Russian Aviation Looks to JV

The Russian government will soon begin creating a single merged business entity in the aircraft construction field, according to the Department of Government Information. Government representatives have been in regular contact on the matter with the National Reserve Bank and the Irkut, Kaskol and Yakovlev companies. Alfa-Group and a number of other firms also have indicated strong interest.

Deputy Prime Minister Boris Aleshin said there was every reason to expect that 2004 would see the actual launching of this 'aerospace equipment' corporation to produce air and space avionics. 'We've had a very restricted view of the possibilities of Russian avionics,' Aleshin said. 'But recent joint projects-construction of MiGs for India, the equipping of Sukhoi planes-have given us reason to think differently.'