Russia Modernizing Yakovlev-130 Aircraft

Russia’s Irkut aircraft company is currently modernizing the Yakovlev-130 combat and training plane. The new model of this plane is likely to be of great demand both in Russia and foreign countries. According to the official data, the plane’s new model will be able to carry some additional types of weapons, like X-31 and X-38 air-surface missiles.

Besides, the plane can be used for training young pilots. Experts say that pilots should rather be trained on real combat planes than on their training versions due to the current development of military equipment. Thus, the demand for the new model of the Russian plane in the world is now high and will most likely be large in the foreseeable future.

In Russia, the demand for the Yakovlev-130 aircraft is large as well. The short-term plans of the Russian Defense Ministry include acquiring 65 planes of this model. In total, the Russian Air Force is planned to have more than 200 Yakovlev-130 planes.

It’s necessary to mention that Yakovlev-130 seems to be the last plane released under this name, as the famous Russian Yakovlev aircraft design bureau has become a part of the Irkut aircraft company.

Russian Aerospace Defence Forces to Be Equipped with S-500, S-400 and Unmanned Aerial Vehicles by 2020

According to the official information, the Russian Aerospace Defence Forces will be completely created by 2020. In particular, it is planned to form the brigades equipped with the S-500 and S-400 systems and unmanned aerial vehicles of the Russian manufacturers. The Russian Army will adopt a total of 200 new military transport aircrafts.

Viktor Bondarev, the current Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Air Force, said last summer that the first set of the newest S-500 anti-aircraft missile system might be introduced into the inventory of the Russian Army in 2013. As it was reported, the Army will be equipped with a total of about 10 divisions of this system by 2020.

Nikolai Makarov, the former Chief of the General Staff, noted that the S-500 systems would be manufactured at two new plants of Almaz-Antey which would be built within the next two years. The newest systems are planned to be used in the aerospace defence while covering the entire territory of Russia. The existing air defence systems will also become a part of the Russian Aerospace Defence Forces.

Share of New Weapons in the Russian Army Increases by 10% during Reform Years

The share of new weapons and military equipment in the Russian Army has increased from 6 to 16% during the period from 2008 through 2012. This information was presented by Valery Gerasimov, the Chief of the General Staff, at a press conference in Moscow.

Talking about the particular programs, Mr. Gerasimov pointed out that all the guided missile brigades would be re-equipped with Iskander systems by 2020, with S-500, S-300B and Buk-3M also being included into the inventory of the Russian Army by that time.

The combat training system is likely to be significantly improved, particularly it is planned to create the next-generation combat training centers for the Ground, Airborne and Coastal Forces starting in 2014.

Mr. Gerasimov believes that the level of existing and potential military threats to Russia may increase substantially by 2030. According to his statement, the level of military threat to Russia will be determined by the struggle among the leading countries for energy resources, sales markets and living space, with the military capability being actively used to ensure access to those resources.

Izhmash to Take Part in IDEX-2013

Izhmash will take part in IDEX-2013, the international defence exhibition which will be held in Abu Dhabi (UAE) on February 17-21. The Russian company plans to present a few weapons that have never been demonstrated in foreign countries before. 

The newly-designed products will include the modernized 100-series Kalashnikov assault rifles (AK-101, AK-102, AK-103, AK-104, AK-107) with significantly improved ergonomics and integrated Picatinny rail for mounting the full range of modern accessories, including optical and electro-optical sights, and laser target pointers.

The well-known products demonstrated at the stand of Izhmash will include Dragunov sniper rifle (SVD), SVDS, Bizon submachine guns, AN-94, GP-34, SV-98 rifles, as well as Kitolov-2M and Krasnopol cannon-launched guided projectiles.

The exhibition visitors will also have a chance to see the SV-99 sniper rifle, Vityaz-SN submachine gun, Saiga-12 gun, B-7-2-KO small-bore rifle for the forces of law and order, as well as Saiga MK and Saiga-9 hunting carbines.

The company plans to use this exhibition as a site of negotiations with about 30 business partners from different countries of the Middle East, Europe, Africa and Pacific Rim.

Russian Navy Warplanes Start Patrolling the Arctic Ocean

The Russian Northern Fleet aircrafts have started patrolling the Arctic Ocean on a regular basis. So far this week, Northern Fleet aircrews have made three flights to the Arctic region, with two flights having been performed by an Ilyushin Il-38 May maritime patrol and anti-submarine warfare aircraft and one flight – by a Tupolev Tu-142 Bear maritime reconnaissance and anti-submarine warfare aircraft.

These patrols are performed in addition to strategic bomber patrol flights which Russia resumed over the Pacific, Atlantic and Arctic oceans in August 2007.

The Russian authorities have recently been calling for tighter security along the country’s Arctic borders as the region becomes more accessible to maritime traffic due to the rapid pack-ice loss.

“The climate change has increased the transport accessibility of the Arctic region. However, growing maritime traffic is likely to bring about more attempts at smuggling, illegal migration or drug trafficking. That’s why Russia should cooperate with other Arctic states in strengthening and defending its Arctic frontiers and monitoring transportation routes,” said Yevgeny Lukyanov, the Deputy Secretary of the Russian Security Council.

At the same time, he denied Russia was pursuing geopolitical or military goals in the area.

Russian S-400 Triumf Air Defense System