FORMER SOVIET UNION

DEFENCE

Indian MiG-21bis to return to Russia for avionics retrofit Two Indian MiG-21bis aircraft are shortly to return to Russia for an avionics upgrade as part of a general modernisation programme, according to the Russian PostFactum news agency. "Indian Air Force Commander-in-Chief Marshal Kaul told journalists in Goa on Sunday 27th August that the modernisation project would extend the term of operation of the MiG-21bis by another 15 years," the agency said. Kaul said that only two aircraft would be returned to Russia for the upgrade. The remaining 128 MiG-21bis aircraft in service in India will be modernised at Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) in Bangalore, by Indian technicians trained in Russia. The aircraft will be retrofitted with both Russian and Western radar and avionics, the agency said. Referring to the proposed purchase by India of Sukhoi Su-30BK aircraft, Kaul said that the Indian government "had only just begun to study the proposal".

Ukrainian air corps commander plans to double training flights The commander of the air force corps covering southern Ukraine plans to double the number of training flights in 1995 compared with 1994 in order to restore combat-readiness at his units. Corps Commander Maj-Gen Anatoliy Tareyev announced his plan in a speech given on Ukrainian Aviation Day, 26th August. He also called for training standards at air academies to be improved. Tareyev did not say whether additional funding to ensure fuel supplies would be available.

Russia, Ukraine show off S-300 Russia and Ukraine have both been displaying their S-300 (SA-10 GRUMBLE) air defence missile systems to journalists and foreign observers. The Ukrainian test took place near Kherson on 1st September, and was attended by local government officials and a correspondent from the Ukrinform agency. "A powerful missile salvo "destroyed" a total of 16 Mi-8 helicopters and Su-23 aircraft in less than a minute", he wrote. The Russian test, at the Kapustin Yar testing ground on 2nd September, was staged for unidentified "foreign military experts" who are considering purchasing the S-300. They saw the missile complex setting up for action in under five minutes, then firing two-missile salvoes at incoming cruise missiles and target drones in quick succession. Each target was destroyed by the first of the two missiles, a Russian Defence Ministry spokesman said.

Azerbaijani MiG-25 crashes An Azerbaijani Air Force MiG-25 crashed during a training flight on 25th August 45 km north of the capital Baku, the Azerbaijani Ministry of Internal Affairs announced. The pilot was killed. No further details were forthcoming.

Yeltsin reduces export duty on defence production In an effort to boost aircraft exports, Russian President Boris Yeltsin has reduced export duties on defence products by 15 per cent, Deputy Prime Minister Oleg Soskovets announced in Khabarovsk on 1st September. Khabarovsk Kray is home to the Arsenyev plant which produces Sukhoi Su-27s for export to China. These aircraft would now be exempted from export duties altogether, Soskovets said.

Russia tests polar SLBM launch A Russian Akula-class submarine launched an RSM-52 missile from a location within three miles of the North Pole on 25th August, a Russian Defence Ministry spokesman said. The warheads from the three-stage missile impacted in the Chikha testing range near Arkhangelsk, with a maximum 500 metre deviation from the target area, he said. The submarine and its escorts had been under surveillance by Western aircraft since before the launch, it later became clear. The launch had been scheduled for 1100 local time, but was postponed due to the presence of a foreign aircraft. "In order not to endanger the lives of the foreign military pilots and our probable "friends'" expensive intelligence-gathering equipment, the submariners postponed the launch. When the intelligence-gathering aircraft's fuel began to run low and it disappeared over the horizon in the direction of its base, the order to launch was given," the official 'Rossiiskaya gazeta' newspaper said, quoting the Russian Navy Headquarters. CIVIL

Antonov and Tupolev to join in FPG... Antonov and Tupolev are to join forces in a "transnational financial-industrial group" (finansovo-promyshlennaya gruppa, FPG), a merger format designed by the Russian government to assist horizontal integration by industrial enterprises. The two aircraft builders announced at a press conference not long after the MAKS-95 airshow that the Antonov-Tupolev Corporation is to unite the two companies with aviation factories in Kiev and Kharkov and several Russian and Ukrainian banks. Antonov Chief Designer Petr Balabuyev said the plan to join forces had already been approved by the Russian and Ukrainian governments. The format of the merger would allow the two companies to cooperate without being hindered by customs barriers between their designers and factories, he said. ...while Mil sets one up on its own Following the trend to horizontal integration in the Russian aviation industry, Mil Helicopters are shortly to establish a financial-industrial group (finansovo-promyshlennaya gruppa, FPG) linking their design bureau with production facilities and banks, Mil director Mark Vainberg said in an interview with the 'Kommersant Daily' business newspaper. The new corporation is to unite the Mil Moscow Helicopter Engineering Plant (VMZ), the other two factories at Trostov and Kazan, and a number of unnamed banks. Vainberg said the Moscow VMZ itself had switched priorities from developing new helicopter models to modernising Mi-8, Mi-17, Mi-24 and Mi-26 helicopters already in service.

Pulkovo passenger throughput up St Petersburg's Pulkovo airport processed 1.5 million passengers over the past six months, according to a report in the 'Rossiiskaya gazeta' newspaper. The volume of freight carried is also rising, and new destinations are served from the airport every month.

Regular Moscow-Grozny flights resumed Regular passenger flights between Moscow and the Chechen capital, Grozny, resumed on 1st September, a spokesman for the DonAvia airline said in Moscow. Two flights a week are scheduled for the time being, and flights from Grozny to Russian provincial cities are planned for the near future.

Ukrainian Airlines launch flights to Romania Ukrainian Airlines has begun scheduled flights between Kiev and Bucharest. The first flight was made from Kiev's Zhulyany airport using an Antonov An-24 aircraft, but, according to head of the Ukrainian State Department for Air Transport Viktor Shvets, the airline plans to use Boeing-737 planes on future flights. Tarom already operates two flights a week between the two capitals, and Air Ukraine is planning to begin flights to Constanta soon.

Rybinsk begins supplying engine parts to GE Rybinsk Motors, one of Russia's biggest aeroengine manufacturers, has begun shipping components to General Electric (GE) of the USA, filling orders worth US$6.8 million this year, PostFactum news agency said. GE's Russia manager Vladimir Raschupkin told the agency the Rybinsk components would be used to assemble LM-2500 pumping stations that may be sold to Russian natural gas monopoly Gazprom for gas pipelines. GE also proposes to use the components for its own CT-7 and CFM-56 aircraft engines, the latter of which, manufactured in conjunction with Snecma, may be installed in Russian Il-86 and Il-76 aircraft.

Turkmenistan begins regular flights to UK Turkmenistan's Akhal airline has opened a new route between the Turkmen capital, Ashkhabad, and Birmingham in Britain. The first flight was made by an Akhal Boeing-737 on 31st August, carrying passengers in transit from India. A second route, Ashkhabad - London, was to open three days later, Akhal said. Aircraft on the new routes are refuelling at Kiev's Borispol airport.

Three Britons killed in Yak-18T crash Three British aviation enthusiasts were killed when their Yak-18T aircraft crashed near Moscow on 29th August. The three had travelled to see the MAKS-95 airshow on a tour organised by George Pick Aerotours, based in Leicester. The tour included a joy-ride in a Yak-18T after the airshow. A British Embassy spokesman named the Britons as Russell Bessey, 37, David Stephens, 38 and Anthony Naylor, 30. Their Russian pilot, from the Myachkovo flying club, was also killed in the crash near Domodedovo airport, 40 km south-east of Moscow.

Kharkov International Airport opens Kharkov Airport has completed a major modernisation programme, Ukrainian transport officials said on 1st September. The airport now has full international status, and can process 100 passengers per hour, they said. The first international flight from the rebuilt runway took off on 25th August, bound for Istanbul.

Protests over Mineralnye Vody runway plan A second runway is to be built at the airport of Mineralnye Vody in Stavropol Kray, southern Russia, according to PostFactum news agency. Local health authorities are objecting to the construction of the runway, which PostFactum says will cost US$31 million. They are also calling for the airport to be moved out of the town of Mineralnye Vody because of the noise and pollution which affects it and nearby spas. The construction of the second runway will only worsen the ecological situation in the area, the agency quoted the authorities as saying.

New Russia-Iran agreement Iran is to charter 20 Russian airliners with subsequent purchase under a new civil aviation accord signed in Moscow on 26th August, 'The Moscow Times' newspaper reported. Besides the charter agreement on the unnamed aircraft, the accord covers increasing the number of flights between Iran and Russia to three per week, fixing four points of origin in each country, allowing more than one airline to provide services, and use of Russian technical facilities by Iran.

EAST EUROPE

DEFENCE

Malian An-26 ex Kiev crashes in Greece A Malian Air Force Antonov An-26 crashed near Thessaloniki airport in Greece on 31st August while returning from servicing in Kiev. The aircraft was reported to have run out of fuel while approaching the airport, the first stop on its way back to Mali. Six Malian officers, some of them returning from training courses in the former Soviet Union, were killed in the crash.

Romanian MiG-21 crashes A Romanian MiG-21 crashed at Gearmata Airport near Timisoara at 0933 local time on 29th August while landing after a "meteorological survey operation", the Romanian Army public relations department said. The pilots, Lt-Col Ioan Ban and Maj Iulian Netoiu, ejected and were uninjured. The aircraft was destroyed.

Poland plans domestic fighter Poland is planning a domestically-produced fighter based on the MiG-29, to be designated M-2000, according to PostFactum agency. The long-term plan involves building the aircraft at the PZL factory in Mielec with the assistance of Russian and Western designers. The basic MiG-29 design already in service in Poland would be re-engined and fitted with Western avionics, the report said. The planned in-service date for the new aircraft is the beginning of the next century.

US experts present F-16 information Seven "American specialists" were in Warsaw on 29th and 30th August presenting classified information on the F-16 to the Polish government, which is considering purchasing the aircraft. A communique from the US Embassy in Warsaw said co-production was also to be discussed at the presentation, which is being staged by USAF and Lockheed representatives. The meeting was agreed on when Polish Defence Minister Zbigniew Okonski met the Air Force Secretary in the US Department of Defense, Sheila E Widnall, the communique said.

CIVIL

Seneca crashes in Poznan graveyard Six Swiss citizens were killed when their US-registered Piper Seneca crashed near Poznan's Lawica airport on 28th August. The pilot had declared an emergency and requested a landing shortly after take-off from the airport, and eye-witnesses told local media that the aircraft was in flames before it crashed in a cemetery outside the airport perimeter.

Lufthansa resumes flights to Tirana Lufthansa is to resume scheduled flights between Frankfurt and Tirana on 14th September, after a four-year suspension. There are to be two flights a week to Tirana's Rinas airport.