m
aircraft factory, and the "Irkut" Corporation.
Recall that
in late November, the 18 Su-30K, were in the Indian Air Force, were transported
by military aircraft, transport aircraft in the territory of Belarus, where
they planned to repair and upgrade to the version of the Su-30KN, followed by
sale (see "B" on September 16, 2011). As in 1996, Russia technically
could not immediately create 18 advanced Su-30MKI, India had offered to
purchase the same number of machines, but in a simplified form - Su-30K. But with
the condition that they were later replaced by the same amount of high-grade
Su-30MKI and Su-30K back to Russia and will be owned by the manufacturer -
"Irkut" Corporation. New fighter jets have been delivered, and the
old ones were not in Russia and in Belarus. Baranovichi: it is possible to
"Irkut" to avoid paying customs duties for import of aircraft to
Russia.
For all the
"Belarusian" Russia intends to bail out the fighters at least $ 270
million (about $ 15 million for a unit with a view of modernizing), which
compared with a market value of 18 new Su-30 (more than $ 1 billion) is just a
tiny amount. Among the countries interested in such an advantageous offer, the
sources of "B" in the system known as MTC, Sudan, Vietnam, and
Belarus itself, tends with minimal use of funds to upgrade its fleet of air (in
particular, to replace outdated Su-27). However, according to the source
"B" in the aviation industry complex, the Russian Ministry of Finance
refused to grant a loan to Minsk for their purchase, and pay even this amount
could not independently Belarus. The actual steps to begin negotiations first
took Vietnam and Sudan, according to interviewees, "B", is now viewed
as a sort of fallback.
"The
fact that Russia has managed to find a customer for these Su-30K, is good.
Although the client amazing, because they had previously relied solely on the
purchase of new combat vehicles - said the deputy director of the Center for
Analysis of Strategies and Technologies, Konstantin Makiyenko. - The price of
it is extremely profitable for Vietnamese contract. It is likely that the
desire to buy the Su-30K is linked to the price. It is very attractive, when
all of a heavy fighter could pay less than $ 20 million? "
Start of
negotiations on the Su-30K with Vietnam may be unique: the first time since the
emergence of a state monopoly of "Rosoboronexport" (so far only he
has the right to delivery of final product) in one market will compete with
just two aircraft industry enterprises in Russia. The fact is that today the
creation of a series of aircraft Su-30 carries for the Vietnam Air Force in
Komsomolsk-on-Amur Aircraft Production Association, a member of the United
Aircraft Corporation (UAC). And all of the Su-30K, now located in Belarus, are
the property of the "Irkut" corporation. According to "Kommersant",
which is why some high-ranking KLA leaders oppose the implementation of the
deal, trying to defend the position is included in the Asia-Pacific products of
their enterprises. However, the KLA would be extremely difficult to persuade
Vietnam to abandon the Su-30K Corporation "Irkut" - primarily because
of the extremely attractive price. In addition, according to the "Y",
"Rosoboronexport" is determined to make a deal for the Su-30K in no
time.
It is worth
recalling that at the end of February Su-30MK2 crashed in the Amur region,
intended to transfer the Vietnam Air Force, in the 2010 contract to supply 12
of these machines (see "Kommersant" on February 29). Results under
this contract in Russia, according to "B", it remains to put the four
fighters.
"Two Su-30m ² from Irkutsk to Akhtubinsk arose, after two refueling stops in Novosibirsk and Chelyabinsk," said Lt. Col. Deryabin.
