United Aircraft to resume building updated MiG-31

United Aircraft Corporation(UAC) is considering reviving production of a modernized version of theMiG-31 fighter, UAC president and CEO Alexei Fyodorov said Friday. The program to modernize the MiG-31 is “gaining momentum,” Fyodorovsaid at the annual meeting of the Sokol (RTS: NASO) aircraft plant inNizhny Novgorod. Sokol general director Mikhail Shibayev said the plant has receiveda big order under a four-year contract and the contract is expected tobe extended by three to five years. “The plant is completely ready for serial modernization of theplanes with complete overhaul,” Shibayev said, recalling that previouslyoverhauls were carried out by Defense Ministry repair plants rather thanby the aircraft makers. Fyodorov also said that development of the MiG-35 has begun and itshould be on the market in 2009-2010. This plane is to be built atSokol. It was reported earlier that Russia would offer the MiG-35 fighterat an Indian tender. Shibayev also said that, under contracts with the MiG AircraftCorporation, the plant is making frame components and other parts forMiG-29K (KUB) jets. In addition, the plant has begun working on serialproduction of air intakes and at the start of 2007 shipped the first setfor assembly of MiG-29Ks to MiG Aircraft. Last December, the plant delivered the first batch of modernizedMiG-29UB under a contract with MiG. Also last year, the plant completed delivery of parts for themodernization of 125 MiG-21BIS for the Indian air force, Shibayev said.