Plant looks for further Su-24 business (230 words)

Published: 10/4/2000

The governor of the Novosibirsk region, Viktor Tolokonsky, is seeking greater state financial support for aircraft producer NAPO. The move comes after recent comments by AVPK Sukhoi, which the plant is affiliated to; that they think the price of their slow selling civilian An-38 produced at NAPO is too high for its primary customer the Russian regional carrier. Adding that if it is going to have any kind of success its price should be cut from its present $4m to $3m. The cuts in input costs being achieved primarily by dropping the aircraft's US engines The plant envisages any state support for the plant coming in the form of further orders to upgrade parts of the Russian Air Force's 300 plus fleet of Su-24s. A meeting between Tolokonsky and Deputy Prime Minister Klebanov is August is already credited with getting an order for the repair of 10 aircraft. Further meetings are planned between Tolokonsky, local MP and former employee of Novosibirsk based airline Sibir, Galina Strelchenko, government and Ministry of Defence officials to discuss rge awarding of future contracts.

Article ID: 2108