Dubai. November 14th. INTERFAX - The presentation of the Checkmate aircraft in Dubai is aimed at reviving the project for the joint development of a fifth-generation light fighter with the UAE, said Yuri Slyusar, head of the United Aircraft Corporation (UAC).
"Since 2017, we have had a certain pause (in the implementation of the agreement - IF), but now the international premiere of this aircraft here in Dubai is the development of this project for a fifth-generation aircraft, in pursuance of this agreement with the UAE," Slyusar told reporters at Dubai Airshow-2021 on Sunday.
He explained that joint development with the Arab side is envisaged, which can begin with the Checkmate project.
"It's not a joint product yet, but we really hope that the joint work will continue," Slyusar said.
"We came here just to activate our negotiation process on the implementation of the agreement on the LFMS (light front-line multifunctional aircraft - IF) from 2017. We have several days of work ahead of us together with colleagues," the head of the UAC said.
In February 2017, the head of Rostec, Sergey Chemezov, announced that Russia and the United Arab Emirates would jointly develop a light fighter of the 5th generation. According to him, the aircraft can be created on the basis of the MiG-29, work will begin in 2018 and will take about 7-8 years.
The signing of an agreement with the UAE on the subject of a light front-line multifunctional aircraft of the fifth generation was also reported in the Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation (FSVTS) of Russia.
In March 2017, Ilya Tarasenko, being the CEO of the MiG Corporation, said that an improved version of the fifth-generation fighter being developed jointly with the UAE would be offered to the Russian Aerospace Forces. "We are already at the stage of developing this aircraft, and I think that in the coming years we will present this aircraft to the public," Tarasenko said.
In June of the same year, the head of Rosoboronexport, Alexander Mikheev, told Interfax that Russia and the UAE were consulting and agreeing on the technical parameters of the future aircraft.
