February 1, 2021 | International, Aerospace, Naval, Land, C4ISR, Security
MOSCOW — Rostec announced this week it has begun developing the MiG-41, a fifth-generation fighter jet set to replace Russia's MiG-31 jets currently in service. However, amid a number of other ongoing military aerospace projects, experts are questioning whether industry has the resources to produce the aircraft by its deadline of 2030.
The MiG-31 fleet entered service in 1980 under the Soviet Armed Forces and was upgraded in 1990 to become the MiG-31BM. The MiG-41, originally developed by Rostec subsidiary United Aircraft Corporation, has long been expected to replace the aging jets. Work on the new aircraft started in 2010 with UAC's Mikoyan design bureau and Sokol aviation production plant, based in Nizhny Novgorod, about six hours' drive from Moscow.
According to Russian news reports, the MiG-41 will be equipped with stealth technology, reach a speed of Mach 4-4.3, carry anti-satellite missiles, and be able to perform tasks in Arctic and near-space environments.
If it enters service, the MiG-41 will be the country's second fifth-generation fighter after the Su-57, which was developed by UAC subsidiary Sukhoi Company and had its first flight test in 2010.
The Su-57 crashed during a flight test in December 2019. The pilot has survived, leaving the plane on the catapult chair. Defense officials told the Vedomosti newspaper at that time that technical mishaps in the control system might have caused the accident. A governmental commission was founded to investigate the accident, but no public report was realized.
That same year, the Russian military bought 76 Su-57 planes. The cost of a single Su-57 might be about 3 billion roubles (U.S. $40 million), Izvestia reported that year, citing defense sources. The plane is equipped with the AL-41F1 engine, which is also used on the Su-35 jet. However, the local Lyulka Design Bureau is currently developing a new engine for the Su-57.
According to Ruslan Pukhov, the director of the Centre for Analysis of Strategies and Technologies, the primary focus of Russia's defense industry is to develop that engine. That main effort takes away much-needed resources for the new plane, he explained.
A London-based analyst echoed Pukhov's concerns, expressing skepticism that Russia “will be able to develop, manufacture and introduce into service [the jet] in anything like the purported time frame.”
Douglas Barrie, who focuses military aerospace for the International Institute for Strategic Studies, said Russia's aerospace sector is already committed to numerous projects, including further developing the Su-75, upgrading the Su-34, and modernizing various bombers such as the Tu-160 Blackjack, Tu-22M Backfire and Tu-95.
“Some would argue that the sector has already more than enough to try to manage without the additional or a project potentially as complex as a new heavy interceptor, or indeed whether there would be realistic levels of funding for a program,” he said.
Defense News contacted the Russian Aircraft Corporation, a subsidiary of UAC involved in the MiG-41 project, but the firm declined to comment on the jet's development.
For his part, Pukhov thinks the government should ditch its costly projects and instead appropriate funds to develop drones. “This is the sphere where Russia is still behind,” he said.
He added that both China and India will likely want to cooperate on the MiG-41. The latter left a joint project to develop a fifth-generation fighter aircraft based on the Su-57 in 2018.
But Barrie questioned the export potential of the MiG-41, saying the number of similar jets being built elsewhere is rapidly growing.
“Even if such an aircraft were eventually to be developed, it would — were it to meet the same role as the MiG-31BM Foxhound C — have a very limited export appeal.”
October 11, 2023 | International, Aerospace
Germany and nine other countries on Wednesday took the next step in their efforts to jointly purchase air defence systems such as Patriot, IRIS-T and Arrow 3 as NATO allies scramble to plug gaps created by Russia's war on Ukraine.
October 27, 2020 | International, Aerospace, Naval, Land, C4ISR, Security, Other Defence
AIR FORCE AMI Industries Inc., Colorado Springs, Colorado, has been awarded a $700,000,000 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for the delta qualification, production and fielding of a next generation ejection seat for various Air Force Mission Defense systems. Work will be performed in Colorado Springs, Colorado, and is expected to be completed Oct. 22, 2030. This award is the result of a sole-source acquisition. Fiscal 2020 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $5,200,000 are being obligated at the time of award. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the contracting activity (FA8606-21-D-0001) L-3 Technologies, Greenville, Texas, has been awarded a $9,090,496 firm-fixed-price modification (P00008) to contract FA8620-18-F-4816 for management support services. The contract modification provides for the exercise of a pre-priced option for additional management support services. Work will be performed in Greenville, Texas, and is expected to be completed Dec. 31, 2021. This contract involves 100% Foreign Military Sales (FMS), and is the result of a sole-source acquisition. The total face value of the contract is $40,316,767. FMS funds in the full amount are being obligated at the time of the award. The 645th Aeronautical Systems Group, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the contracting activity. DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY American Posts LLC,* Toledo, Ohio, has been awarded a maximum $30,000,000 firm-fixed price with economic-price-adjustment, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for fence posts in various sizes. This was a competitive acquisition with one response received. This is a two-year base contract with three one-year option periods. Location of performance is Ohio, with an Oct. 23, 2022, ordering period end date. Using military services are Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2021 through 2023 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (SPE8E6-21-D-0025). Bell Boeing Joint Project Office, California, Maryland, has been awarded an estimated $27,897,619 firm-fixed-price requirements contract for removal, repair and replacement of V-22 spindle bearings. This was a sole-source acquisition using justification 10 U.S. Code 2304 (c)(1), as stated in Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-1. This is a four-year contract with no option periods. Locations of performance are Maryland and Texas, with an Oct. 23, 2024, performance completion date. Using military services are Marine Corps, Navy and Air Force. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2021 through 2025 Navy and Special Operations Command operations and maintenance funding. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency, Aviation, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (SPRPA1-17-D-009U). UPDATE: Federal Contracts Corp., Tampa, Florida (SPE8EC-21-D-0070), has been added as an awardee to the multiple award contract for agricultural equipment, issued against solicitation SPE8EC-17-R-0007, and was awarded June 12, 2020. WASHINGTON HEADQUARTERS SERVICES Guidehouse LLP, McLean, Virginia, has been awarded a $15,697,724 firm-fixed-price, labor-hours, and time and material contract. The operation support services contract provides audit and data analytics support to the deputy chief financial officer of the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense (Comptroller). Fiscal 2021 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $15,697,724 are being obligated at the time of award. The expected completion date is Oct. 25, 2025. Washington Headquarters Services, Arlington, Virginia, is the contracting activity (HQ0034-19-A-0017). ARMY Mississippi State University, Mississippi State, Mississippi, was awarded an $11,131,723 modification (P00030) to contract W56HZV-17-C-0095 for simulation-based reliability and safety virtual prototyping of autonomy-enabled ground systems. Work will be performed in Mississippi State, Mississippi, with an estimated completion date of Oct. 22, 2022. Fiscal 2020 research, development, test and evaluation (Army) funds in the amount of $11,131,723 were obligated at the time of the award. The U.S. Army Contracting Command, Detroit Arsenal, Michigan, is the contracting activity. *Small business https://www.defense.gov/Newsroom/Contracts/Contract/Article/2393050/source/GovDelivery/
December 4, 2020 | International, Aerospace, Naval, Land, C4ISR, Security
Par Le Figaro avec AFP Publié hier à 19:55 Le Sénat a adopté ce jeudi le budget 2021 des Armées, en hausse pour la troisième année consécutive (+4,5% sur un an) à 39,2 milliards d'euros. Ce budget «pour la troisième année consécutive respecte à la lettre les engagements et la trajectoire financière de la loi de programmation militaire» (LPM) 2019-2025, a fait valoir devant les sénateurs la ministre des Armées Florence Parly. «Nous le faisons malgré la crise sanitaire et malgré la crise économique qui prévaut actuellement. Donc c'est à la fois de la continuité, de la confiance par la visibilité donnée et de la relance», a-t-elle affirmé à l'AFP peu avant le vote des sénateurs. Lors du débat, la ministre a été interrogée sur le coût du remplacement de 12 avions Rafale prélevés sur l'inventaire de l'armée de l'Air au profit de la Grèce. Athènes a annoncé mi-septembre son intention d'acquérir six Rafale neufs et douze d'occasion, pour un montant compris «entre un et deux milliards d'euros», selon le cabinet de la ministre. «Les discussions pourraient aboutir d'ici la fin de l'année», selon Florence Parly. «Si ce contrat aboutit, alors le produit de la vente des Rafale d'occasion reviendra bien au ministère des Armées» et non au budget général de l'Etat, a-t-elle déclaré. «Nous avons eu toutes les assurances du ministère de l'Economie et des Finances à ce sujet.» Pour remplacer les 12 avions d'occasion vendus à la Grèce, Paris doit commander en parallèle 12 Rafale neufs pour les besoins de l'armée de l'Air française. Florence Parly a par ailleurs indiqué aux sénateurs que les surcoûts des opérations extérieures (Opex) et intérieures s'élevaient en 2020 à 1,46 milliard d'euros. Ils «sont couverts en 2020 à la fois par la provision constituée en loi de finances initiale (1,1 milliard, NDR), ainsi que par des contributions internationales et des redéploiements internes inférieurs à 60 millions d'euros et enfin par des ouvertures de crédits (...) pour 200 millions d'euros», a-t-elle détaillé. La ministre a toutefois indiqué avoir renoncé à ce dernier financement en raison du «contexte sanitaire» et «par solidarité interministérielle». Sur le milliard d'euros de crédits gelés en début d'année au titre de «réserve de précaution», «800 millions d'euros qui étaient gelés ont été dégelés dès la mi-novembre», a-t-elle plaidé auprès de l'AFP. Le budget 2021 doit faire l'objet d'une adoption définitive par le Parlement au plus tard le 18 décembre. https://www.lefigaro.fr/flash-eco/le-budget-defense-2021-adopte-par-le-senat-20201203