Getting upgrade business on Russian aircraft in Eastern Europe is proving difficult for Russian companies

Published: 5/26/1999

According to Nepszabadsag, the contract to overhaul the MiG-29s, at an estimated cost of $4 to $5 million each, would include the instalment of upgraded navigation system and radio equipment. Hungarian Defence Minister Janos Szabo said Russia had failed to fulfil its pledge to ship parts for Hungarian MiG-29 fighter jets, adding that an overhaul of the fighters by MiG VPK was conditional on those deliveries. MiG VPK told the Hungarian news agency MTI that they were surprised by the minister's announcement, as the deliveries were going on schedule. The press officer of the firm said they had not given up their plan to participate in the overhaul of the jets. It generally appears that there is little intention on the part of any of the new NATO members to use Russian contractors on their upgrades, with Hungary now following Poland in awarding contracts to DASA. Undoubtedly the problems of the Russians in part influence these decisions, but one suspects that the new NATO members would rather be buying new aircraft from the West. If they have to upgrade they do not want to go to the Russians to provide that service, as we suspect NATO does not want them too either. The upgraded aircraft will fly until 2015 according to reports in Hungary, but will be part of a very depleted fighter force that has lost a large number of aircraft through running out of flying hours. It is a force that has also seen considerable controversy with the withdrawal from service of the air force"s squadron of SU-22 despite a mid life overhaul 5 years ago which was expected to lengthen the life of the aircraft by 1000 hours. The aircraft are in storage and up for sale, although according to Flight International, expectation is that the Tumansky R-29BS-330 powered aircraft will not find a buyer as they are not compatible with the more widely used AL-21F3 powered Su-22s.

Article ID: 541