These two most famous Russian aircraft developers and manufacturers provide the base for foundation of United Aircraft Corporation’s business unit on combat aviation. Mikhail Pogosyan, who acts first vice-president with United Aircraft Corporation, and also holds positions of MiG general director – general designer, and Sukhoi general director, rarely spoke to journalists this year. This makes it all the more interesting what he actually said and what has actually been done.

Speaking on one occasion, Mikhail Pogosyan said the following.

“It is symbolic that the air show in Farnborough saw Kartika Airlines awarding us a large contract for the Sukhoi Superjet 100. We worked long and hard with our Indonesian colleagues to achieve this. When doing this work, we not only got prepared for contract signing, but also discussed many other issues pertaining to our cooperative efforts.

After the launch customer, Aeroflot – Russian Airlines, the Indonesian carrier becomes second largest buyer of our passenger jetliners. We believe that this will create good perspectives for the Sukhoi Superjet 100 program in the Southeast Asia. Our joint efforts on keeping the aircraft operational in Indonesia will help us a great deal in promotion of the aircraft into the global market.

We take a view that this contract is not only important from the viewpoint of sales, but also as giving us strong foundations for establishing and developing cooperative programs with the Indonesian industry on after sales support of these aircraft, their repair and overhaul, other efforts on keeping advanced Sukhoi aircraft in Indonesia in an operational condition.

Let me express hope that, together with our partners who work on this program, including Powerjet, Snecma, NPO Saturn, Thales, Liebherr, other European and US firms, we will deliver our promises made today before our new customer.”

On another occasion, Mikhail Pogosyan addressed the audience with the following message about Sukhoi’s and MiG’s recent achievements.

“I think Sukhoi and MiG both hold very stable positions in the military sphere. Air forces of the forty four nations operate Sukhoi and MiG aircraft. One-fourth of the total export deliveries of tactical fighters is taken by our aircraft. Sukhoi and MiG aircraft account for bigger half of all Russian military exports.

The year of 2009 started another tendency, the process of renovating inventory of the Russian Armed Forces. The defense ministry has placed large orders for new aircraft. During 2009, 33 Sukhoi and MiG aircraft were delivered to the local customer and 18 more aircraft underwent modernization. This makes the local market comparable to the export by number of aircraft sold.

I am convinced that we can keep our hard-won positions in the global market only if we persistently develop our technologies and overall quality of our aircraft. We have been working hard on this, making use of best technical solutions invented by Sukhoi company in the best interests of both Sukhoi and MiG programs. And vice versa: we try to make use of the MiG expertise at aircraft design in the Sukhoi aircraft.

To develop our business further, we must look into the future. There is no doubt about that. In the sphere of military aviation, the Fifth generation fighter aircraft program reflects our vision of the future warplanes. I believe that MAKS’2011 show visitors will have an opportunity to watch our fifth generation fighter fly.

We commenced flight testing in January 2010. By the time of Farnborough air show opening, the prototype had flown 16 test missions. In parallel, we continue ground testing of the onboard equipment and airframe static testing.

We make use of many technologies that we create in frame of the Fifth generation fighter aircraft program, in modernization of fourth generation fighter aircraft. The Su-35 is the latest addition to Sukhoi’s programs on deep modernization of the fourth generation fighters. Deliveries of these aircraft to the Russian Defense ministry are planned to start in 2010. By the time of Farnborough we had performed a large flight testing program: more than 270 flights, more than 350 flying hours. We demonstrated that the aircraft meets customer’s specification.

The Su-35 features state-of-the-art flight control system and super maneuverability. Here what we do is we develop further the technologies worked out earlier in frame of the Su-30MKI program. One of the key things that determine high combat worthiness of this airplane is the capabilities of its radar and electronic warfare systems. The radar detection range for aerial targets is up to 400 km. No existing fourth generation aircraft available anywhere in the world, and even no fifth generation fighters now in service, can match this.

The Su-34 program is being carried out in the interests of the Russian defense ministry, with export possibility. In 2009 we delivered a pair of such aircraft to the customer, and then started work on fulfillment of a follow-on contract with the Russian defense ministry for 32 more Su-34s. These aircraft are assembled at the aviation plant in Novosibirsk. We have been making efforts on boosting production rates at this enterprise. In 2010 four Su-34s shall be delivered, and then we will increase production output to 12-20 airframes annually.

It gives me great pleasure to inform you that the Russian air force has been successful in mastering this new type in service. The Vostok 2010 military exercises carried out by the Russian Armed Forces involved Su-34s. These aircraft demonstrated high effectiveness in fulfilling tasks that were assigned to them.

Touching on MiG programs, I shall mention the following recent developments and achievements. Deliveries of MiG-29 SMT multirole fighters to the Russian defense ministry began in 2009. We have also started deliveries of the MiG-29K deck fighters under contract with India. There has been a short but nonetheless successful program of the MiG-29K flight testing on the Admiral Kuznetsov aircraft carrying cruiser.

In early 2010 we signed a follow-on MiG-29K contract with India, firming up option for 29 more aircraft. This provides evidence that the MiG company has restored series production of its products. I believe in good prospects for the MiG-29K program and that of the MiG-35, which participates in the Medium Multirole Combat Aircraft (MMRCA) tender in India.

Besides, we continue working on other military programs, but I cannot speak much about them to the media. I can only say that combining resources of Sukhoi and MiG companies, and offering a wider product range to our customers improves our positions in the market sectors where we have been present for long time.

Our priority in the sphere of civil aviation is the Sukhoi Superjet 100 program. It has the same level of priority with military aviation programs. The targets that we pursued in 2010 were completion of the certification trials, which would enable deliveries to start. By the time of Farnborough air show, testing of the SaM146 engine. The engine won EASA certification earlier this year. I think we have all preconditions for successful completion of the Superjet 100 certification effort by the end of 2010.

Promoting the aircraft into the global market is an important task for us. In this connection, the new contracts signed at Farnborough air show, including a fairly large one with Kartika Airlines, boosted our order book. Number of orders has exceeded 130. This is good news for us and our partners on this program. Besides, we also have orders for more than 300 combat aircraft. The global market for the Sukhoi Superjet 100 is estimated at more than 800 units in the next twenty years.

Furthermore, we are considering expanding the Superjet family so as to better meet the demand of the global airline industry. We are bullish about perspectives of cooperation with India on the Fifth generation fighter aircraft. All this makes us optimistic about the future. Focus on market requirements and creation of products that meet the market demand, coupled with a high intellectual level of our products, dedication of our designers, engineers and workers, give us firm foundations for further development.”