Trainer aeroplane for NATO countries

Sergei Ivanov said that more than 80 flights in difficult conditions had been made in the course of the tests. The military accomplished all that depended on them. Now the industry and traders must promote the product on the world market.

He added that in the course of the talks Russia and France had agreed upon their stands on the prospects for the use and promotion of the MiG-AT on foreign markets.

At the press conference Russia's acting Defence Minister handed a certificate on the completion of the flight tests of the Mig-AT to the Defence Minister of France.

In expert opinion, the MiG-AT substantially exceeds the already existing types of trainer aeroplanes (the L-29 and L-39) in simplicity of the take-off and landing, and surpasses the MiG-29 in the flight characteristics, and is a match to it in manoeuvrability. The MiG-AT also excels it in close combat.

The potential market for sale of these aircraft is capacious enough - from 550 to 600 planes, while the profit from their export to third countries can be of the order of $8-9 billion, the MiG Russian aircraft-building corporation's officials believe.

At the same time, the MiG-AT is not oriented exclusively to foreign buyers. Mass production of this aeroplane will allow its factory cost to be reduced, and will enable it to become more accessible for the Russian Air Force.

The MiG-AT's tactical and technical characteristics are as follows: the crew - 2 persons, maximal take-off mass - about six tons, the maximal speed - about 900 km/h, the range - roughly 3,000 km, and the ceiling - about 16,000 m.