RuAF in 2003

http://www.moscowtimes.ru/stories/2004/01/15/043.html

Air Force Upbeat, Despite Crashes

By Lyuba Pronina
Staff Writer

Despite a series of accidents that culminated in the first crash of a
Tu-160 strategic bomber, the air force had a good 2003, and after a
long break received a batch of modernized jets, its commander said
Wednesday.

At the end of the year, the air force received five upgraded Su-27SM
Flanker fighters fitted with new avionics as part of an ongoing
modernization plan and will have 20 more Su-27 jets upgraded to that
standard in 2004, air force commander Vladimir Mikhailov told
reporters at an annual briefing.

"We have chosen a single type of modernization for the Su-27 that
allows us to concentrate our resources," Mikhailov said. "And 20 more
jets were transferred to the Komsomolsk-on-Amur aviation production
association for the upgrade at the end of last year." He said that one
regiment would be fully re-equipped with this jet in 2004, with the
first Su-27SMs initially being flown by test pilots at the Lipetsk
combat training center.

Mikhailov said the Su-27SM contains the best avionics and has new
air-to-surface capabilities as well as all-weather and nighttime
strike capabilities. He added that the Su-27SM was an interim fighter
for use before a fifth-generation model developed by Sukhoi joins its
ranks in the next decade.

"It lacks in stealth and does not have the weapons that will have to
be fitted on the fifth-generation fighter," he said.

This year the air force plans to receive its first Su-34 Flanker
strike derivative, formerly known as the Su-27IB, eight of which have
been produced at the Sukhoi's facility in Novosibirsk. After repeated
delays due to underfinancing, the program is now back on track with
improved avionics, he said.

Another long-overdue delivery, the new generation S-400 long-range air
defense system, will be inducted this year, Mikhailov said.

As he has many times before, the air force commander lambasted a joint
Russian-Ukrainian program to build the An-70 military transport plane,
saying Wednesday that no improvements have been made to its D-27
engines.

This year the air force expects some additions to its helicopter
fleet, among them the Mi-28N, which Mikhailov said would become the
backbone of its attack combat helicopters, and 12 Ka-52s.

The recent deliveries have been a welcome change for a cash-strapped
air force that for years has been unable to buy new aircraft. Defense
plants have been rolling out jets mostly for foreign customers, and
those planes are superior to those in the Russian air force.

Mikhailov lamented that only 15 percent of the arms procurement budget
goes to cover the air force's needs, but would not provide precise
figures.

Chronic underfinancing cost the air force dearly last year. In
November, Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov blasted the air force, saying
that "none of the air regiments comply 100 percent with the
requirements of constant combat readiness due to poor training and the
poor technical maintenance of aircraft."

Although the average number of flight hours for pilots was doubled to
40 last year, human error was blamed for an astounding series of 11
crashes that killed 23 people. Among them was the crash of a MiG-29UB
on a training flight in June and a collision of two helicopters during
maneuvers near Vladivostok. Ivanov, who was attending the Vladivostok
event, accused the pilots of "negligence, showing off and air
hooliganism."

The biggest blow to the air force's reputation came in September when
the Tu-160 crashed 33 minutes after takeoff.

An investigation cleared the four crew members, who died in the crash,
of wrongdoing and blamed a 1997 decision not to put liquid nitrogen
into the plane's fuel tanks in certain cases.

Mikhailov said Wednesday that the Tu-160 will resume flights Friday or
Saturday.

He said the air force this year will test its first three Yak-130
training combat jets, which are to be delivered after a 2002 tender
lost by the MiG-AT. He said the air force, however, is also ready to
take a squadron of MiG-ATs for experimental flights.

Air Force Upbeat, Despite Crashes


Well, that's all that's important, right? A good attitude, among the burning
piles of debris.

"Michael Petukhov" wrote

Mikhailov said the Su-27SM contains the best avionics and has new
air-to-surface capabilities as well as all-weather and nighttime
strike capabilities. He added that the Su-27SM was an interim fighter
for use before a fifth-generation model developed by Sukhoi joins its
ranks in the next decade.

So just now you're getting an 'interim fighter'. That you'll be using for
the next 15(?) years.

"It lacks in stealth and does not have the weapons that will have to
be fitted on the fifth-generation fighter," he said.

No comment needed.

Defense plants have been rolling out jets mostly for foreign customers,
and
those planes are superior to those in the Russian air force.

Selling off your best stuff?

Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov blasted the air force, saying
that "none of the air regiments comply 100 percent with the
requirements of constant combat readiness due to poor training and the
poor technical maintenance of aircraft."

Interesting.


Although the average number of flight hours for pilots was doubled to
40 last year,

40 per month, or 40 per year?

Pete

Michael Petukhov wrote:

http://www.moscowtimes.ru/stories/2004/01/15/043.html

Air Force Upbeat, Despite Crashes

By Lyuba Pronina
Staff Writer

Despite a series of accidents that culminated in the first crash of a
Tu-160 strategic bomber, the air force had a good 2003, and after a
long break received a batch of modernized jets, its commander said
Wednesday.

At the end of the year, the air force received five upgraded Su-27SM
Flanker fighters fitted with new avionics as part of an ongoing
modernization plan and will have 20 more Su-27 jets upgraded to that
standard in 2004, air force commander Vladimir Mikhailov told
reporters at an annual briefing.

"We have chosen a single type of modernization for the Su-27 that
allows us to concentrate our resources," Mikhailov said. "And 20 more
jets were transferred to the Komsomolsk-on-Amur aviation production
association for the upgrade at the end of last year." He said that one
regiment would be fully re-equipped with this jet in 2004, with the
first Su-27SMs initially being flown by test pilots at the Lipetsk
combat training center.

Mikhailov said the Su-27SM contains the best avionics and has new
air-to-surface capabilities as well as all-weather and nighttime
strike capabilities. He added that the Su-27SM was an interim fighter
for use before a fifth-generation model developed by Sukhoi joins its
ranks in the next decade.

"It lacks in stealth and does not have the weapons that will have to
be fitted on the fifth-generation fighter," he said.

This year the air force plans to receive its first Su-34 Flanker
strike derivative, formerly known as the Su-27IB, eight of which have
been produced at the Sukhoi's facility in Novosibirsk. After repeated
delays due to underfinancing, the program is now back on track with
improved avionics, he said.

Another long-overdue delivery, the new generation S-400 long-range air
defense system, will be inducted this year, Mikhailov said.

As he has many times before, the air force commander lambasted a joint
Russian-Ukrainian program to build the An-70 military transport plane,
saying Wednesday that no improvements have been made to its D-27
engines.

This year the air force expects some additions to its helicopter
fleet, among them the Mi-28N, which Mikhailov said would become the
backbone of its attack combat helicopters, and 12 Ka-52s.

The recent deliveries have been a welcome change for a cash-strapped
air force that for years has been unable to buy new aircraft. Defense
plants have been rolling out jets mostly for foreign customers, and
those planes are superior to those in the Russian air force.

Mikhailov lamented that only 15 percent of the arms procurement budget
goes to cover the air force's needs, but would not provide precise
figures.

Chronic underfinancing cost the air force dearly last year. In
November, Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov blasted the air force, saying
that "none of the air regiments comply 100 percent with the
requirements of constant combat readiness due to poor training and the
poor technical maintenance of aircraft."

Although the average number of flight hours for pilots was doubled to
40 last year, human error was blamed for an astounding series of 11
crashes that killed 23 people. Among them was the crash of a MiG-29UB
on a training flight in June and a collision of two helicopters during
maneuvers near Vladivostok. Ivanov, who was attending the Vladivostok
event, accused the pilots of "negligence, showing off and air
hooliganism."

The biggest blow to the air force's reputation came in September when
the Tu-160 crashed 33 minutes after takeoff.

An investigation cleared the four crew members, who died in the crash,
of wrongdoing and blamed a 1997 decision not to put liquid nitrogen
into the plane's fuel tanks in certain cases.

Mikhailov said Wednesday that the Tu-160 will resume flights Friday or
Saturday.

He said the air force this year will test its first three Yak-130
training combat jets, which are to be delivered after a 2002 tender
lost by the MiG-AT. He said the air force, however, is also ready to
take a squadron of MiG-ATs for experimental flights.

I tell you what would impress me for Russian aviation technology
and prestige. Dust off those old Buran plans and show the US
how to make a shuttle fly safe. Then take up the parts to fix the Hubbell
that Bush just cut for his quest to the moon. Then haul up the rest of the
international space station and show the world how its done. Then sell a
few shuttle rides on Ebay. Any takers?

Bob




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(Michael Petukhov) wrote in message . com...
http://www.moscowtimes.ru/stories/2004/01/15/043.html

Air Force Upbeat, Despite Crashes

By Lyuba Pronina
Staff Writer

Despite a series of accidents that culminated in the first crash of a
Tu-160 strategic bomber, the air force had a good 2003, and after a
long break received a batch of modernized jets, its commander said
Wednesday.

At the end of the year, the air force received five upgraded Su-27SM
Flanker fighters fitted with new avionics as part of an ongoing
modernization plan and will have 20 more Su-27 jets upgraded to that
standard in 2004, air force commander Vladimir Mikhailov told
reporters at an annual briefing.

"We have chosen a single type of modernization for the Su-27 that
allows us to concentrate our resources," Mikhailov said. "And 20 more
jets were transferred to the Komsomolsk-on-Amur aviation production
association for the upgrade at the end of last year." He said that one
regiment would be fully re-equipped with this jet in 2004, with the
first Su-27SMs initially being flown by test pilots at the Lipetsk
combat training center.

Mikhailov said the Su-27SM contains the best avionics and has new
air-to-surface capabilities as well as all-weather and nighttime
strike capabilities. He added that the Su-27SM was an interim fighter
for use before a fifth-generation model developed by Sukhoi joins its
ranks in the next decade.

"It lacks in stealth and does not have the weapons that will have to
be fitted on the fifth-generation fighter," he said.

This year the air force plans to receive its first Su-34 Flanker
strike derivative, formerly known as the Su-27IB, eight of which have
been produced at the Sukhoi's facility in Novosibirsk. After repeated
delays due to underfinancing, the program is now back on track with
improved avionics, he said.

Another long-overdue delivery, the new generation S-400 long-range air
defense system, will be inducted this year, Mikhailov said.

As he has many times before, the air force commander lambasted a joint
Russian-Ukrainian program to build the An-70 military transport plane,
saying Wednesday that no improvements have been made to its D-27
engines.

This year the air force expects some additions to its helicopter
fleet, among them the Mi-28N, which Mikhailov said would become the
backbone of its attack combat helicopters, and 12 Ka-52s.

The recent deliveries have been a welcome change for a cash-strapped
air force that for years has been unable to buy new aircraft. Defense
plants have been rolling out jets mostly for foreign customers, and
those planes are superior to those in the Russian air force.

Mikhailov lamented that only 15 percent of the arms procurement budget
goes to cover the air force's needs, but would not provide precise
figures.

Chronic underfinancing cost the air force dearly last year. In
November, Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov blasted the air force, saying
that "none of the air regiments comply 100 percent with the
requirements of constant combat readiness due to poor training and the
poor technical maintenance of aircraft."

Although the average number of flight hours for pilots was doubled to
40 last year, human error was blamed for an astounding series of 11
crashes that killed 23 people. Among them was the crash of a MiG-29UB
on a training flight in June and a collision of two helicopters during
maneuvers near Vladivostok. Ivanov, who was attending the Vladivostok
event, accused the pilots of "negligence, showing off and air
hooliganism."

The biggest blow to the air force's reputation came in September when
the Tu-160 crashed 33 minutes after takeoff.

An investigation cleared the four crew members, who died in the crash,
of wrongdoing and blamed a 1997 decision not to put liquid nitrogen
into the plane's fuel tanks in certain cases.

Mikhailov said Wednesday that the Tu-160 will resume flights Friday or
Saturday.

He said the air force this year will test its first three Yak-130
training combat jets, which are to be delivered after a 2002 tender
lost by the MiG-AT. He said the air force, however, is also ready to
take a squadron of MiG-ATs for experimental flights.

JANE'S DEFENCE WEEKLY - JANUARY 28, 2004

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Russia's combat aviation in 'uncontrollable' decline
Nikolai Novichkov JDW Correspondent
Moscow

The official statement that Russia's air combat capability in 2003 was
healthy and improving has come under fire from high-ranking aviation
generals.

Lt Gen Victor Sokerin, commander of the Russian Federation Navy's
(RFN's) Baltic Fleet naval aviation, and Maj Gen Oleg Kolyada, the
Russian Federation Air Force's (RFAF's) chief of flight security, have
described a very different state of capability to the official
'healthy' claims made by Col Gen Vladimir Mikhailov, RFAF commander
(JDW 21 January).

Gen Sokerin considers the RFAF is experiencing an uncontrollable
disintegration of its combat aviation. He says maritime aviation has
few servicemen with sufficient skills to perform combat duties and
claims the situation is not much better in other aviation services.
Navy and army aviation are staffed with officers fresh from five
years' training whose flying experience is just a few hours, flown
mostly with an instructor pilot.

At present, the age of experienced specialist aircrew in the Baltic
Fleet air force and air defence force has risen by 10-15 years and
keeps growing. There are no interceptor pilots under 36 and only 2%
are below 40. Only 3% of first- and second-class pilots are under 36
and just 1% of interceptor navigators are under 40, while 11% of
first- and second-class navigators are under 36. Sixty per cent of
crew commanders are over 35, with half of them over 40.

In five years' time, according to Gen Sokerin, there will be no-one to
carry out combat tasks since all first-class pilots will have retired.
Over the last 12 years, the number of aircrew in the Baltic Fleet has
fallen by more than a third. The pilots' flying time on the fleet's
Sukhoi fighter/strike aircraft is a mere five to seven hours per year
because only 10% of the required minimum allocation of aviation fuel
is available. Around 50% of pilots make no more than one flight in a
year - and then only to qualify for the pilot's food ration and a
meritorious service record.

Personnel handling flight preparation and air traffic control (ATC)
have to a large extent lost their skills because of the infrequency of
flights. No more than three or four aircraft are in the air
simultaneously and many officers have no idea how to prepare and
control the operation of any type of aircraft in their aviation
regiments. The rapid deployment of air power in time of threat or a
boost of allocations to the RFAF, which is unlikely, could result in
an increased accident rate, predicted to be higher than that sustained
during the 1960s reorganisation.

The RFAF has no reserve of senior commanders - a situation that is of
great concern to Gen Kolyada, who says that most air accidents occur
because of insufficient experience of ATC personnel. Of special
concern to him is the lack of discipline standards required for combat
among flying staff, technicians and commanders of some aviation units.

Gen Kolyada believes that the unit commanding officers are
particularly incompetent in organisation of flying missions. Some
squadron/regiment commanders and their deputies do not have the
required skills and experience in this field. This decline of
professional skills among flying personnel results from the lack of
regular flying and the scarcity of intense training exercises. Average
flying time per year is between 25 and 60 hours with frontline pilots
averaging around 40 hours. It is accepted that not every pilot today
is capable of fulfilling a combat task that checks with his 'paper'
qualifications. In 2003, the RFAF logged 11 air accidents.

TJ

That sound in the background is Michael, crying about how this is either 1) all
America's fault, or 2) simply not true.

"Krztalizer" wrote in message
...
That sound in the background is Michael, crying about how this is either
1) all
America's fault, or 2) simply not true.

I agree with the latter.

That sound in the background is Michael, crying about how this is either
1) all
America's fault, or 2) simply not true.

I agree with the latter.

hmmmm.. so, we're supposed to accept when Russian Generals say everything is
going great "in spite of the crashes", but when other Russian Generals say
yjrot full of gavno, we're supposed to dismiss it as untrue?

nt (Krztalizer) wrote in message ...
That sound in the background is Michael, crying about how this is either 1) all
America's fault, or 2) simply not true.

Michael has had the named officers demoted and posted immediately to
Chechenya. He has also removed them from his Winter Seasons Greetings
card list and they most certainly no longer appear in his Top Trumps
cards of Russian commanders and chiefs. In addition they have had
their Young Pioneer membership cards cancelled. All Young Pioneer
photographs that they appeared in have been edited. Further to this
Michael will be visiting them to bombard them with conspiracy wacko
information to get them back on line.

TJ

Further to this
Michael will be visiting them to bombard them with conspiracy wacko
information to get them back on line.

Cruel punishment...