Farnborough 2008 Show News - July 16, 2008 - (Page 48)

FA R N B O R O U G H 2 0 0 8 Russia Creates Defense Industry Behemoth is one of those few people who has Sergei Chemezov is a name the mobile phone number that Putin that not many people outside personally answers at any time—even Russia know, but he is one of in the middle of the night.” the most powerful men in the ROE is now being folded into Roscountry. He is also about to tekhnologia, and the latter continues become the central figure in to garner more and more influence. nearly all of Russia’s defense In late April, two weeks after Nabuiland major strategic industries lina’s demand, Chemezov submitted with the consolidation of the a draft decree to the government, Russian Technologies holding which, if approved, would make it company, formed just at the one of the agencies that buys weapons end of last year. for the armed forces. Several parties in the govUnder the previous system, the ernment have tried to rein in MoD would decide what weapons to Rostekhnologia, as it is called in purchase and would make its buys Russian, but to little effect. directly from defense industrial firms. Chemezov is one of former This new decree would make Russpresident-turned-prime minian Technologies a middleman— ister Vladimir Putin’s oldest granting it the buying authority for allies and confidants. The two Sergei Chemezov, one of the most powerful men in 21st-century Russia. “Chemezov is in the innermost of Putin’s inner six state-funded defense programs worth more served together in the former communist East German state—Putin as a KGB officer under circle,” said one Moscow political analyst. “He than 1 trillion rubles. —Reuben F. Johnson diplomatic cover and Chemezov as a KGB operative working as the head of the Luch Trade Association. The two lived in the same apartment building, socialized along with their wives and spent four years working together during the latter half of the 1980s. Earlier this year Economic Development and Trade Minister Elvira Nabiullina demanded to —a Moscow political analyst know why Rostekhnologia was trying to secure controlling interests in so many unconnected sectors of the economy. Specifically, she tried to block the new giant company’s move to take over several passenger airlines and 37.8% in truck-maker KamAZ. PZL Mielec is gearing up for deliveries of the continues to offer the M28 Skytruck family of The Military-Industrial Committee, led by first UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter sub-assemtwin turboprop airlifters, the M18 Dromader agrianother Putin crony, deputy pm Sergei Ivanov, blies ordered since Sikorsky acquired the Polish cultural aircraft and the M26 Iskierka, a who also is the Chairman of the Board of Rusmanufacturer last year. piston-powered trainer. sia’s United Aircraft-Building Company (OAK) Modernization work continues at PZL Mielec, created its own strategic plan to oppose with a focus on incorporating the operating Chemezov’s. This was prompted by the conprocedures of Sikorsky’s parent company, cern of the armed forces that Russian United Technologies. Technologies was going to control most of the “The workforce has embraced the challenges country’s defense industry. we’ve introduced, and we look forward to seeNeither party appears to have been very sucing the culmination of these efforts later this cessful in stopping Chemezov and is unlikely to year, when the first Black Hawk cabins roll off be in the future. When Putin came from the assembly line in Poland,” says Sikorsky St. Petersburg to work in the Presidential adminpresident Jeff Pino. istration of Boris Yeltsin, he brought Chemezov PZL Mielec is building UH-60s under the Interto work with him. Later, when the former KGB national Black Hawk program, an effort to U.S. Army 2nd Lt. Kurt Shingledecker of the man became Russia’s second president, he gave provide an economical alternative for European 101st Airborne Div. gets his bearings after leavChemezov the job of running Rosoboronexport ing a Sikorsky Black Hawk helicopter during an militaries that are considering competing heli- air assault mission near the city of Mahmudiyah (ROE), the state arms export monopoly. Each copters from Eurocopter and NH Industries. time he has moved up the ladder of power, Putin in Iraq on July 3, 2008. In addition to its Black Hawk work, PZL Mielec —U.S. Army photo by Spc. Richard Del Vecchio has brought his old secret police comrade along with him. “Chemezov is in the innermost of Putin’s inner circle. He is one of those few people who has the mobile phone number that Putin personally answers at any time—even in the middle of the night.” PZL Mielec Ramps Up Black Hawk Work 48 July 16, 2008 www.aviationweek.com/shownews http://www.aviationweek.com/shownews

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Farnborough 2008 Show News - July 16, 2008

Bombardier, Shenyang $5 Billion for Composites 787 and Seven V-22s for Export Sale? Saving Fuel at SFO Raytheon Roars Into UAVs Bell Eyes ARH-70A Costs All According to Plan We Fly the PC-12NG Russia’s T-50 PAK-FA Optimistic in Israel ICAO Sim Classifications Pratt to Power New Drone Russian Conglomerate

Farnborough 2008 Show News - July 16, 2008

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