India-Russia accelerate Multi Role Transport Aircraft Project

[Yeti]

Russia’s United Aircraft Corporation(UAC)will soon set up a technical competence center to develop critical technologies for the Indo-Russian Multi Role Transport Aircraft (MTA) project while India’s Hindustan Aeronautics Limited has established a new company, the Multi Role Transport Aircraft Limited (MTAL), as an Indo-Russian joint venture.


Speaking at the Moscow Air show (MAKS) 2011 here yesterday, UAC President Mikhail Pogosyan said the technical competence was part of UAC’s initiative to speed up technology development for new aircraft projects such as the SSJ100 and MC-21 civilian jets and the MTA tactical military transport.

These projects need new materials and composites to make them light and fuel efficient.

HAL, meanwhile has established the MTAL in Bangalore as a 50:50 joint venture between itself and UAC. The new company is yet to commence operations but has started recruitment of staff. Its CEO will be an Indian national. The aircraft’s designing and prototyping will happen in Russia while production will take place in India. MATL will be in charge of marketing the aircraft in the two countries as well as for export. The total project cost is estimated at US$600 million shared between the two countries.

The project envisages production of a 20 tonne cargo plane for both military and civilian applications with low gross take off weight and capable of landing/take off from poorly surfaced runways. It is intended to replace the AN-32s in the Indian Air Force and equip the Russian Air Force as well.

MTA would be capable of ferrying 80 troops together with infantry fighting vehicles or light tanks, artillery guns and ammunition. It will have an 800km cruising speed, similar to that of an airliner.

India-Russia accelerate Multi Role Transport Aircraft Project : Defense news

 

[angeldemon_007]

^^^
Thanx for this great news. I still don't get why IAF is not purchasing more MRTA ? IAF operates more than 100 An32 which are being upgraded but still they won't last long while they are only purchasing 45 MRTA. IAF should be increasing its fleet of transport aircraft but i don't know what their plans are. I hope they consider upgrading the whole transport fleet.


Also guys i would like to point out a common mistake in the article, common because i have seen this in a couple more articles :

The project envisages production of a 20 tonne cargo plane for both military and civilian applications with low gross take off weight and capable of landing/take off from poorly surfaced runways.

Its not a 20 tonne cargo plane. Its a 68-ton max. takeoff weight aircraft with a cargo capacity of around 20 tons, giving it similar capacity and dimensions to the Russian An-12 or the USA’s C-130J Hercules.

For specification go to this UAC page :
ÎÀÊ :: ˸òíî-òåõíè÷åñêèå õàðàêòåðèñòèêè :: ˸òíî-òåõíè÷åñêèå õàðàêòåðèñòèêè

 

[satishkumarcsc]

^^^
Thanx for this great news. I still don't get why IAF is not purchasing more MRTA ? IAF operates more than 100 An32 which are being upgraded but still they won't last long while they are only purchasing 45 MRTA. IAF should be increasing its fleet of transport aircraft but i don't know what their plans are. I hope they consider upgrading the whole transport fleet.


Also guys i would like to point out a common mistake in the article, common because i have seen this in a couple more articles :


Its not a 20 tonne cargo plane. Its a 68-ton max. takeoff weight aircraft with a cargo capacity of around 20 tons, giving it similar capacity and dimensions to the Russian An-12 or the USA’s C-130J Hercules.

For specification go to this UAC page :
ÎÀÊ :: ˸òíî-òåõíè÷åñêèå õàðàêòåðèñòèêè :: ˸òíî-òåõíè÷åñêèå õàðàêòåðèñòèêè

Well Orders are placed in batches and upgrades are added further in later batches. That is why you have the 'initial' order....

 

[Kinetic]

In 2003/04 they finalised the technical specification of the JV. For last seven years what they were doing is not difficult to imagine!!! This video is from 2003/2004...

 

[ptltejas]

Do they add AESA raddar and Electronic Suit like Rafale's spectra ststem.

 

[Yeti]

These projects need new materials and composites to make them light and fuel efficient.


Could be a good learning curve for the the aerospace industry in India

 

[MZUBAIR]

How long this will develop???

I hope some thing will come up early not like LCS TEJAS, who took 20+ years to develop and still under development.

Good moving by India

 

[jha]

Do they add AESA raddar and Electronic Suit like Rafale's spectra ststem.

Yes and Meteor BVRAAM and BRAHMOS Cruise missiles also..

 

[sancho]

I still don't get why IAF is not purchasing more MRTA ? IAF operates more than 100 An32 which are being upgraded but still they won't last long while they are only purchasing 45 MRTA.

You actually explained it in your post, because MRTA is a way bigger aircraft with a way bigger payload. A single MRTA can carry nearly carry twice the load of an AN 32 (also nearly twice the number of paratroopers), so it is not meant to be a 1 on 1 replacement, but I do think IAF will order some more later on.

In 2003/04 they finalised the technical specification of the JV. For last seven years what they were doing is not difficult to imagine!!! This video is from 2003/2004...

Since the MRTA is supposed to share design and techs of the IL 76 / 476, there isn't much to develop from the scratch. The problem seems to be the negotiations with Russia about the partnership and that took more time than fixing the specs.
For us it will be important to get at least the licence production of critical parts like the engine in India, or that we can use foreign engines and spares in our versions, to secure reliability and spare supply. Will be interesting to see how much we will be able to contribute and what changes we IAF might want.