No appearance at the Farnborough Show

Published: 6/21/2000

It seems the early speculation that the S-37 Berkut fifth-generation demonstrator would appear at this year's Farnborough Show was premature. After what is reported to be a fierce debate in the Russian Ministry of Defence between Sukhoi and the military, the aircraft will not leave Russian territory. Sukhoi were reported to be keen to see the aircraft fly at the display believing that the public exposure of the design would assist the bureau in its efforts to sell its other aircraft, most notably the Su-30. This is currently a candidate in a number of fighter competitions through the positioning of the bureau as world-class design house. The MoD were however, unconvinced, despite the fact that Mikhail Pogosyan, now General Director of ANPK Sukhoi, was responsible for the aircraft when Chief Designer at Sukhoi. The substitute for the S-37 will be the Su-32 naval reconnaissance-strike aircraft, developed as a replacement for the Su-24 and a member of the Su-27 family seen at Le Bourget 1995 and 1997. The aircraft is however, likely to prove less of a crowd-pleaser than the S-37 during its tantalising display at MAKS-99 in Moscow.

Article ID: 1866