ZHUKOVSKY, July 19. /TASS/. Russia’s new Soyuz-5 carrier rocket with an enlarged Fregat booster and a 5-tonne nose fairing will be able to fully replace Proton carriers, Lavochkin Research and Production Association CEO Sergei Lemeshevksy said at the MAKS-2017 international airshow on Wednesday.

"We presume that we’ll have a nose fairing of 4,100 [4.1 meters] for the 14-tonne version [the Soyuz-5 carrier rocket with the lift capacity of 14 tonnes to the near-Earth orbit] and if the lift capacity is increased to 17 tonnes, then a five-meter nose fairing is needed. With this rocket and such a booster, we’ll be able to replace Protons, delivering 3,800 kg into the geostationary orbit and 6,800 kg into the geostationary transfer orbit. The Soyuz-5 with such a booster will clearly replace the Proton’s capabilities," the chief executive said.

This will be achieved by installing a heavier Fregat acceleration unit on the Soyuz-5 carrier rocket, he said.

"For the Soyuz-5, we have proposals on the heavier Fregat variant. This will solve all the tasks for a medium-class rocket. We have formulated these proposals and understand how to do this. This actually won’t require any major adjustments as this can be done through the use of cylindrical inserts in [fuel] tanks," Lemeshevsky explained.