Sukhoi and TAM in rumoured JV (205 words)

Published: 8/7/2001

According to reports, OOO Tbilaviamsheni (TAM) will participate in the MAKS-2001, which opens on 15th August. Gocha Goguadze, Head of Engineering at the Georgian producer, said that the plant has received an invitation to take part in the show at Zhukovsky to display its variant of the Su-25, the Scorpion: an upgrade of the Su-25T undertaken jointly with Elbit, which first flew in April 2001 and was displayed in Paris in June. Goguadze added that talks are also taking place between OKB Sukhoi and TAM over the Russian upgrade of the Su-25, the Su-25TM produced in Ulan Ude, and the two companies are discussing the possibility of creating a JV that will upgrade Sukhoi aircraft. Sukhoi, however, will not acknowledge such talks, although reports earlier this year had suggested that it was involved in the Scorpion upgrade. The possibility of such a venture, however, does seem likely given that TAM, although now only completing airframes, has attracted some business in overhauling and upgrading Su-25s, with recent contracts from Turkmenistan and Peru. In March 2001, the Georgian government also offered 13 Su-25Ts from the plant, as an offset for Georgian debts to Russia.

Article ID: 2691