BY : NOVOSTI



Russia's Irkut aircraft maker said Tuesday it will export 242 multi-role Su-30 Flanker fighters, worth around $7 billion, by 2014.

The Irkut Corporation [RTS:IRKT], which is part of Russia's United Aircraft Building Corporation created in 2006, manufactures variants of the famed Su-30MK for India, Algeria, and Malaysia.

"To date, contracts have been signed for 242 aircraft with a total value of about $7 billion," company president Oleg Demchenko said at Le Bourget international air show near Paris.

Demchenko said most of Su-30 aircraft would be delivered to India under previous and future contracts.

"We have recently added another contract for 18 aircraft in addition to the one signed earlier," he said, adding that the company was in talks on delivery of 40 additional Su-30MKI fighters to India.

"We will sign this contract in a few weeks," Demchenko said.

Contracts to deliver 18 Su-30MKM aircraft to Malaysia and 28 Su-30MKA fighters to Algeria are also being implemented successfully, the official said.

The Su-30MKM and Su-MKA are multi-role Flanker variants based on the Su-30MKI model and feature a customized avionics suite to meet Malaysian and Algerian specifications respectively.

"We sent the first two Su-30MKMs to Malaysia on the first day of the Paris air show," Demchenko said. "The first six aircraft will be delivered to Algeria this year."

In addition, the head of Irkut said the company had signed contracts on the delivery of 150 Yak-130 trainers, with the Russian Air Force ordering 60 aircraft and Algeria purchasing 16 trainers.

"We have also received solid orders for another 82 aircraft," Demchenko said.

The Yak-130 is a highly maneuverable single-seat combat trainer with an extended range of about 2,000 kilometers (1,250 miles) and a maximum speed of 1,060 km/h (600 mp/h) in level flight. It can carry a combat payload of up to 3,000 kg (6,600 pounds), consisting of a variety of Russian and Western developed weapons.

The Russian Air Force is planning to commission over 200 Yak-130 combat trainers.