Russian PAK-FA Fighter Deliveries By 2020

Russia will receive 55 Sukhoi PAK-FA (T-50) fighter aircraft by 2020, said Vladislav Goncharenko, the deputy director of the United Aircraft Corporation's (UAC's) combat aircraft department.

"The number of prototypes is increasing; the state trial programme is being conducted as per schedule," Goncharenko was quoted as saying by Echo of Moscow Radio on 16 December. The first PAK-FA deliveries are scheduled for 2016.

Five PAK-FAs have been produced and three more are now being constructed at the Sukhoi Aviation Holding Company Y.A.Gagarin in Komsomolsk-on-Amur (KnAAZ).

Goncharenko said new surveillance and combat unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) ordered by the Russian Ministry of Defence (MoD) will also be supplied by 2018.

Russia's MoD has signed a contract with UAC to conduct design work on the tactical military transport aircraft (MTA) Il-112V, which is intended to replace the ageing An-24 ('Coke') and An-26 ('Curl"), he added.

"This year we have signed the contract to conduct design work on the tactical MTA Il-112V. The launch of the aircraft is scheduled for 2018," he said. With a payload of about 6 tonnes, the aircraft will be able to transport military personnel, light vehicles, and armaments.

According to the actual armaments procurement programme, 62 Il-112Vs are to replace the ageing An-26s.

"This year we plan to supply approximately 100 combat, MTA, and special aircraft. We have already accomplished 80% of the delivery schedule," he added.

UAC has also launched long-range aviation (LRA) and military transport aircraft modernization programmes. According to the terms of contracts with Tupolev, work on Tu-22M3 ('Backfire C'), Tu-95MS ('Bear H'), and Tu-160 ('Blackjack') upgrades has started. "We have upgraded 10 LRA aircraft pursuant to our 2014 plans," said Goncharenko.