Tiblisi based maker TASA finds some success with Su-25 maintenance and overhaul

Published: 9/16/1999

Despite stopping production in 1989, after building around 300 Su-25 close support fighters, the Tbilisi Aircraft Association (TASA) in Georgia continues to gain contracts for the maintenance and repair of the aircraft. The enterprise is currently completing an initial $4m contract for Turkmenistan, for the repair of four planes, which should be finished by end September 1999, when the latter two planes join the two already completed and delivered to Ashgabat in early August 1999. The deliveries are reported to be part of a larger contract to overhaul the remaining 42 Su-25s, which are currently held in storage, by the end of 2000. The Su-25 was exported extensively, and has operators not only from with the former USSR, but also Eastern Europe and among the USSR's allies, including the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Bulgaria, Peru, Angola, North Korea, Iran and Iraq. TASA sees this pool of operators as being a valuable source of customers and has reported interest in its services beyond Central Asia. In the case of Peru, President Fujimori has commented that the country has recently acquired 18 aircraft, following initial reports of the acquisition of 14, dating back to 1997. The source of the aircraft is currently not known, but there have been reports that Tiblisi has been producing small batches. TASA currently has a joint project with the Yakolev design bureau for the development of the Yak-58 six seat light multipurpose aircraft, which it first produced in 1997. The aircraft was last reported as being in production at Tiblisi with an initial batch of 20 aircraft. Recent press reports however, suggest that Yakolev and TASA are due to meet shortly to discuss the future of the project.

Article ID: 869