The president of "United Aircraft Corporation" (UAC) Alexey Fedorov is dismissed from his post. RIA News informs referring to the assistant to the president of Russia Arcady Dvorkovich. As he said, Fedorov's post would be occupied by the head of the holding "Sukhoj, the first vice-president of UAC Michael Pogosyan. Decision on resignation of Fedorov became a consequence of nonfulfillment of presidential instructions on preparation of innovative programs of the state corporation. "Interfax" marks that it was Medvedev himself who appointed Pogosyan the head of UAC.
Earlier on Monday Dmitry Medvedev declared that he would carry out personnel shifts in those state companies which didn't allocate enough means for financing of programs of innovations and R&D.
UAC was created in 2006 for the merge of aviation actives on the basis of the state. Its structure includes the largest aircraft manufacturers of Russia, including "Sukhoj", "Ilyushin", "Irkut", "Tupolev" and others.
In 2009 the Prime Minister Vladimir Putin sharply criticized UAC noticing that UAC concludes many contracts at its loss. In the beginning of 2011 it became known that the Russian government wouldn't stop the program of production of planes series Tu-204 at the Ulyanovsk factory "Aviastar-SP" (which enters UAC): it appeared to be more favourable for the state to continue manufacture, than to close it.
From editorial board: In essence, appointment of Pogosyan is almost non-competitive - he supervises unique in Russia aircraft company which in general develops new projects (PAC FА, Superjet). It is strange that this appointment hasn't taken place earlier - he is also the only large aircraft designer among possible nominees. It's different thing that today it reminds appointment of the director of a memorial cemetery of the Russian aircraft engineering and not of the head of really developing branch.
UAC is a remake of a soup opera about Duncan MacLeod, only one should stay alive. Just recently there were in our country whole 9 large aircraft construction companies, not taking into account several independent factories. Today, as it has already been mentioned, only "Sukhoj" stays in a half-dead condition. All the others - already history. There is though Beriev's company in Taganrog but it's as though by itself, it has its specific niche - seaplanes and it never was large. All the others - monuments to themselves. Certainly there are also objects of marauders' development from "defense industry".
So that it was clear, let's say that today UAC on total power is weaker, than any of 9 "elements" of the Soviet period.
Speaking about civil objects Ukrainian "Antonov" is much more serious today, than all civil projects of UAC. In military sphere it's strongly weakened "Sukhoj" and no more than that.
We often criticize head projects of "Sukhoj": both PAC FA - a fighter without engine and arms and "Superjet" which is terrible to aviate and is even more terrible to land on the Russian airdromes. It's better to sell the first one to India at once, at that having taken 100% payment in advance to escape as quickly as possible. The second one - to Poland, there they have just got vacant place in presidential aviation group.
But it is necessary to give due to Pogosyan and his team - they are capable to do at least something. They can create good planes - but not in such country as the Russian Federation. While even they are already incapable to produce large batches. Though it's not their fault. Perhaps, their unique fault is that they have best adapted to live in system in which to die is the most worthy thing.
