Potential upgrades of MiG-31 gives Sokol some hope for the future

Published: 9/20/1999

In spite of recent interest shown for Sokol's products by Vice Premier Nikolai Aksenenko, Vasily Pankov, Director General of Sokol, reflected that: "The state does not have money.” Pankov's hopes are therefore pinned on responses to its exhibit at MAKS-99 in the form of orders for the MiG-29UBT from both Russian and foreign military customers. In a recent interview with Nizhny Novgorod newspaper, the Monitor, Pankov said: "The plant agreed with Rosvooruzheniye, the state arms export agency, to get two MiG-29s from the Russian Air Force and upgrade them to the UBT standard". While the Ministry of Defence promises to finance the upgrade in 2000, Pankov also hopes that a number of orders will come from foreign customers. According to Pankov, Russia has promised to finance the modernisation of not only the MiG-29, but also of the MiG-31, also produced at the Sokol plant in Nizhnyi Novgorod, although serial production has now ended. The upgrade of the MiG-31 should give the strategic interceptor a broader multi-role capability against air and ground targets, according to Pankov. He also sees the Mig-31M's greater radar range of 240 miles, with its multi mode Phazotron Zaslon -M phased array radar, as giving it the potential to identify and guide other fighters to targets. Pankov contends that the Mig-31 is considered by the military to be “a unique aircraft” and had been enthusiastic at the chance to have their Mig-31Bs and Mig-29s modernized by Sokol. Sokol has been selling its subsidiaries to pay debts with repayments and interest last month amounting to 50m rubles or the equivalent of four times the plant's monthly pay roll. Pankov has therefore decided to dispose of inefficient operations and those not core to the company's business, including an oil processing plant in Krasnodar, and a cheese making factory in Gorodets (Nizhegorodsky region).

Article ID: 883