Aero India 2015: New UAC chief bullish on fifth-gen fighter progress

T-50-new

New United Aircraft Corporation (UAC) CEO Yuri Slyusar is confident that Russia and India will sign a contract for the Fifth Generation Fighter Aircraft (FGFA) in 2015.

“Rosoboronexport [Russia’s defence export body] is in the final stage of negotiations for the FGFA contract,” Slyusar said on 19 February at Aero India 2015. “We think there is a possibility to sign the agreement within 2015. At least the Russian side thinks it will be done in 2015.”

Slyusar, a deputy minister of Industry and Trade who replaced Mikhail Pogosian on 15 January, said that the two sides had signed preliminary and detailed design contracts for the FGFA programme, which is based on the Sukhoi T-50 PAK-FA fighter due to enter Russian Air Force service. “The level of co-operation we have with India [on this programme] is something we don’t have with any other country,” he added.

Pressed for details, he said that the workshare between the two countries on the FGFA was still the subject of negotiations, but “when we can tell you we will tell you” how the programme will be split between UAC and Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL).

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