Alexander Velovich/MOSCOW
The Ramenskoye Instrument Design Bureau (RIDB) is working on an avionics system integration based on standardised electronic blocks for virtually all of Russia's combat aircraft development programmes.
Guivi Djandjgava, RIDB general director, says the company, along with seven other Russian avionics manufacturers, has formed the Technocomplex consortium.
A presidential decree is expected to be issued soon, giving Technocomplex, of which Djandjgava is chairman, control of state-owned shares of each of the members of the consortium.
The consortium expects about 90% of its revenues to come from exports. RIDB has delivered 10 avionics suites for the Su-37KK Flanker, the export version of Sukhoi's thrust-vectoring fighter bound for China. "The aircraft has gone through validation and development flight tests and is ready for series production," comments Djandjgava.
The suite is based on new RIDB-developed computers, liquid-crystal displays (LCD), digital stores management system and integrated inertial-dual satellite navigation (US GPS plus Russian GLONASS) system providing modes for enhanced air-to-air and newly introduced air-to-surface weapons. A new infrared sensor developed by the UOMZ Uralsky Optical Mechanical Plant will replace the older OLS-27.
RIDB uses a conservative approach to development of its computers, which continue to be based on Intel-compatible 486DX2/DX4 processors. Djandjgava says this is dictated by the level of the Russian electronics industry.
Djandjgava adds that the avionics system developed for the Su-37KK can be retrofitted in the Russian air force's Su-27/30s. The suite is based around Russian-built components except for the Japanese-built LCDs, but an effort to launch production of this component at NPO Platan is under way.
Development of the avionics suite for India's Su-30MKI's is taking a different approach, with suppliers from five countries being selected by the customer and RIDB acting as systems integrator.
The first set of equipment has been shipped to IAPO of Irkutsk following testing on the Ramen-skoye integration stand. Djandjgava says that the final production configuration of the Su-30MKI is due to make its maiden flight this month. A second aircraft is to join the flight tests in September. Four or five will be assembled by the end of the year with flight tests expected to be completed by the middle of next year, when deliveries to India will be resumed.
Source: Flight International
