Alexander Velovich/MOSCOW
Ethiopia has taken delivery of about 10 Sukhoi Su-27 fighters, becoming only the third non-CIS nation after China and Vietnam to operate the aircraft. The ex-Russian air force aircraft were delivered by An-22 transport aircraft from Krasnodar.
One of the Su-27s is thought to be at least seven years old, although airframe time may be fairly low given the utilisation rates of the Russian air force since 1992.
With recent deliveries of MiG-29s to neighbouring Eritrea, also thought to have come from the former Soviet Union, the two types face the prospect of engagement given the border hostilities that led to a number of air attacks by both sides last year. Maintenance support and aircrew for the Su-27 and MiG-29 may also involve personnel from the former Soviet Union.
Meanwhile, the first Chinese-built Su-27SK flew from the Shenyang production site in December, the first of 200 to be licence-produced for the Chinese air force. The aircraft was assembled from parts produced at the KnAAPO plant at Komsomolsk-na-Amur. Production will gradually shift to Shenyang, apart from the Lyulka Saturn AL-31F engine and avionics, which will remain in Russia.
India signed a $300 million contract on 18 December for 10 additional Sukhoi Su-30MK multi-role fighters. The Indians have now ordered 50 of the aircraft.
All the Indian Su-30s, including the first delivered batch of eight built to the initial Russian air force standard, will eventually be refitted to MKI standard with canard foreplanes, thrust vectoring AL-31FP engines and full air-to-surface weapons capability. Delivery of the final configuration aircraft has been postponed until at least 2000, because of continuing problems in sourcing electronic warfare and other electronic equipment.
There is also doubt over whether the all-Russian designed multifunction weapons and fire-control equipment for the final standard Su-30MKI have been fully developed.
Source: Flight International
