Interview with Ruslan Pukhov
Ruslan Pukhov, a military analyst based in Moscow, joined Russia Today in Zhukovsky at MAKS-2007 air show to discuss the commercial outcome of the show and the prospects of Russian aircraft-building industry.
Russia Today: How successful is MAKS-2007?
Ruslan Pukhov: In general, there are two types of air shows in the world. The first is located closer to the client, for example in Dubai or in India. The second is the international trade fair with a long history like Farnborough or Le Bourget. It was not the case of Russia. We were neither the first kind nor the second due to various reasons. Now we are progressing. First of all, Russia has become a huge market for commercial aircraft, for business jets. One can see all the representatives of business jets here: Dassault, Challenger, etc. There are all present here. They sell their business jets to rich Russian entrepreneurs. As for the commercial aviation Boeing and Airbus struck deals with Aeroflot couple of months ago for several billion U.S. dollars. That's why it has become a little bit like a show as far as the non-combat aviation is concerned.
As for the international trade show we probably tend to become such a show in the near future but not now. That's why the number of contracts for the export of Russian aviation equipment is rather limited. Our commercial aviation was in a coma even 3-4 years ago. It started to revive recently with couple of projects like Sukhoi Super Jet 100 and other ones. The situation has become much better. We can definitely say that the glasses are full.
RT: What brings foreigners to MAKS? Are they here to sell or to buy?
R.P.: There are those who come definitely to sell. All the major brands: Boeing, Airbus, Bombardier. Embraer are present here. There are others like Chilean delegation, Sri Lanka delegation who come to buy but they are not visible very much, the do not have stands. The Iranians are the only ones who are buying and have a stand.
There is a third category of participants who have come to strike industrial co-operation participation agreements with Russia. For example, there is a very successful Russian-Indian JV in production of the supersonic cruise missiles Brahma. Further ones are expected.
RT: There are relatively few deals made on this show on the sale of Russian combat aircraft. Why?
R.P.: We sell two types of aircraft: heavy ones, Su-30 family which Indonesians have just bought and light ones, MiG 29 to 35. As for the heavy aircraft there are some strategic goals because our major clients, India, China are full of these aircraft and even purchased licenses for assembly. This aircraft is relatively expensive for other countries. Countries like Vietnam or Indonesia would like to buy but they purchase by small portions. Indonesia has bought six planes. Everyone was hoping it will buy eight but there is a big difference between six and eight as far as the price for this market is concerned.
As for the light aircraft we recently heard about the contract for four aircraft for Sri Lanka. There are the contracts for modernization with Poland, Bulgaria and Kazakhstan. Big purchases from several clients in South-East Asia are also expected. I do not want to disclose the countries before the deals are signed.
