General Designer and recognized academician, Rostislav Apollosovich Belyakov, took over the MiG Bureau in 1970 following the death of its founder, Anushavan "Artyom" Ivanovich Mikoyan (05Aug1905-09Dec1970). This was made possible because of Mikhail Iosifovich Gurevich's (12Jan1893-12Nov1976) retirement in 1964. Belyakov was a graduate of the Moscow Aviation Institute during World War II. He received a State Prize for design excellence in 1951, and was chief designer of the MiG-23 during the 1960's. Belyakov ran the Mikoyan establishment with four Chief Designers, of which Mikhail Romanovich Waldenberg and Anatoly Andreevich Belosvet were the most known in the West, and fourteen deputy Chief Designers. A new Department of Foreign Economic Relations was formed under Leonid Borisovich Leshchiner and his immediate deputy, Yuri Petrovich Golovin, and chartered to work with all of the potential export customers. These names are mentioned because they show up regularly at the major international air shows and exhibitions.
The "Mikoyan OKB", was founded in 1939 on Leningradskiy Shassi (highway) with a series of buildings and a small factory for use in building prototypes. The OKB was at first, as the title implies, strictly an R&D facility that built prototypes. The Mikoyan flight test center is located at Zhukovskiy (called Ramenskoye, or abbreviated "RAM" by western intelligence and used in the intelligence designation of new aircraft such as "RAM-K", "RAM-J", etc.) and at Volga, on the Crimean peninsula, and other facilities on a temporary basis. There has always been the question of why did the US intell organizations recognize Ramenskoye as the name of the test facility when the Russians have always addressed it as Zhukovskiy. When the facility first opened the town of Ramenskoye was the nearest population center. There was a worker's construction camp, named Zhukovskiy, that eventually grew into a larger town and became the nearest population center and official Russian name for the facility.
The Mikoyan OKB could hand tool up no more than two prototypes at one time and usually there were strict security precautions in place. Aircraft manufacturing for flight test articles would move to two production facilities, the closest of which was the Moscow Aircraft Production Organization No. 30 (MAPO), known also as the GAZ-30 plant. The second was the Nizhny Novgorod State Aircraft Plant or the "Znamya Truda" (Banner of Labor) factory which eventually re-organized under the corporate name of Sokol.
The MAPO facility is located in Moscow proper, on Botkinski Street, at the Khodinka bus stop. It is the oldest aircraft production facility in Russia, first utilized in 1909. During 1939, it was redesigned the State Aircraft Works No. 1. Today the factory is still run under Plant Director General Anatoly Sergyevich Manuyev who reports to Mikoyan's Chief Designer Waldenberg and Russian Air Force Plant Representative Colonel Viktor Isayenko (like a DPRO in the US). Note that Lenin's glass covered and pressurized casket was built here after his death in 1924.
MAPO employed at its peak up to 30,000 people with an additional 3,000 for non-aviation related production items. It covers over 618 acres of land and has 26,909,675 square feet of usable floor space (for more see Jay Miller's book, The MiG OKB: A History of the Design Bureau and Its Aircraft, Aerofax, 1991). Production of the MiG-21, MiG-23, MiG-27, and MiG-29 aircraft were all centered at this facility. Flight certification and delivery flights are conducted from Lukhovitsy airfield, which is close by and today occasionally hosts an international air display.
Once the aircraft are in production, the OKB is responsible for designing improvements based on requests and reports from the operational units designated by the air force. The overall design process is done in close collaboration with the Ministry of Aviation Industry (MAP), its Research Institutes (such as TsAGI the aero center), and the military customer.
Flight Testing is done in three stages, "plant testing" (no military) at Zhukovskiy, "design testing" (with a mix of military pilots) at environmental facilities all over the country, and "state testing" (extensive military participation) at designated military installations where the aircraft become certified for use by the Air Forces.
During a visit to colleges and defense plants in the United States, Rostislav A. Belyakov candidly voiced his opinions on the objectives and lessons learned from the MiG-29 development program and they were published in "Some Aspects of the MiG Aircraft Development", Mikoyan Design Bureau, 1989.
Analysis of the local war combat experience and the military aircraft combat progress trends revealed the need for the development of a new tactical fighter capable of both maneuvering dogfight and beyond visual range air combat.
Conceptual studies of the MiG-29 were performed in joint efforts with the Air Force, TsAGI, and other institutes. For the first time in Soviet aviation an aircraft's general layout was based on a so called integral configuration with all of the aero-elements creating lift.
The aircraft was designed with slight positive longitudinal stability, rather low wing loading, and high thrust-to-weight ratio. The aircraft wing had 3-D deformation and high-lift devices in the form of programmable leading and trailing edge flaps.
Austere airfield operations on natural ground was included along with the traditional airfield methods by means of main intakes closing during taxi, takeoff, and landing roll. Engine air in these operational modes is supplied through the upper part of the inlets.
Engine designers developed for the aircraft the RD-33 high performance turbofan with maximum thrust at 8300 kg (18,300 lbs). Composite materials were utilized to some extent in the airframe structure. The airframe manufacturing breakdown was oriented to the needs of mass-production manufacturing. It is constructed with a wide use of parts produced by numerically-controlled machines, structural modularization, and intensive use of automatic beam welding.
The aircraft is equipped with an integrated fire-control system comprising of three mutually supported subsystems namely radar, electro-optical, and optical sets. As a result, the aircraft is capable of launching air-to-air missiles with homing heads of different types. Special attention has been given to the reliability and maintainability of the aircraft, equipment, and weapons.
The MiG-29 represents a major new step in fighter aviation achieved through the proper layout of power plant and equipment, considerable expanding of the built-in-test, and in the future, the total elimination of any ground-test equipment during the quick turn around of the aircraft.
The MiG-29 was the first Soviet fighter to participate in international air shows and exhibitions since 1988 (England, France, Canada, etc.). The MiG-29 has substantial growth potential and we are naturally working on this.
Mikoyan's Move into the Future:
The Mikoyan Bureau was slowly "downsizing" into dormancy (not death) since the fall of Communism, but spurts of business, small national R&D stipends and the merging with MAPO, its key production facility, and the KAMOV helicopter design bureau, have assured its survival into the 21st century. The proper term for this association of a new Military Industrial Group (MIG) was MIG-MAPO, using the capital "I" in MIG. As you can see this immediately conflicted with the time-honored "MiG" designation for the original Mikoyan-Guryevich name. Hence the proper new term for this "joint stock" corporate structure is MIG-MAPO, but with respect to tradition the MAPO-MiG designation is used. The main output of the MIG-MAPO organization will be the family of MiG-29 Fighters and Kamov Helicopters, but small aircraft projects are also under work as well as upgrade programs.
This new strategy of "joint venture" in the Russian aerospace industry was explained in the Oct 95 Interavia Magazine as an attempt to reorganize around holding companies consisting of financial institutions, industrial firms, and commercial aviation entities. It would focus attention on capitalizing international markets, securing government financial guarantees and fiscal incentives, revamping export legal regulations, and creating a flexible sales organization capable of competing with the West. These joint-stock holding companies were expected to eventually evolve into multinational corporations.
The Mikoyan solution focused on Aircraft Production Plant 30. The main production building is huge, well lighted assembly facility where aircraft are built-up on separate moveable cradle-stands (JDW, 15Apr89, pg.655). The sequence of MiG-29 production/assembly is fuselage skeleton, wings & tail sections, internal electronic systems, and then skin & panels. There is no evidence of automated production technologies, even after the restart effort was initiated for Malaysia.
In all, the new MAPO-MiG organization undertook urgent measures to cut down unprofitable subdivisions, ceased marketing activities in areas where there was a limited possibility for sales, removed duplication in the design and production facilities, reviewed the attitude towards cooperation and communication between venders and enterprises, and brought together financial resources to work with potential customers. The present goal of MIG-MAPO corporation is to create an optimal "closed production cycle" that will produce all of the necessary components involved with over 300 enterprises that are involved in the production of all their air vehicles.
To survive in the future, MIG-MAPO must continue to support the further development of advanced fighters. Recently, when Sukhoi overturned a Mikoyan victory in Indonesia with the more capable Su-30 over the MiG-29SE, it became clear that competition would not just be external to Russia, but also from within. So in effect, the stops are off and the race is on because survival dictates it. The entire "conversion" effort of the Russian defense industry has failed, and the one thing that has been learned is that the only thing they are good at is the production of weaponry. The formula for survival that started with "privatization" and then downsizing (rationalization) with "merger" was only partly right. The point missed was that it was directed at re-newed military production.
MAPO has also made several attempts at foreign joint ventures focused on the support of export aircraft while utilizing investments to stockpile aviation parts and spares at the idle Mikoyan warehouses for world wide shipment, repair, and sale. Rostislav Belyakov mentioned in 1992, that the building surplus of airframes and engines stored in and around the GAZ-30 factory (over $2 billion in resources at $20 million each) could begin this inventory. But in 1995 the plant itself was virtually idle except for the one, hand-worked production line for Malaysia. Despite all of this, the MAPO strategy is to continue Russian military production. They will attempt to continue the MiG-31 product improvement line, market the MiG-29 in any of many possible configurations, generate sales of the MiG-21-93 upgrade kit, win the Russian Air Force jet trainer competition with their MiG-AT candidate, develop a light commercial transport, and secure development money for advanced prototypes.
Mikoyan's First Deputy General Designer, Anatoly Belosvet, carries the lead on what is said to be Russia's "first stealthy combat aircraft", the Model 1.42 "ATF'ski", which is characterized as a "multi-functional front-line fighter" (mnogufunktsionalnny fronlovoi istrebitel ). Belosvet has been assuring the western press that it would make its first flight "very soon" for the past three years. The 1.42 prototype is being made of radar absorbent materials (RAM) and serves, according to Belosvet, "as the golden compromise between aerodynamics and stealth". The 1.42 is considered to be the ultimate replacement for both the MiG-29 and Su-27's in the VVS. Many problems have been encountered, the least of which was continual funding cuts. The Model 1.42 is the high speed taxi prototype and the 1.44 is considered to be the first flying example. Both were to be presented to the public by President Yeltsin at the Moscow MAKS Air Show in 1995. Yeltsin's failure to arrive at the ceremony has kept it under wraps.
Belyakov however, appears to have brought much of the bad luck upon Mikoyan. First he backed the coup against Yeltsin, and then, he simply became too depended upon his friends in Moscow's local political circles and in the Russian Air Force (VVS) to secure military contracts for continued work at his bureau, even though the VVS was not looking for more frontal aviation fighters. In 1988, all design bureaus changed over to State controlled budgeting and lost their "unlimited funding" status. Belyakov retired in bad health during 1995 and was replaced by the new General Director Vladimir Kuzmin, who was the General Manager of the MAPO production facility. Anatoly Belosvet, who is also getting on in years and requires constant care, still maintains a considerable amount of influence on what goes on.
Kuzmin was born in October 1937, and as a young adult graduated the Tomsk Military AA Artillery School and the Moscow Aviation Institute. In 1959, he began working at MAPO as an Assistant Foreman. In 1987, he was appointed Deputy Director for Production, and became the General Director of MAPO in 1991. Vladimir has been the driving force behind the MAPO-MiG merger and transformation. Under him, the MAPO-MiG line-up goes: The Deputy General Director / Commercial Director is Aleksandr Nikiforovich Bezrukov, subsidiary head (Director of Likhovitsky Machine Building Plant) is Vladimir Ivanovich Nungezer, First Deputy General Director / Chief Engineer is Victor Mikhailovich Puzanov, Advisor to the General Director on International Marketing & General Representative in Germany is Valeri Vasiljovich Lioultchev, the Advisor to the General Director and Director of Strategic Analysis Services is Aleksandr Ivanovich Ageev, Deputy General Director for Production is Grigory Mikhalovich Nemov, the Technical Director is Ivan Ivanovich Butjko, and the Deputy General Director for Human Resources & Staff is Vjacheslav Michalovich Vinogradov.
As a comparison, Sukhoi's chairman Simonov, developed a style of first helping the generals find major funding pots in the State budget at the highest levels of Yeltsin's government, then in return, they would offer the R&D/production contracts to his corporation. Knowing that high inflation eats away at the ruble faster than people or industry can adjust, Simonov traded sport aircraft for used Toyotas. Then he used the appreciating Toyotas to trade for goods and services while continuing the work force salaries on the weakening rubles. This eliminated any new-product tax losses. Any dollars that were received were carefully banked in the West and the interest used. Therefore, Sukhoi has been "adapting" to the new world faster than Mikoyan.
There is another advanced design project at Mikoyan that is called Type 701, that was earmarked to be a replacement for the MiG-31 family of strategic interceptors and "mother-ships". Characterized as a "long-rangemulti-role interceptor" (mnogofunkstsionalniy dalniy perevkhvatchik), it was to be a dual-seat, big and fast tail-less delta-wing aircraft reaching into possible Supersonic Transport (SST) technology with commercial spin offs. But like everything else, it could never obtain the funding to get off the ground (beat inflation). Belyakov's political clout kept it from going completely "dead", although it will stay "very dormant" until adequate funding shows up.
At the Nizhny Novgorod facility, the Mikoyan Design Bureau celebrated its 60th birthday in 1992, as a center of aircraft production. But remember, this facility is still its own company, not associated with the MAPO-MiG merger. The plant is still producing, under contract, one MiG-31 "Foxhound" per month. The "Foxhound" is a long range interceptor/mother-ship. The plant has also been tooling up, at their won expense, for a couple of new MiG-31 variants that will service specific Air Defense Command requirements and the manned anti-satellite mission. Seven prototypes of the advanced MiG-31M have already been produced which offer an improved weapon system and integrated countermeasures system. Production of the MiG-29 has been suspended here, but refurbishment's and kit modifications are done continuously in small quantities. Nizhny Novgorod also is the production-modification facility for the MiG-21-93 upgrade program. Plant managers say they could pick up additional MiG-29 export orders if needed, since the assembly line still stands. The plant's commercial conversion efforts focus on building gliders and motorboats as well as furniture, ski poles, pots and pans.
In 1995, Klimov developed two advanced thrust-vector-control (TVC) engine designs for use with the MiG-29M, the RD-133 and the RD-333. This became very important after the Su-27 evolved to the Su-35 and then on to the vectored-thrust Su-37 and was successfully displayed in Moscow and at Farnborough. The RD-133 is based on the RD-33 fitted with axis symmetric nozzles while the RD-333 is a new fifth-generation engine. Flight testing with the MiG-29"M" (MiG-33) was to begin in late 1997 with the RD-133 as a flight demonstration program. The RD-333 would require R&D money which has yet to be forthcoming. The Sukhoi TVC program was in part funded by the additional purchase of Su-27's by the PRC. The new MiG-29"M" derivative will be called the MiG-35. Rumors are that this aircraft will be previewed at the Moscow Air Show (MAKS-97).
The RD-133 is a 18,600 lbs (8440 kg / 81.8 kN) thrust class engine in afterburner (wet/reheat). The present uprated MiG-29M RD-33 engine gives 19,392 lbs (8800 kg / 86.3 kN) of thrust. The RD-333 is intended to be of the 22,000 lbs (10,000 kg / 98 kN) thrust class and could be ready for ground tests in three years. Both engines are expected to have design lives of 2,000 hours (Flight International, 10-16Jul96, pg 16). Unlike the Su-35's AL-37FU engines, the RD-133 operates in both horizontal and vertical planes.
The thrust-vectored engine program for the MiG-35 is being financed in part by the VPK-MAPO joint stock defense industrial consortium that Klimov is a member of. It now has priority over the basic MiG-29"M" program and will seek export customers. The MiG-35 is also expected to be heavier than the MiG-33 but will have performance similar to the Su-37. It is slated to be configured with the Zhuk-PH electronically scanned radar that can detect up to 24 targets and engage eight simultaneously matching the eight stations that can carry AA-12 (R-77 "Adder") missiles. The RD-133's will be shifted 920 mm to the rear of the aircraft (Jane's 05Jun96, pg 3), which will allow for 1500 kg (3300 lbs) of additional fuel. This is expected to double the 1430 km range attributed to the Malaysian MiG-29S.
The MiG-35 is also expected to have a longer wing, derived from the Naval MiG-29"K" (MiG-33) variant and has design options centered around canards and/or a refurbished leading edge wing extension. The MiG-35 could help Mikoyan get back on track if export customers are available and Iran can be expected to be one of the most sought after.
Mikoyan engineers estimated that by the end of 1992, the aerospace potential in Russia was only utilized to 60% of its capacity, in 1993 it is less than 15%, today less than 5%. But despite this, there are still over 100 prototypes of fighters, fighter-bombers, transports, helicopters, etc., all scrounging for precious development dollars from the State or any interested country. In this environment, MAPO's fate is far less certain than that of the more productive Sukhoi.
There were many Mikoyan commercial spin-off attempts. During the 1994 Farnborough Air Show, Mikoyan announced the formation of a joint company with the Singapore based Agio Countertrade Company that resulted in the MiG-Agio Ltd. which will be registered in Singapore. Company objectives surround research and development, aircraft upgrade kits, and product support activities. One of its first projects appears to be the field upgrade of basic MiG-29's delivered to customers. Kits would include a new export version of the Zhuk radar for the MiG-29, an advanced IRST, Suppression of Enemy Air Defenses (SEAD) capability, satellite navigation, and western style instrumentation (Armada Magazine, Jun94, pg. 24).
In its marketing brochures, MIG-MAPO is characterized as a highly experienced and qualified aircraft manufacturing center that has produced over 40 types of high performance combat and civilian aircraft for over 70 years. Facilities include several aircraft production plants that are united under the Mikoyan name. MAPO has extensive laboratories and research support organizations to introduced the very latest in new materials and high tech processes with close links to the state research institutes and experimental centers. MAPO's export history, as Mikoyan, started in 1950, and is supported by continued demands from foreign customers for spares, retrofits, and new aircraft.
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