66 // AUGUST 2018 #365 http://www.airforcesmonthly.comThis year, the exhibition – run biennially
since 2010 and organised by the Kazakh
Ministry of Defence (MoD) and Kazakhstan
Aviation Industry (KAI) – attracted delegations
from 40 countries, 108 heads of foreign
companies and some 3,000 representatives
from the military diplomatic corps.
National and international exhibitors were
present in ten pavilions and, in addition
to domestic industry, the most prominent
players were China, Russia and Turkey,
with an entire hall dedicated to each.More Flankers
One of the event’s main announcements
was the sale of another batch of
Su-30SM multi-role fighters to the
Kazakhstan Air Defence Force (KADF).
On May 24, the Kazakh MoD’s Kazspetsexport
agency and Irkut Corporation signed a contract
for the delivery of eight more of the jets,
expected to be handed over by 2020. They
will complement the eight delivered between
2015 and 2017 and assigned to the 604th Air
Base at Taldykorgan. Another contract for
12 jets was announced last September, but
doesn’t seem to have yielded deliveries yet.
Kazspetsexport’s general director, Arman
Ramazanov, commented: “Military and
technical co-operation between Kazakhstan
and Russia serves the interests of both states
and is based on a solid legal framework
established within the framework of the
Collective Security Treaty Organization.”
Such co-operation currently extends across
most of the Armed Forces of the Republic
of Kazakhstan, with acquisition of new
equipment for the KADF focused on combat
aircraft and helicopter gunships as well as
modernisation of assets already in service.Upgrades for Soviet-era jets
As well as the recent purchase of four
new Mi-35M attack helicopters, with the
intention of creating at least one new
squadron, the KADF plans to modernise its
L-39 trainers and MiG-31 interceptors.
“Kazakhstan wants to enhance the combat
capabilities of its MiG-31s, and we are ready to
provide such services”, explained RAC MiG’s
regional director Rakhim Hasanov. “We’ve also
offered to upgrade the unique MiG-31 flight
simulator that’s in operation at Karaganda.”The Moscow-based company is also offering
the MiG-35 fighter to replace the KADF’s MiG-
29s, of which around 24 are probably still active.
The air defence force’s fleet of 12 Su-25 attack
aircraft is also being upgraded to the advanced
Su-25SM and (two-seat) Su-25UBM standards,
which include the replacement of analogue
avionics with a digital glass cockpit. This work
is being handled by the 558 Aircraft Repair Plant
(558 ARZ) in Baranovichi, Belarus, in partnershipwith the Astana-based KAI. The Belarus plant
has been working with Kazakhstan’s defence
sector for more than a decade, and future plans
are likely to embrace more joint projects and
transfer of technologies to KAI – which will
also be involved in upgrading of the L-39s.
One of KADEX’s objectives is the creation
of commercial and industrial relationships to
support local industry and expand technological
know-how. During the exhibition, KAIKADEX 2018
Above: Wearing a Ukrainian civil registration, this Mi-2 has been re-engined with a pair of AI-450M-B
turboshafts by Motor Sich of Ukraine. The helicopter wears the markings of Kazaviaspas, not previously
known to be a Mi-2 operator. Almaty-based Kazaviaspas is the aviation element of Kazakhstan’s Ministry
of Emergency Situations. Below: EC145 ‘10 Yellow’ of the KADF takes part in a tactical display at KADEX.