Russia and China to cooperate on Earth remote sensing

Russia and China will cooperate in the field of space-based remote sensing of the Earth, the specific projects were discussed at the International Scientific and Technical Conference “From imagery to map: digital photogrammetric technologies”, which started its work in China.

“Representatives of the Russian Federal Space Agency and the enterprises of space industry forum will hold a business meeting, where they will discuss issues of cooperation between enterprises of the Chinese People’s Republic and the Russian Federation in the field of remote sensing of the Earth and the beneficial use of space-derived geospatial data,” the report of the Russian Space Agency says.

The conference brought together leading companies in the field of remote sensing of the Earth: Roscosmos enterprises (Russia), DigitalGlobe (USA), Airbus Defence and Space (France), Hexagon (Sweden), Microsoft/Vexcel (Austria), VisionMap (Israel).

United Instrument Corporation development may become one of hundred best goods of Russia

United Instrument Corporation, a member of Rostec, presented the development of its concern “Sistemy Upravleniya” – gas boilers for heating buildings for the contest of the best products of the country.

The development has a very high efficiency, is cost efficient  and environmentally friendly. Boilers produced by “Sistemy Upravleniya”, work on the principle of pulsating combustion, which is, in particular, used to launch rockets into space. The development has high efficiency, is characterized by its economical efficiency and environmental friendliness and is compared favorably with its analogues.

Russian AVTOVAZ opens first dealer in Crimea

AVTOVAZ CEO Bo Andersson opened the first LADA dealership in Crimea, the Russian car maker’s press service said on Saturday.

The dealer in the Black Sea peninsula’s capital Simferopol plans to sell about 3,000 Lada cars a year.

“At present there are 200,000 Ladas on Crimea’s roads, or 35% of the total car park,” Andersson said. “We have set a goal to reach 20% in new vehicle sales in the Crimean market.”

The opening ceremony was attended by Deputy RF Presidential Envoy in the Crimean Federal District, representatives of Ministry of Industry and Trade and the Government of the Crimea.

Russian technology sector preparing for reset

Russia is moving to a new stage of development that involves import substitution and the development of its own technologies in most sectors. One of the government’s priorities will be to support startups. The new idea is called “Innovations 2.0.” Russia’s chief partner will be China, although collaboration with the EU will also continue in the area of research. Russia will strive to achieve full national independence in the IT sector.

According to Russian Minister of Communications and Mass Media, Nikolai Nikiforov, Chinese companies are now actively entering the Russian market. Cooperation with them will develop in various directions, including software engineering and the creation of supercomputers. In 2015 the city of Ufa will host the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Summit and a meeting between the BRICS leaders. “For the Russian IT industry this will be an opportunity to articulate its plan in the context of the global market and take a step towards a multi-polar world,” said Nikiforov.

VEB increased the sovereign risk limit for Indonesia to 16.3 billion rubles in the network of a contract for delivery of Su-30MK2 fighters

Due to fall in exchange rate of ruble, Russia has to make changes in its export contracts in the area of military-technical cooperation. Vnesheconombank (VEB) increased the sovereign risk limit for Indonesia to 16.3 billion rubles (+2.3 billion) in the network of a contract for delivery of Su-30MK2 heavy fighters signed in 2011, Kommersant reports.

A source close to VEB told Kommersant that the sovereign risk limit for Indonesia was increased to 16.3 billion rubles. The supervisory board of VEB approved this decision last week. “This refers to implementation of the contract for delivery of 6 Su-30MK2 fighters to this country. In February VEB set the limit of 14 billion rubles for Indonesia. This limit included contract obligations of Indonesian Ministry of Finance. Due to increase of exchange rate of US dollar to Russian ruble this limit may be insufficient in case of extensive use of the credit line”, — the source said. We remind you that over the first three quarters of 2014 exchange rate of US dollar to Russian ruble increased by more than 20%. According to the source the limits for Indonesia were readjusted for the following exchange rate: $1 = 40 rubles. VEB declined to comment on the matter.

Beriev Aircraft Company to manufacture two Be-200 aircraft in 2014

Beriev Aircraft Company will manufacture Be-200 amphibian aircraft using its own production facilities for the first time over the last 15 years, deputy governor of Rostov Region Alexander Grebenshikov told RBC.

According to him, the enterprise plans to manufacture one or two aircraft of the type this year. The plant may start mass production of the aircraft next year. «If the output will reach 3-5 aircraft per year we may consider it as a mass production”, – Grebenshikov said.

The amphibian aircraft will be purchased by EMERCOM and Russian Ministry of Defense. Foreign countries have also shown interest in this aircraft. Deputy governor added that Be-200 was being manufactured by Irkut Corporation, however, the production was moved to facilities of Beriev Aircraft Company.

Be-200 is a Russian amphibious aircraft developed by Beriev Aircraft Company; it was being manufactured by Irkutsk Aviation Plant. In 2008 production of Be-200ChS aircraft was transferred to Beriev Aircraft Company’s production capacities. Some of the jet’s parameters are still unmatched. It is designed for firefighting.

State testing of Ka-52K attack helicopters for Mistral helicopter carriers will be competed in 2015

State testing of Ka-52K attack helicopters for Mistral helicopter carriers will be competed in 2015, head of Russian delegation, Deputy Director of the Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation (FSMTC), Anatoly Punchuk, told RIA Novosti.

FSMTC believes that the first Mistral will be delivered to Russian navy this year. After that it will be ferried to St. Petersburg-based Severnaya Verf (stands for Northern Shipyard) plant in order to fit the vessel with Russian weapons. This work should be completed in mid-2015.

“This project is being implemented. In accordance with the schedule, the state testing of Ka-52K helicopter must be completed in 2015”,- Punchuk said at Euronaval 2014 exhibition held in Paris.

According to him, four Ka-52K prototypes are under construction. “These attack helicopters will be based on Mistral helicopter carriers”,- the head of Russian delegation explained.

The contract for delivery of two Mistral helicopter carriers was signed by DCNS (France) and Rosoboronexport in 2011. The value of this contract is €1,2 billion.

Armavir training base to take delivery of three Yak-130 jets

The air base located in Armavir will take delivery of three Yak-130 operational trainers, representative of the press-service of Russian Ministry of Defense on Air Forces, Colonel Igor Klimov, told RIA Novosti.

At present 48 Yak-130 aircraft are stationed at Borisoglebsk training base. On October 27th 2014 pilots of Borisoglebsk training base of the Air Force Academy named after N.E. Zhukovsky and Y.A. Gagrin ferried three new Yak-130 operational trainers from the plant of Irkut Corporation. The jets will be operated by Armavir training base”, — Klimov said.

In the course of acceptance of the aircraft the specialists must inspect the aircraft, check technical documentation, check functionality of all aircraft system, avionics and flap system, and evaluate the engine performance under various operating conditions. After that a test flight will be performed.

Yak-130 is the two-seat next-generation operational trainer designed for pilot training and combat missions performed under normal and severe weather conditions. The jet is capable of destroying ground and air targets. This aircraft demonstrates the parameters close to advanced fighters at subsonic speeds in terms of aircraft performance and maneuverability. That is why it is used for training of future pilots of “4+”-generation and fifth-generation fighters. Moreover, it may be operated from unpaved runways. Yak-130 operational trainers have been used for training of cadets at Borisoglebsk air base since 2013.

Kazan Aviation Plant started testing of another Tu-214SR aircraft

In the near term a new Tu-214SR aircraft will join the fleet of Rossiya special aircraft division, Business Online reports.

The jet performed its maiden flight in October 11th 2014. At present the aircraft is undergoing flight testing; it will be handed over to the customer upon completion of acceptance flights.

We remind you that the special aircraft division already has two Tu-214SR jets (radio relay aircraft) in its fleet. Kazan Aviation Plant is assembling two more vehicles of the type.

Soyuz-2.1A rocket installed at Baikonur, expected to launch on October 29

The Soyuz-2.1A carrier rocket has been successfully installed at the launch site at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan and is scheduled for launch on October 29, the press service of the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos) reported Monday.

“Today, on October 27, 2014, at 4:30 am Moscow time [1:30 am GMT] the carrier rocket Soyuz 2.1A was transported from the assembly-testing complex at the Baikonur Cosmodrome to launch site number 31 together with the transport cargo spacecraft Progress M-25M,” the press service said in a statement published on Roscosmos’ official website.

Earlier, a state commission’s meeting was held at the Baikonur Cosmodrome during which it was agreed that the carrier rocket could be transported to the launch site.

The spacecraft will deliver more than 2.5 tons of cargo and fuel components to the International Space Station (ISS), as well as vital equipment, food, water and air supplies for the cosmonauts stationed at the ISS.