28 January 2004 14:42
Ukrainian firm offers upgrades for fighter-jet radars
Fazotron-Ukrayina, a Ukrainian-Russian joint venture, develops radar parts used in upgrading the avionics of fighter
jets, the company's head, Serhiy Humennyy has said in an interview with a web site. The company also developed
parts for missile target seekers, ship and meteorology radars, Russian Zhuk-M radars, and also assisted China in
upgrading its radar equipment, Humennyy said. He also praised cooperation with the Russian corporation Fazotron-NIIR,
which owns a 51-per-cent stake in Fazotron-Ukrayina. Humennyy said Ukraine would be able to make airborne radars on its
own in five years. The following is the text of the interview Humennyy gave to journalist Mykola Siruk, posted on the
Ukrainian Defense-Express web site on 20 January; subheadings have been inserted editorially:
Against a background of the Ukrainian defence industry's recovery, the experience of the Ukrainian-Russian
closed joint-stock company Fazotron-Ukrayina, which specializes in developing and manufacturing microwave devices for
aircraft radars, may prove helpful to a lot of enterprises. The Russian Fazotron-NIIR corporation, an open joint-stock
company, owns a 51-per-cent stake in the Fazotron-Ukrayina closed joint-stock company. The remaining 49-per-cent stake
is owned by the State Property Fund of Ukraine. The director-general of the Ukrainian-Russian Fazotron-Ukrayina closed
joint-stock company, Serhiy Humennyy, said in an interview with Defense-Express that companies similar to
Fazotron-Ukrayina were a good form of collaboration between states. The enterprise was prepared to upgrade the avionics
of the Ukrainian MiG-29 and Su-27 fighters, thus bringing the aircraft to the level of "four plus", he said.
In addition, Fazotron-Ukrayina is working on technologies to develop avionics for a fifth-generation fighter.
Ties with Russian companies
[Siruk] How has your enterprise managed to survive after the collapse of the USSR? Do you have any recipes?
[Humennyy] True, ties were severed following the collapse of the Soviet Union. However, our colleagues in Russia, the
Fazotron-NIIR corporation, who were familiar with our specialization and skill at developing and manufacturing low-noise
airborne solid-state devices and units, decided to set up a joint venture. This project was implemented in 1998. At the
same time, we knowingly handed a 51-per-cent stake over to the Russian corporation as a main customer of units and
devices made by our enterprise. I think cooperation with the Fazotron-NIIR corporation is based on the fact that our
products perform better than those made by our competitors from [Russian cities] Saratov and Tomsk. In addition, our
labour intensity is lower, and we manufacture all products using the most up-to-date components. We are the only
Ukrainian company which develops new units and sections to replace radar avionics in the MiG-29 and Su-27 aircraft.
[Siruk] After Fazotron-Ukrayina was set up, which of its developments are you proud of?
[Humennyy] Since 1998 we have developed a number of highly stable, low-noise frequency synthesizers to be utilized as
master and local oscillators in airborne radar sets and weather radars. In addition, a number of highly sensitive
airborne receivers were developed. The new characteristics of microwave devices made it possible to obtain
high-precision air-traffic and weather data.
The new oscillator and receiver are utilized in the Kontur weather radar manufactured by the Kontur-NIIRS limited
partnership in St Petersburg. We want to continue developing this product by combining it with a solid-state transmitter
for weather radars, which could be used in Ukraine. Apart from a high durability of up to 10,000-20,000 hours, such a
weather radar helps to see dangerous meteorological formations shrouded by close clouds from a distance of up to 250-300
km.
In accordance with orders placed by the Fazotron-NIIR corporation, we further upgrade aircraft avionics.
In addition, a number of tasks relating to the development of amplifying and receiving devices have already been
completed for China.
It should be noted that we are developing new units for the Zhuk-M radar which is being created by Fazotron-NIIR. I
mean generating and amplifying units. We meet all requirements with regard to performance, weight and overall dimensions
as well as price. The new radar can track and, using existing and new missiles, hit several air and land targets. It can
also operate under any weather conditions and produce maps of terrain.
Upgrading Ukrainian fighter jet, ship radars
[Siruk] Does the Ukrainian Defence Ministry need products made by your enterprise? Are your products utilized to
upgrade a fleet of Ukrainian combat aircraft?
[Humennyy] The service life of virtually all microwave units of airborne radars, which were installed in the
aircraft, has expired. We are now serially producing the UM522001 low-noise amplifying unit developed by us, which is
part of the H019-09 receiver of the MiG-29 aircraft and the H019-09A receiver of the Su-27. The new receiver
successfully passed flight tests. For H001-22A units of the H019 and H001 radars, a crystal oscillator with higher
frequency stability than its serial analogue is being developed.
Therefore, products developed by us make it possible to upgrade radar-based aiming systems, in particular to replace
a master oscillator and a receiving device with the devices we make, which perform better. Replacing receivers of the
MiG-29 and Su-27 with lower-noise devices made it possible to extend the radar's detection range by 15-20 per cent.
Ukrainian aircraft repair works order receivers from us so as to repair MiG aircraft of different modifications. The
[Odessa-based] Odessaviaremservis [aircraft repair works] ordered a receiver for the MiG-21 aircraft. The Lviv state
aircraft repair works and the Zaporizhzhya-based Mig-Remont [aircraft repair works] also use receivers made by us to
repair the MiG-29 and Su-27. In addition, we can offer an upgrade of a receiving path of the R-27 missile's target
seeker.
[Siruk] How much would such an upgrade cost the Defence Ministry?
[Humennyy] Unfortunately, the issue of funding an upgrade of the fleet of the Ukrainian air force's combat
aviation is yet to be solved, although a decision to install the Zhuk-M airborne radar has already been taken. A new set
of radars will cost from 1.2m dollars to 1.5m dollars. On the other hand, if the upgrade is carried out in cooperation
with the Fazotron-NIIR corporation, the work may cost 600,000-700,000 dollars. If this money is not found, we could
replace receiver-transmitter units on our own, without Fazotron-NIIR. In this case the replacement would cost
50,000-70,000 dollars. Besides, a few additional units and sections made in Ukraine or Russia could be installed. This
helps extend the airborne radar's life by 10-15 years, and the radar itself is upgraded to level "four
plus", which is comparable to the level of performance of the Zhuk-M airborne radar. At the same time, reliability
of the radar's performance increases, and it becomes possible to use air-to-air missiles of the R-77 type. Such an
upgrade will cost 250,000-300,000 dollars.
[Siruk] Are Fazotron-Ukrayina's products and know-how used in other sectors of the economy?
[Humennyy] Our enterprise takes part in the creation of radars to assess navigation conditions and help direct the
steering of vessels. In particular, a highly sensitive receiver, which we developed, is part of the Burevisnyk-1 radar.
It was the first time when a digital automatic-frequency control [system] for the work with a magnetron transmitter was
applied, which enabled the radar to "see" small objects against a backdrop of seas with wave force ranging
from three to four [points]. For the Ukrainian state-owned enterprise Delta-Lotsman we have been developing a
receiver-transmitter module of the navigation radar used in directing the steering of vessels in shallow firths and when
calling at a port. Ukraine's Border Troops are planning to use the radars we help to develop in their coastguard
vessels and systems.
Latest research
[Siruk] Will Fazotron-Ukrayina take part in the development of an airborne radar which includes an active phased
aerial array? Not only the USA but also the Tikhomirov Institute in Russia are active in doing similar work.
[Humennyy] We are aware that American companies have been actively preparing for serial production of the AN/APG-77
airborne radar for the P-22 [as published, apparently F-22] fighter. Fazotron-Ukrayina also undertakes to develop a
receiver-transmitter module of the active phased aerial array (APAA). The Fazotron-NIIR corporation gave us this task. I
believe that shortly Fazotron-Ukrayina in cooperation with the Ukrainian open joint-stock company Saturn will offer its
customers an APAA module, which will be as good as the Russian one. We keep our developments at a high scientific level
and make use of the latest achievements in [developing] our products. Naturally, we have our own know-how. We know how
to make the master oscillator as quiet as possible and the radar's receiver as sensitive as possible. Also, we know
how to protect high parameters under rough mechanical and climatic conditions.
[Siruk] Can Ukrainian enterprises independently make an airborne radar? If so, when can this be accomplished?
[Humennyy] I think in five years Ukraine will have its own airborne radar-based aiming system. This task can be set
within the framework of upgrading Ukraine's air force, probably in cooperation with the Fazotron-NIIR
corporation.
[Siruk] If a corporation is set up in Ukraine to unite developers and manufacturers, will Fazotron-Ukrayina join
it?
[Humennyy] First, we will look at this union, assess it and only then make a decision. I want to note that
enterprises of the Ukrainian and Russian defence industries should not compete but closely cooperate to prevent other
countries from taking over a segment relating to the upgrading of the Soviet-made equipment. Of course, together we
should actively promote our new products on other countries' markets.
[Defense-Express web site] |
RUSSIA IN FACTS
