MOSCOW, April 21. /ITAR-TASS/. Problems due to a possible disruption of co-operation with Ukraine will not be insurmountable for Russia’s Aircraft Corporation MiG, its Director General Sergei Korotkov  commented on reports that Ukraine’s state-owned defence industry conglomerate Ukroboronprom has announced a ban on the shipment of military and dual-use products to Russia.

“Yes, of course, MiG co-operates with Ukrainian enterprises. And I will not simplify everything - there are difficulties, but they are not insurmountable or have irresistible nature. Simply the time and money are needed,” Korotkov said.

He said that some Ukrainian enterprises manufacture products not only for Russia. “If they stop delivering some products to us, they will only make it worse for themselves,” believes the head of the MiG Aircraft Corporation. “We have alternative enterprises that can shortly reconstruct or reproduce these products.” Questions on a number of items have already been solved, and certain time is need regarding others. “The measures are being taken, of course. The state is now providing money for that. So, we see no major problems,” Korotkov said.

He explained that during the USSR period, the corresponding products had been developed in the territory of Russia. “The drawings are here, designers are here, we also have similar enterprises. So, it’s not a catastrophe,” the MiG director general stressed.

Modernisation of India’s MiG-29 fighters

Russia’s Aircraft Corporation MiG has fulfilled its obligations to deliver kits for the modernisation of India’s MiG-29 fighters into the MiG-29UGP version, MiG Director General Sergei Korotkov told reporters.

Under a contract worth $964 million  that had been signed in 2009, the Russian corporation undertook to modernise six fighters at its production sites and provide kits for the modernisation of other Indian MiG-29 planes by the local aircraft industry enterprises.

“We in 2012 and 2013 each had delivered three planes. We also delivered the technological kits that are needed for the assembly, repair and modernisation of planes of the Indian Air Force. So, we have fully met all our obligations,” Korotkov said.

According to him, the first six planes “are already at a good stage of repair and modernisation” at Indian facilities. “These works continue. A large group of the MiG corporation experts are there. They, together with our subcontractors that participate in the project, transfer these aircraft and train the Indian colleagues to assemble planes,” the Russian corporation head said.

According to him, the training of Indian pilots for the MiG-29K/KUB deck-based fighters continues. The second five of Indian pilots have started training at the Goa test range of naval aviation. “After getting the capacity certificate they will have the right to fly planes, taking off and landing on the Vikramaditya aircraft carrier,” Korotkov said.

According to him, the training of the previous group of five pilots was carried out in two stages. The first was held on a Russian training set and the second - at a recently built in India training range. The first landing of the MiG-29KUB fighter, steered by an Indian pilot, on the Vikramaditya aircraft carrier’s deck took place on February 7, 2014.

The MiG Aircraft Corporation director general told reporters about the corporation’s participation in the construction of the Indian naval aviation pilot training centre. “We designed mechanisms for this complex and we also installed them,” Korotkov said. “We’ve managed to implement such a big programme in a short time period.