Serbia Takes Delivery Of First Of Six MiG-29 Fighters From Russia

A transport plane has delivered two Russian MiG-29 fighter jets to Serbia, the initial shipment of a six-jet deal that could add to East-West tensions in the Balkans.
The warplanes arrived disassembled aboard a massive Antonov An-124 transport plane that landed at a military airport in the Belgrade suburb of Batajnica on October 2.
The MiGs are being provided by Moscow at no charge, but their assembly, repair, and refurbishing costs are expected to near $235 million in total.
The four other jets are set to arrive sometime before October 20, when they are likely to be displayed in Belgrade during a Liberation Day parade. Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu is scheduled to attend.
In March, Serbia’s Aleksandar Vucic, then prime minister and now president, confirmed earlier reports that Russia would provide the six MiG-29 fighters "as a gift."
He added that the planes would enter military service by the end of 2017 after refurbishing and pilot training.
Russia also committed to provide 30 T-72 tanks and 30 BRDM-2 patrol combat vehicles to Serbia for free.
Vucic said on October 2 that Serbia also planned to improve its defenses and has been negotiating with Moscow for the purchase of Russian-made S-300 antiaircraft systems.
rferl

China and Ukraine agree to restart An-225 production

China and Ukraine have signed an agreement to recommence production of the Antonov An-225 'Cossack' strategic airlifter, media from both countries have reported.
The agreement signed between the Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC) and Antonov on 30 August gives China access to the aircraft's designs and technologies for the purposes of domestic production, according to China's STCN news organisation and the Ukrainian Business Channel (UBR).
Powered by six Progress D-18T engines and having demonstrated a world-record payload of 253.82 tonnes, the An-225 (named Mriya in Ukraine) is the largest transport aircraft ever to have flown.
janes

Antonov debuts An-178 airlifter at Le Bourget

A highlight for the static display at this year's Paris Air Show is the new Antonov An-178 transport aircraft.
The twin-jet tactical airlifter is making its debut appearance outside of Ukraine during the event. This appearance comes just over a month after it began flight trails out of Kiev-Antonov Airport (Gostomel).
Set to replace the An-12 'Cub', the An-26 'Curl', and the An-32 'Cline' airlifters in the Ukrainian Air Force, the 18-tonne-payload An-178 should also be a viable contender on the international fixed-wing medium-lift market. Its nearest rivals will comprise the Lockheed Martin C-130J-30 Hercules (22 tonnes); the Embraer KC-390 (23 tonnes); and the United Aircraft Corporation-Hindustan Aeronautics Limited Multirole Transport Aircraft (15-20 tonnes).
The An-178 is essentially an An-158 regional jet with a rear loading ramp.
The aircraft has a maximum payload of 18 tonnes and a range of 1,000 km fully loaded. Its cruise speed is 445 kt, and requires a 2,500 m runway from which to operate.
janes

Antonov begins An-178 flight trials

Antonov has begun flight trials of its new An-178 transport aircraft.
The maiden flight took place out of Kiev-Antonov Airport in Ukraine on 7 May, and lasted for approximately one hour. No specific details relating to the flight were revealed.
The An-178 is intended to replace the An-12, An-26, and An-32 airlifters. The An-178 is, in essence, an An-158 regional jet with a rear loading ramp. The two types share a number of components, including the front fuselage and cockpit, and nosewheel leg.
The aircraft has a maximum payload of 18 tonnes; and a range of 1,000 km fully loaded. Its cruise speed is 445 kt, and requires a 2,500 m runway from which to operate.
janes

An-70 passes Ukraine state tests

The Antonov An-70 propfan tactical transport plane has passed state acceptance trials and is finally ready to enter series production.
That might be a cause for celebration in the course of most military equipment programmes, particularly one that has been as tortuous and drawn-out as that of the An-70. The event, however, comes against a background of unprecedented political tension between Moscow and Kiev and uncertainty about the future of their joint military industrial co-operation that could yet see the aircraft consigned to history.
The aircraft is recommended for acceptance into the armed forces and also for serial production.
If the aircraft is ready, however, the intended customers are unlikely to be placing orders any time soon.
Russia has been involved with the programme since its inception in the Soviet-era, and has maintained intermittent involvement since Ukraine became independent. Interest from Moscow has waned in recent years, with the Russian Air Force openly sceptical about the aircraft, particularly in relation to its engine problems. In April 2013, Antonov admitted the Russians had withdrawn from involvement in the test programme in November 2012 because of frustration at its slow progress.
Russia would also be unlikely to want to procure an aircraft partly built in a Ukraine aspiring for NATO or EU membership. Another significant problem for Ukraine would be funding for the aircraft. While Russia has a stated requirement for around 60 aircraft to replace its ageing An-12 fleet, Ukraine has previously said it was ready to buy just a handful (between three and five according to local media - it has a requirement for considerably more).
Some commercial heavy cargo operators such as Volga Dnepr have previously expressed an interest in a civil variant of the type designated An-70T, but series production is all but unthinkable without a major military customer from one of the developer nations.
janes

HAL's Exclusion Delays Effort To Replace India's Avro Fleet

A $3 billion Indian Air Force effort to acquire 56 transport aircraft from a foreign company has run into a roadblock after Minister for Heavy Industries asked why state-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) was excluded from consideration.
In response, Defence Minister has asked officials to look into the complaint, which sources say could stall the program.
In May, a tender to procure 56 aircraft to replace the air force’s aging Avro fleet was sent to overseas companies: Casa (EADS) of Spain, Alenia Aeronautica of Italy, Boeing and Lockheed Martin of the United States, Antonov Design Bureau of Ukraine, Ilyushin Design Bureau of Russia and Embraer of Brazil. The tender was not sent to HAL, the state-owned military aircraft manufacturer, and for the first time the tender allowed the selected overseas company to choose an Indian private-sector company as the lead partner for the licensed production of the aircraft. Until now, HAL has been the lead partner for all military aircraft programs.
According to the proposed tender, 16 aircraft would be procured from the selected vendor while the remaining 40 would be built under a license by a domestic company. The domestic defense companies trying to team up for the project include Reliance Group of Industries, Larsen & Toubro, Bharat Forge and Tata Advanced Systems Limited.
None of the domestic defense companies has built a military aircraft, which remains the monopoly of HAL.
defensenews

Ukraine to send next batch of upgraded An-32s to India in August

Ukraine is preparing to send to India in August a sixth batch of five An-32 light transport aircraft, which were modernized at the facilities of the Ukrainian defence industry on the order of the Indian Air Force.
nrcu

Defense Ministry Mulls An-26 Cargo Plane Replacement

Russia is considering two possible designs for a replacement for the obsolete Antonov An-26 military transport aircraft
Russia is considering development of a light military transport plane based on the Antonov An-140, or the Ilyushin Il-112V.
The An-26 is a twin-engined turboprop aircraft designed and produced in the USSR from 1969 to 1985.
The An-140-100 was developed by Russia's Antonov design bureau as a replacement for the An-24 and An-26 series aircraft. It can carry up to six metric tons of cargo to a range of over 2,000 kilometers, and can be used for patrol, military transport and special-ops missions.
en.ria.ru

Antonov seeks customers for An-70

Antonov is showing off its new-look An-70 military transport for the first time in the flying display at a Paris show, as it looks to lift further orders for the type.
Involved in a flight test campaign launched last year, following the integration of modern avionics equipment, the lone prototype's previous white colour scheme has been replaced with a more operational-looking grey.
flightglobal

Ukraine Ready to Go Ahead With An-70 Project on Its Own

Ukraine will continue its project to build Antonov An-70 tactical transport aircraft even if Russia withdraws from it.

rian

PRIMER VUELO DEL ANTONOV AN-158

Inicialmente previsto para el nueve de mayo, el primer vuelo, de una hora y cuarenta y cinco minutosha fue adelantado al 28 de abril.El AN-158 es un avión de 99 plazas para transporte regional.