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Born-Again |
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MiG-29UPG Takes to the Sky
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By Prasun K. Sengupta |
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The first of 63 Indian Air Force (IAF) MiG-29B-12s to be upgraded by United Aircraft Corp of Russia’s RAC-MiG subsidiary took to the skies in its new avatar on February 4 at the Gromov Flight-Test Centre on the outskirts of Moscow. It may be recalled that the USD 964 million contract for upgrading the MiG-29B-12s was inked on 7 March, 2008 between India’s ministry of defence (MoD) and Russia’s Rosoboronexport State Corp. In addition, a contract worth USD 250 million was inked for procuring the Klimov RD-33-3 turbofans. The upgraded multi-role combat aircraft (MRCA), to be known as MiG-29UPG, will each be powered by twin 81.4kN RD-33-3 turbofans equipped with BARK-88 full authority digital engine controls and KSU-941UB fuel-flow control system, Phazotron JSC’s Zhuk-MFE X-band monopulse multi-mode radar (MMR), Urals Optical Mechanical Plant-built KOLS infra-red search-and-track sensor, Sh-3UM-1 helmet-mounted integrated targeting system, four active-matrix liquid crystal displays supplied by Thales of France, HOTAS controls, Zvezda JSC’s K-36D-3.5 ejection seat, and MNPK Avionika’s BLP-3.5-2 ejection sequencing modules for preventing ejection seat collisions during a simultaneous ejection from a MiG-29UB, BTsVM-90/BTsVM-486-2 mission computer, BKTsO digital signals processor, L-150NU passive guiding missiles station, an internal EW system built by Bharat Electronics Ltd (BEL), SVR video recording system, KARAT-B flight data recorder, BINS-SP ring laser gyro-based navigation system coupled with a GPS receiver, A-053 radio-altimeter, and a MS-2 voice warning system.
While RAC-MiG is responsible for final assembly of the first six MiG-29UPGs, the Federal Scientific Production Centre Ramenskoye Instrument Building Design Bureau (RPKB) and GosNIIAS are prime systems integrators for the MIL-STD-1553B digital databus-based PrNK-29UPG open-architecture navigation-and-attack avionics suite.
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RPKB is also supplying the IDK-42 health and usage monitoring system, ShKAl wide-angle monochrome HUD and 6-inch by 8-inch MFI-10-7 active matrix liquid crystal displays. MNPK Avionika and the Elara JSC have co-developed the KSU-941 quadruplex digital fly-by-wire flight control system as well as the BARK full-authority digital electronic control system for the RD-33-3s. The BEL-built radar warning receiver will be the Tarang Mk3, while the BEL-built internal EW suite (developed by the DRDO’s Bengaluru-based Defence Avionics Research Establishment) will incorporate Elettronica of Italy’s Virgilius family of directional jammers, which make use of active phased-array transmitters for jamming hostile low-band (E-G) and high-band (G-J) emitters. The two-way airborne data-links are being supplied by the MoD-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL), which, among other systems, will also be supplying the RAM-1701AS radio altimeter, TACAN-2901AJ and DME-2950A tactical air navigation system combined with the ANS-1100A VOL/ILS marker, CIT-4000A Mk12 IFF transponder, COM-1150A UHF standby comms radio, UHF SATCOM transceiver, and the SDR-2010 SoftNET four-channel software-defined radio (working in VHF/UHF and L-band for voice and data communications), all of which have been developed in-house by the Hyderabad-based Strategic Electronics R&D Centre of HAL. The Zhuk-MFE MMR can detect airborne targets put to 150km, start tracking 10 targets out to 130km, and can engage four of them simultaneously. The MMR also performs ground mapping and moving target location functions, offering a resolution of 5 metres. Vympel JSC is supplying the chaff/flare dispensers and their 50mm cartridges. |
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MAY 2012
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