The Generation 4+ MiG-29M2 multirole fighter shown by the MiG corporation proved to be the headturner of the KADEX 2012 armament show in the Kazakh capital city of Astana in early May 2012. The fighter’s appearance became the key event for sure. The MiG-29M2’s display in Kazakhstan was the plane’s international debut, because it entered its trials in late last year only.

MiG Director General Sergei Korotkov said: “This is an utterly different aircraft that has just inherited the designation MiG-29 from the fighter that used to be made during the Soviet times. It is a far cry from the regular MiG-29 in terms of the capabilities and missions the Air Forces needs to be accomplished. The MiG-29M2 embodies all latest aerodynamic and technological advances, carries a radically different avionics suit, and can use all types of air-launched weapons existing in Russia, with its design allowing the introduction of weapons, whose deliveries have not even begun yet. This is owing to the open architecture of its avionics suite”.

The first MiG-29K/KUB multirole carrierborne fighter air squadron was activated by the Indian Navy in a ceremony at INS Hansa in Goa state, on the western coast of India, on 11 May 2013. The Indian Navy unit – INAS 303 Black Panthers – is the first one to have been fielded with 16 aircraft of the type – 12 MiG-29K singleseaters and four MiG-29KUB twinseaters delivered by Russia’s MiG corporation during 2009–11 under the contract made in 2004. 303 Sqn shall become the first unit of the Indian Navy’s air branch to be stationed on board the Vikramaditya aircraft carrier (modernised former Admiral Gorshkov heavy through-deck cruiser) slated for commissioning by the Indian Navy late this year. The ceremony at the Hansa naval air station, which was timed to the 60th anniversary of the Indian naval aviation, was attended by Indian Defence Minister A.K. Antony, Chief of the Naval Staff Adm. D.K. Joshi, diplomats with the Russian embassy to India, MiG Director General Sergei Korotkov, etc.

Late in March, the Russian Helicopters holding company reported the delivery to a Brazilian customer its first Kamov Ka-32A11BC multipurpose medium transport helicopter, stressing that the delivery was “right on schedule under the contract signed in December 2010”. The customer is the Helipark helicopter centre situated near Sao Paulo, and the actual operator will be the Helicargo company being set up under its auspices for special cargo operations.

According to Helicargo’s official website (helicargo.com.br), the company’s four-pilot and six-maintainer group had been trained in operating and maintaining the Ka-32A11BC at Kamov and Kumertau Aircraft Production Enterprise from 16 January to late March 2012, and the machine registered as PR-HCG was brought to Brazil in April.

The helicopters of the Mi-8/17 family remain a true bestseller on the global and domestic markets. Last year, about two-thirds of the deliveries of Russian-made helicopters fell on them, with customers receiving over 170 machines of the type. They are in production with two of the subsidiaries of the Russian Helicopters holding company. Kazan Helicopters makes the Mi-8MTV-1 transport and passenger versions, which export designation is Mi-17-1V, and the Mi-8MTV-5 (Mi-17V-5) troop carrier in various variants. The Ulan-Ude Aviation Plant is the manufacturer of the Mi-8AMT and Mi-171 transports (export designation – Mi-171E) as well as Mi-8AMTSh troop carrier (export designation – Mi-171Sh).

According to UEC General Designer Alexander Ivakh speaking at the Engines 2012 salon in April, about 70 engines of the RD-33 family were made in Russia last year. Their production is run now by the Chernyshev Mashine-Building Enterprise in Moscow. Previously, the RD-33 Series 2 had been in production with the Baranov OMO  enterprise in Omsk (at present, an affiliate of the Salut Gas Turbine Research and Production Centre), but the fact that customers order now RD-33 Series 3 and RD-33MK engines only has left Omsk-based plant with repairing and overhauling Baranov-made engines, while the production of new engines has moved to Moscow.