Russia to be next orderer for MiG-29K after India

08.12.2009
Developed for Indian Navy, MiG-29K/KUB deck-based fighters with their performance suit Russian Navy as well, chief designer of Ramenskoye Instrument Design Bureau (RIDB) Vladimir Kavinsky said to Interfax-AVN.

"Having assessed MiG-29K successfully landed on the deck of heavy aircraft carrying cruiser Admiral Kuznetsov, Russian Navy COs decided to order that fighters", said V. Kavinsky at LIMA-2009 international maritime and aerospace exhibition.

Representative of RIDB which is a part of group company Avionika reminded that the concern designed avionics system for Indian Navy's deck-based fighters MiG-29K/KUB.

"Obviously, the portion of import equipment installed at MiG-29K fighters planned to be ordered by Russian Navy will be replaced for Russian-made equipment, i.e. avionics systems are going to be Russified", said RIDB chief designer.

First deck-based MiG-29K/KUB fighters will be delivered to Indian Navy by the end of the year, he said. He also accepted that after complete delivery of first parcel, India may additionally order about 30 fighters of that type.

Deck-based fighters MiG-29K (single-seat) and MiG-29KUB (two-seat) are multirole 4++ generation aircrafts designed to complete air defense tasks for ship formations, obtain air dominance, defeat sea and land surface targets by guided high-precision weapons day and night in any weather conditions.

First flight of experimental fighter MiG-29KUB was carried out in January 2007. Production aircraft took off for the first time in March 2008.

MiG-29K/KUB fighters are distinguished by improved performance characteristics and increased reliability of aggregates, systems and units. In comparison to previously produced fighters, sortie rate of MiG-29K/KUB is more than two times bigger and flight hour cost is almost 2.5 times less.

Avionics of MiG-29K/KUB is based on open architecture principle. The fighter is equipped with Zhuk-ME multifunction multimode pulse-doppler airborne radar. In comparison with previous generation radars, it has greater azimuth viewing angle, doubled detection range; it is lighter and more reliable. Zhuk-ME radar provides tracking up to 10 aerial targets and simultaneous missile firing upon four of them.

MiG-29K/KUB fighters are equipped with up-to-date multichannel optical location system and target designation system for antiradar missile passive homers.

Weapon system includes air-to-air and air-to-surface guided missiles, guided air bombs, rockets, air bombs and built-in 30-mm gun. On customer's request new types of air-launched weapons may be installed.

Under integration strategy of RSK MiG and Sukhoi, new MiG fighters will be equipped with systems designed for new generation combat aircraft.

Source: Interfax-AVN, photo: MiG-29K (take-off.ru)