DEFENCE

NATO aircraft allowed to fly over Romania

Romania and NATO have signed an agreement allowing NATO transport aircraft tofly unrestricted over the Balkan country, the Romanian Foreign Ministry said on9th November."This is an important step towards Romania's integration into NATO," saidministry spokesman Mircea Geoana. He said the agreement was signed in Brusselsthe previous week.Romania was the first former Warsaw pact member to sign NATO's Partnership forPeace programme allowing closer cooperation between former communist countriesand the Western defence organisation.

Hungarian Army receives Mi-24s from Germany

Hungary has received the last consignment of ex-GDR Army Mil Mi-24 helicoptersfrom Germany, the Hungarian Ministry of Defence has announced. The helicopters, which were formally handed over at Hungarian military bases,had been in storage for some time and will need restoring to flying condition,the statement said. Hungary currently has 39 operational Mi-24s. Once the latest consignment hasbeen recommissioned, with some helicopters cannibalised for spares, there willbe 59 functional helicopters. Hungary has received a range of ex-GDR military equipment from reunited Germany.Students at the Szolnok Air Force Academy train on ex-GDR L-39 Albatrosaircraft.

France's Thomson-CSF wins Estonian air defence contract

The Estonian border defence agency has selected France's Thomson-CSF to delivera radar monitoring system for the country's eastern border. Under a draft contract signed with Thomson by the Estonian Border GuardDepartment, the French firm is to supply radar systems capable of detectinglow-flying aircraft within a radius of 80 km. They are to be installed in theLake Peipus area on the border with Russia. Eighteen firms had tendered for thecontract. The equipment is initially to be leased, with the final payment to be made afterthe year 2000. The deal has yet to be approved by the Estonian parliament.The eastern border is to be fully equipped with modern monitoring systems withinthe next two years, director-general of the Border Guard Department Tarmo Koutssaid.The contract with Thomson is to include supply and installation of equipment andtraining of operators. The contract is Estonia's second biggest defence-relatedpurchase since the country gained its independence.

PVO "will become extinct by 2000" - Andreyev

Russia's anti-aircraft defence aviation forces (PVO) "will become extinct by theyear 2000 if its financing fails to improve", according to PVO commander Col-GenVladimir Andreyev. Andreyev told journalists on 14th November that PVO pilots are currently flying20 hours a year, far less than their colleagues in the Russian Air Force. "In asituation like this, last-generation aircraft [like the] MiG-31 and Sukhoi-27stay idle, as these types of planes are used only by anti-aircraft defenceunits," Andreyev said.

Arsenyev Progress aircraft plant "on verge of shutdown"

The management of the Progress aviation plant in Arsenyev in Russia's Far Easthas recommended that the plant sell new Kamov Ka-50 and Ka-52 attack helicoptersoverseas instead of to the Russian armed forces, in order to receive the fundingnecessary to begin series production. Already in a long-standing debt crisis, Progress is on the verge of shuttingdown altogether now that local heat and power enterprises have threatened to cutoff services until their arrears of about 20 billion roubles are paid. Progressitself is owed that amount by the Ministry of Defence for orders filled in 1994,and the ministry has indicated that it will not pay for this year's orders until1996. Half of Progress's 8,000 employees are currently on enforced leave. The mainprojects at the plant, which formerly manufactured Mil Mi-24 helicopters, arecurrently the Ka-50 and the Moskit anti-shipping missile. At current levels offinancing, however, the plant is only capable of producing one Ka-50 a year. Mismanagement at the plant has also contributed to its crisis. Former GeneralDirector Viktor Manoilenko, recently fired, spent several billion roubles on anabortive attempt to manufacture the Antonov An-74 at Progress. Sixty per cent ofthe funding was allocated to paying wages, and the attempt pushed the plant tothe edge of bankruptcy. An-74 production was switched to the Omsk aircraftfactory after it became clear that conversion at Progress was impractical. Progress's new general director, Yury Bodnya, hopes to profit from anotherconversion venture, manufacturing the new Mil Mi-34 business-class helicopter.

Baltic Fleet Air Arm commander complains of budget cuts, fuel shortages,training deficiencies in newspaper interview

The following is an interview with Chief of Staff of the Baltic Sea Fleet AirArm Maj-Gen Nikolai Burachuk, published in 'Strazh Baltiki', the Baltic Fleetnewspaper.

Nikolai Burachuk was born on 25 August 1948 in Krasnokamsk, Perm Oblast, in theUrals. In 1967 he entered the Orenburg Higher Military Aviation School. Aftergraduation in 1971, he was sent to serve in the Northern Fleet. During the 22years of service in the Northern Fleet, he rose to the level of naval aviationmissile division commander. He completed a correspondence course at the GagarinMilitary Aviation Academy. In 1993 he was sent to the General Staff MilitaryAcademy. After graduation, he joined the Baltic Fleet. He has flown L-28, L-29,Tu-16 and Tu-22MZ aircraft. He is married with two children.

[Interviewer] Nikolai Dmitrievich, are the problems of the Baltic Fleet AirForce any different from those of the Northern Fleet, or are all our currentdifficulties similar?
[Burachuk] There are currently the same problems everywhere: There are shortagesof fuel, pilots do not fly, the safety of flights is decreasing.... As recentlyas two years ago, an entire air force division would take off during training!What do we have now? We are unable to make a regiment take off during tacticaltraining.
[Interviewer] During the past few years, the preparations for winter did notproceed without difficulties and "surprises" in the Baltic Fleet. Perhapseverything is proceeding differently this time?
[Burachuk] I will not conceal that the Northern Fleet personnel prepares for thewinter more intensively. The singular features of that region do not forgivemistakes or delays. Here, unfortunately, the preparations for the winter proceedsluggishly. There are problems with oil fuel and coal. The only encouragingthing is that after the well-known events at the Plesetsk launching site and inSeverodvinsk, our monopolists will no longer cut off military facilities fromelectricity. The government has vowed to respond in the harshest manner in sucha case, including bringing criminal charges against officials.
[Interviewer] The Baltic Fleet has already undergone several reductions. How hasthis "reorganisation" affected its air arm? Are we still flying because spareparts from a reduced unit are handed over to a unit remaining in service?
[Burachuk] As for the reductions, I dare to assure you that we do not send ourproposals in this regard to Moscow. It is simply impossible to further reducethe Baltic Fleet Air Force. Excuse me, but we are not made of rubber. Anotherthing is that the opinions of servicemen are not heeded much. In general, thefollowing paradox occurs: Although our forces are reduced again and again, wehave as many tasks as before. My personal opinion is that the Baltic Fleet AirForce should not be reduced but strengthened, given the new geopolitical realityand NATO's wish to expand eastward. The sooner this is understood in Moscow, thebetter for Russia.
[Interviewer] However, the common citizen certainly thinks differently. We toredown the Berlin Wall, and are nearly kissing NATO and the United States. In oneword, friendship prevails....
[Burachuk] Yes, we tore down the wall, withdrew our troops from Europe intobarren fields, and are unilaterally disarming ourselves.... Believe me, I am notone of the "hawks" whom the democratic press likes to bash. I will unequivocallysay, however, that the number of NATO surveillance planes flying near our airborders has not decreased. And it is not the Warsaw Pact -- which quietly passedaway -- but NATO that flexes its muscles in Yugoslavia. Only the blind do notsee that.
[Interviewer] Yes, their pilots fly more than ours....
[Burachuk] This is a wrong phrase. The Americans consider it normal if a pilotflies 180-200 hours annually. The Germans fly a little less. They do not stintthemselves of combat readiness. Some time ago we did not stint ourselves either:Pilots used to have 130-150 hours behind them. We now only dream about this. Weconsider 30 hours in the sky to be a blessing. Moreover, only instructors fly asmuch. Actually, most pilots do not take off at all.
[Interviewer] So how could it be explained that our pilots demonstratedexcellent skills during a bombardment competition?
[Burachuk] It is both obvious and unbelievable. We apparently hanker after thesky. If someone fills our planes' tanks with fuel, our pilots with delight willdo things in the sky about which others do not even dream. In terms of rawenthusiasm, we come first in the world.
[Interviewer] How many times should the financing be increased to lead ourmilitary aviation out of the current protracted spin?
[Burachuk] First, our quotas have been curtailed so much that we are simplyunable to ensure the required number of hours for our pilots, no matter how muchwe want that. Certain expenditures must be increased at least ten-fold. Thecurrent remaining finances are only enough to pay people, to keep the aviationalive. There was one quota early this year. In March it was cut two-fold, andthan clipped once again. How can one plan anything in such circumstances? Howcan one normally organise combat training? After all, we also have to maintainthe technical condition of planes and airfields. Bitumen alone costs a lot, butwe also have to buy engines from plants... and live within our means.
[Interviewer] Nikolai Dmitrievich, do you not think that there will soon beproblems not only with fuel and spare parts, but also with... young lieutenants?What can one say about military schools, if in combat units planes are anchoredbetter by the lack of fuel than by chains.
[Burachuk] That is true. Military school students almost do not fly at all. Sothere cannot be any talk about their good flying skills. Moreover, tomorrow'slieutenants currently have no idea about independent flights on certain types ofaircraft. This situation does not augur anything good.
[Interviewer] During the Vietnam war, for a certain period of time our MiGs,flown by Vietnamese pilots, would lose altitude and crash in apparently safesituations. Although the blame was initially put on the equipment, it was proventhat there was a completely different reason: Due to malnutrition, the pilotscould not endure gravitational stress overload, and thus lost consciousness.Currently, servicemen, including pilots, do not receive salaries for months.They stint themselves of everything, including cloths and food. To put itbriefly, they strive to survive. Do you not worry about your subordinates, giventhat the overloads in modern planes are even higher?
[Burachuk] On days of flights, pilots should unconditionally take their meals incanteens. When I served in the Northern Fleet, I personally prohibited pilotsfrom exchanging food rations for compensation. The poverty of people in epauletsis a disaster. This is a disgrace to the state, the peace of which they protect.For pilots, nutrition is basic. This means health, which is necessary in thesky.
[Interviewer] Nikolai Dmitrievich, here is the last question. At various airshows, Russian delegations constantly present the newest types of aviationequipment. However, one cannot spot them in units....
[Burachuk] This is sad, though true. Moreover, the Sukhoi company has alreadydeveloped a plane of the 21st century, about which the Americans can only dream.Our pilots thus have something of which to be proud. However, they still do nothave an opportunity to fly such planes. Manufacturers do not need our pride.They need money, which the Defence Ministry has not had for a long time now.

CIVIL

Russian ATC plans strike on December 15

"Our patience is exhausted. We have done everything we could to settle matters,and we hereby finally announce a start to Russia's national air trafficcontrollers' strike at 1000, 15th December 1995," President of the Russian AirTraffic Controllers' Union Vladimir Konusenko announced at a press conference inthe State Duma, the lower house of the Russian parliament, on 15th November. Konusenko complained that many ATC officers have not been paid their salaries inmonths, and that many are forced to take second jobs instead of resting aftershifts, which compromises flight safety. The Air Traffic Controllers' Union hopes that the strike will compel theMinister of Transport, who is ultimately responsible for the salaries of ATCofficers, to enter negotiations and hear their grievances, Konusenko said. Meanwhile, the general director of the Russian Air Traffic Control Association,Aleksandr Travnikov, has warned that flight safety is being severely threatenedby under-funding of ATC infrastructure in Russia. According to Travnikov, of 504 billion roubles allocated to the ATC network inthe 1994 budget, only 59.8 billion roubles were actually received. Of 127 ATCcentres, 18 have closed, and 22 are "working in a limited capacity". The Russian air traffic system includes a main centre, 14 zonal centres, 132regional centres and over 400 airfield ATC posts. It serves over 7,500 movementsa day, Travnikov said.

Sukhoi presents new supersonic airliner

Sukhoi have developed a supersonic VIP transport airliner designated the SPS-2,Interfax news agency reported, quoting the general director of Sukhoi, MikhailSimonov. The 68-seat SPS-2 can be produced in either three- or four-engined variants, hasa design range of 10,000 km, and would require a 1,800m runway, Simonov said.The development project, which has been costed at US$1.5 billion, envisagesbuilding five aircraft, with the first to be built in seven or eight years.

Ivanovo airport hunger strike ends as authorities pay up Air traffic controllers at Ivanovo airport have ended their hunger strike afterbeing paid seven months' back wages. The hunger strike lasted 11 days.The strikers are also to receive unspecified additional payments, and theirairport employer is to have its bills for gas and electricity and for regionaland city taxes waived in order to improve its debt position.

Russian government approves Agusta role in Ka-64 helicopter project The Russian government has given formal approval to a co-production agreementwith the Italian company Agusta to build Kamov Ka-64 helicopters. Government Resolution No 1465 of 23rd October 1995 authorises the Kamov designbureau and the Ulan-Ude Aviation Plant to cooperate with Agusta on developingand producing the Ka-64, a medium multi-role helicopter designed on the basis ofthe Ka-62 and fitted with General Electric CT7 engines. The resolution promisesstate finance for the development programme. The Ka-62 and Ka-64 design is a new departure for Kamov. Unlike the designbureau's traditional coaxial configuration with no tail rotor, the Ka-62 has asingle rotor disc and a shrouded fan-in-fin tail rotor. Cooperation with Agustais intended to give the new Western-engined design a foothold on foreignmarkets.

Molniya plans 1,200-seat heavy-lift aircraft Russia's Molniya aircraft design bureau is planning a new large aircraft with apayload of 450 tonnes of cargo or 1,200 passengers, according to the `MoskovskyKomsomolets' newspaper. The project, named Hercules, is for a twin-fuselage aircraft with a centralpassenger gondola and the ability to land on unprepared airstrips. A five-yeardesign schedule is envisaged.