Russia is currently carrying out a $325-billion rearmament program to modernize 70-percent of its military equipment by 2020.
The Russian Aerospace Forces will receive 16 Ka-52 Alligator attack helicopters, 18 Su-30SM Flanker multi-role fighter jets and 11 MiG-31 Foxhound supersonic interceptor aircraft before the end of the year, the aircraft manufacturers told Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu Friday.
“Four units of the Ka-52 attack helicopters were manufactured by Progress Arsenyev Aviation Company. The delivery of 12 more helicopters is scheduled for 2015,” the company’s managing director, Yury Denisenko, told Shoigu during a conference call.
According to the technical director of the Irkutsk Aviation Plant, Alexander Sergunov, two Su-30SM and two Yak-130 combat trainers are ready to be delivered to the army.
“The government contracts provide for the delivery of an additional 16 Su-30SMs and six Yak-130s in 2015. Almost all the aircraft are in the final stage of production,” Sergunov said.
In turn, Alexander Karezin, the general director of Nizhny Novgorod Aircraft Building Plant Sokol, reported that the plant had carried out repairs and modernization of six MiG-31BMs.
“Four of the aircraft have been handed over to the military units where they will be based permanently, two are ready for flight. Five MiG-31BM and two MiG-29UBM will be delivered later this year,” he added.
