MAPO may lose a number of its leading designers as Nikitin moves towards civilian programmes

Published: 12/2/1999

MAPO's plans, announced in September, to diversify its production and focus into civilian aircraft, have prompted the threat of a mass resignation of most of its leading military aircraft designers, including: -Director and Chief designer of Engineering centre-Andrey Gorlov -Chief Designer of MiG-29 programme- Valery Novikov -Deputy Chief Designer of MiG-29-Viktor Kochurov -Designer on MiG-29 programme- Yury Bashkov -Chief designer MiG-31-Eduard Kostrupsky -Deputy Chief Designer of MiG-31-Andrey Anasovich -six other leading designers from the MiG-29 and 31 programmes As a result, according to reports, all upgrade work on the MiG-29 and MiG-31 has been halted, with only the trainer MiG-AT and the carrier based MiG-29K design activity continuing. By resigning, the designers have made it evident they do not support the policy of Nikolay Nikitin, General Director, to focus on production of the 102-seat passenger Tu-334 and light aircraft Il-103. MAPO's decision to retain staff on only two programmes, putting all other military programmes on ice, seems to have been the final straw for the design team. Nikitin is currently in Iran, which is interested in the licensed production of the Tu-334 (www.concise.org 19th October 1999), and not available for comment. Alexey Malygin, First Deputy General Director, insisted that MAPO had not relinquished its military heritage, but stressed that the move into civilian production was absolutely vital in order for the company to survive (www.concise.org. 15th November 1999). He claims that the company is still in talks with the designers involved. For MAPO, now increasingly marginalized by the adoption of Sukhoi products, both by the Russian armed forces and by many of traditional export markets, the scaling back of military activity was not entirely unexpected. But it would be surprising if the MiG-31 and MiG-29 programmes have actually come to a complete standstill. Both of these have ongoing programmes, upgrading the Russian Air Force MiG-31s and in upgrades in Eastern Europe in joint venture with DASA. Reports suggest that the disgruntled designers are likely to be snapped up by MAPO offshoot, Russian Avionics (RA), created by Nikitin's predecessor, Mikhail Korzhuev, who took the company out of the MAPO fold in 1998. RA has developed new onboard avionics for upgraded MiG-29 and Sukhoi aircraft. The company is currently modernising the MiG-29 in partnership with LII. Korzhuev will be keen to utilise MAPO design expertise in this respect. He may also be keeping watchful eye on Nikitin's position. Pressure on Nikitin to deliver on the Tu-334 project is growing and this batch of resignations does him no favours. Key to a favourable outcome for MAPO - and Nikitin - is the marketability of the Tu-334. This is contingent on a number of unresolved issues, including the establishment of a government-sponsored leasing scheme, and, as always, the conversion of expressions of interest into real orders. MAPO has had some problems with staff leaving for some time, resulting in a dramatic increase in the average age of the design teams. Salary issues have been a key bone of contention, but one of the driving elements for many designers has been the serious under-investment in modern technology. This has left the MiG bureau well behind rival, Sukhoi, where Mikhail Korzhuev is also now in place as Deputy General Director. The scaling back of the military programme has therefore been the end of a long and painful road for many of the designers at MiG.

Article ID: 1157