Russia To Buy New A-50U AWACS, Tu-214ON Aircrafts Worth $2.5 Billion

The United Aircraft Corporation has signed $2.5 billion contract at the MAKS 2013 show for the servicing of aircraft, avionics and related equipment, the UAC said in a press release.

UAC president Mikhail Pogosyan said the corporation’s current portfolio of orders for the Russian Defense Ministry was for over 300 planes while the total volume of orders as part of the state arms procurement program would be about 600 aircraft.

Under a separate deal, Russia will receive three modernized A-50U AWACS aircraft this year, Vartan Shakhgedanov, deputy general designer at the Vega concern that produces the planes was quoted by RIA Novosti.

A contract for a fourth plane is expected to be signed shortly, he added.

Shakhgedanov also said Russia would receive the first of the two advanced Tu-214ON planes equipped for the Open Skies international program, at the MAKS airshow.

The contract for the two aircraft is worth $150 million, he added.

Russia currently uses four An-30 aircraft and one Tu-154MLK-1 under the Open Skies Agreement.

Russia’s state-run arms exporter Rosoboronexport and the Sukhoi Civil Aircraft Corporation have signed a contract for the delivery of a VIP version of a Superjet-100, to be delivered before the end of the current year.

The 19-seat plane will be used to facilitate Russia’s military collaboration with other countries.