Russia is one of the five countries where a full cycle of creating engines for military aviation is possible
There are only five countries in the world where the full cycle of development and creation of the latest engines for military aviation is possible. Engines that will be in demand and competitive for 30-40 years. Russia is included in this top five due to the fact that a unique Experimental Design Bureau named after A. Lyulka operates in Moscow, developing engines for the latest Russian fighters, superior to all foreign analogues. All the fantastic capabilities of our military aviation will be demonstrated by pilots of Su-35 and T-50 aircraft at the annual MAKS air show in the coming days.
According to the general designer - director of the Design Bureau named after. A. Lyulki Evgeniy Marchukov, the domestic engine industry has great prospects.
- For almost 70 years of its existence, your design bureau has been considered unique. Haven't any competitors appeared in so many years?
Evgeniy Marchukov: Not yet. Our design bureau is the only one where all five generations of military engines for fighter aircraft were developed. The technology created in the middle of the last century by Arkhip Mikhailovich Lyulka was not only advanced, but also promising in terms of development. We managed to fully use the modernization potential of the engines laid down by A.M. Cradle, and move on. AL (AL - Arkhip Lyulka) engines created by our designers are used on many aircraft of the Russian Air Force and armies of other countries of the world.
- How did the company survive in the 90s? Did they really not stop work for a day?
Evgeniy Marchukov: They didn’t stop me. When government support was stopped, difficult times came. It was difficult, despite the prevailing circumstances, to preserve the team and the knowledge accumulated over many years of work. But personnel is everything. Arkhip Mikhailovich Lyulka at one time created a close-knit team of like-minded people, and Viktor Mikhailovich Chepkin, who headed the OKB in the 90s, managed to put things on a new track, switching our work from government orders to the development of new topics. In 1993, a joint stock company was created. We began to enter into contracts with foreign colleagues, with Gazprom. This is how they managed to stay afloat.
- How did it happen that an enterprise that worked for the needs of military aviation suddenly repurposed its engines for gas production?
Evgeniy Marchukov: We are developing so-called dual technologies that can be successfully used in civilian industry. Thus, at the request of Gazprom, our design bureau developed an engine for gas pumping based on the AL-31F engine. This is the second time in world history that a fighter engine has been converted to meet the needs of gas production. The fact is that a military engine has a service life of 500 hours, but it was necessary to increase it to 100,000 hours. I had to redo a lot. Today more than 40 such engines are in operation.
- Enterprises in various industries today complain about staff shortages, they say, there is no one to work. How are you doing with this? Still, the professions of designer and engineer have dropped out of the list of the most prestigious ones over the past 20 years...
Evgeniy Marchukov: In my opinion, the key task for the industry is to preserve traditions. It is important not to interrupt the transfer of experience. There are not many old-school designers left, but they have vast experience and knowledge and can teach young people. Therefore, we treat our pensioners very carefully. Now the structure of the OKB consists of 30% specialists who are over 60 years old, and about the same number of young employees who are not yet 35. I think this is the right approach. Our youth are growing before our eyes. Now almost all of my department heads are under 40 years old.
- Who is your main customer today?
Evgeniy Marchukov: AHC "Sukhoi". Almost the entire history of our design bureau is connected with the development of engines for the Sukhoi Design Bureau. Our engines power the Su-27, Su-30 family aircraft, the newest Su-35 aircraft, which recently made a splash at the Paris Le Bourget aerospace show, as well as the T-50 fighter. Currently, we are the lead design bureau for the creation of a new generation engine.
- It is known that the OKB conducts active foreign economic activity...
Evgeniy Marchukov: Engines manufactured at our parent enterprise JSC UMPO (Ufa Engine Production Association) are sold to India and China. The Moscow Salyut plant supplies China with engines for their J-10 single-engine aircraft. We developed these engines back in the 90s. This was one of those contracts that helped our design bureau survive.
- Russia is used to purchasing everything abroad. What about aviation? Judging by the brilliant flight program that the Su-35 aircraft demonstrated at the Le Bourget aerospace show, are the forecasts optimistic?
Evgeniy Marchukov: As for military aviation, we are completely competitive. And in order not to turn into a raw materials appendage tomorrow, it is necessary to develop engine building. This is a very knowledge-intensive, innovative industry. Due to its specifics, we do not have the right to use anything imported, so each of our new products, like a locomotive, “pulls” many industries with it, because it requires new materials, new electronics, new technologies.
- What will aviation be like in 50-100 years? What airplanes will be invented?
Evgeniy Marchukov: I can definitely say that the aircraft of the future is a drone. The pilot “interferes” with the machine, because the human body cannot tolerate overload, it needs life support systems, rescue systems. And this adds extra weight. The future belongs to compact radar-invisible aircraft.
As for engines, with the advent of new high-temperature materials, the possibilities of the gas turbine engine circuit will be exhausted, and it is necessary to develop new circuits and principles now. One such scheme is the pulsed detonation engine, which we are currently working on. Perhaps soon the engines will run on other types of fuel. Everything is possible. Antigravity will be invented, for example. Or they will discover new principles of movement. The main thing is that we don’t run out of talented engineers. Here we participate in exhibitions and air shows. Why all this? So that children look at the sky in fascination. Perhaps these boys will also fall in love with aviation, just like we once did. After all, for a technical breakthrough there is not enough money, you need people. There may come a time when there is plenty of money, but there is no one to do it.
A number of commemorative events will be held at the A. Lyulka Design Bureau, a branch of PJSC UEC-UMPO (part of JSC UEC of the Rostec State Corporation). A rally and unveiling of a memorial plaque in honor of the first head of the design bureau will take place on the territory of the design bureau.
“The anniversary of the outstanding aircraft designer is an important date not only for the association: a new era in the history of domestic and global engine building is associated with the name of Arkhip Lyulka,” notes Managing Director of PJSC “UEC-UMPO” E.A. Semivelichenko.
Under the leadership of A. Lyulka, a number of turbojet engines were created that were used on P.O. aircraft. Sukhoi, S.V. Ilyushina, G.M. Berieva, A.N. Tupolev. The AL-31F engine, developed in 1976-1985, is still recognized today as one of the best engines in the world for front-line aircraft. It is installed on aircraft of the Su-27, Su-30, Su-34 family.
Today, a new era in engine development is opening: the team of the association is developing a promising engine for the fifth-generation fighter Su-57, and the role of the OKB employees in this activity can hardly be overestimated. The bureau's designers carried out a whole range of research and development work on this project, developing a unique appearance for each engine part, which is then brought to life in the association's workshops.
PJSC "UEC-UMPO"- developer and largest manufacturer of aircraft engines in Russia. The main activities are the development, production, service and repair of turbojet aircraft engines and gas pumping units, production and repair of helicopter components. Located in Ufa. Part of JSC United Engine Corporation.
JSC United Engine Corporation (part of the Rostec State Corporation)- an integrated structure specializing in the development, serial production and servicing of engines for military and civil aviation, space programs and the navy, as well as the oil and gas industry and energy. One of the priority activities of UEC is the implementation of comprehensive development programs for enterprises in the industry with the introduction of new technologies that meet international standards.
Rostec State Corporation is a Russian corporation created in 2007 to promote the development, production and export of high-tech industrial products for civil and military purposes. It includes more than 700 organizations, of which 11 holding companies in the military-industrial complex and 3 in civilian industries are currently formed, as well as more than 80 direct management organizations. Rostec’s portfolio includes such well-known brands as AVTOVAZ, KAMAZ, Kalashnikov Concern, Russian Helicopters, VSMPO-AVISMA, Uralvagonzavod, etc. Rostec organizations are located in 60 constituent entities of the Russian Federation and supply products to markets in more than 70 countries. Rostec's consolidated revenue in 2016 reached 1 trillion. 266 billion rubles, consolidated net - 88 billion rubles, and EBITDA - 268 billion rubles. The average salary for the Corporation in 2016 was 44,000 rubles. According to Rostec's strategy, the main objective of the Corporation is to ensure Russia's technological advantage in highly competitive global markets. One of the key tasks of Rostec is the introduction of a new technological structure and digitalization of the Russian economy.
The Minister of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation Denis Manturov, in accordance with the Decree of the President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin, handed over to the representatives of the Design Bureau named after. A. Lyulki (part of the United Engine Corporation of the Rostec State Corporation) state awards for the successful development and testing of Russian aviation and industrial gas turbine engines.
D. Manturov and E. Marchukov
General Designer - Director of the Design Bureau named after. A. Lyulki Evgeniy Marchukov and chief designer for industrial engines and testing Victor Kuprik awarded Orders of Honor. Deputy General Designer for Advanced Technologies and Serial Production Support Gennady Zubarev awarded the title “Honored Mechanical Engineer of the Russian Federation”, and the chief specialist on heat exchange and air systems of gas turbine engines of the chief designer service Yuri Kanakhin- title “Honored Inventor of the Russian Federation”.
D. Manturov and V. Kuprik
The award ceremony took place at the Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation in Moscow.
D. Manturov and G. Zubarev
OKB im. A. Lyulki is the Moscow branch of the Ufa PJSC "UEC - UMPO" (part of the UEC), the largest aircraft engine manufacturer in the Russian Federation. Named in honor of its first leader, the outstanding Soviet scientist and designer Arkhip Lyulka, creator of the first domestic turbojet engine. Over the years of its existence, the design bureau has developed five generations of gas turbine engines, including for aircraft of the Su-27/Su-30, Su-34 and Su-35 families - AL-31F, AL-31FP, AL-41F-1S, etc. AL engines in combat aircraft are in service with the air forces of many countries around the world. Based on the serial AL-31F engine, the AL-31ST conversion gas turbine drive was developed in the most popular segment of the gas pumping units market (16 MW). AL-31ST is successfully operated by PJSC Gazprom.
D. Manturov and Y. Kanakhin
On December 21, 2017, Evgeny Marchukov became a laureate of the Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation (FSMTC) of the Russian Federation in the category “For personal contribution, initiative and diligence in solving problems of military-technical cooperation.” In the “Young Talents” category, the award was received by a representative of the Design Bureau named after. A. Lyulki, 1st category design engineer Alexey Zubko.
Evgeniy Marchukov
PJSC "UEC - Ufa Engine Production Association"- developer and largest manufacturer of aircraft engines in Russia. The main activities are the development, production, service and repair of turbojet aircraft engines and gas pumping units, production and repair of helicopter components. Located in Ufa. Part of JSC United Engine Corporation.
JSC United Engine Corporation(part of the Rostec State Corporation) is an integrated structure specializing in the development, serial production and servicing of engines for military and civil aviation, space programs and the navy, as well as the oil and gas industry and energy. One of the priority activities of UEC is the implementation of comprehensive development programs for enterprises in the industry with the introduction of new technologies that meet international standards.
Rostec State Corporation is a Russian corporation created in 2007 to promote the development, production and export of high-tech industrial products for civil and military purposes. It includes more than 700 organizations, of which 11 holding companies in the military-industrial complex and 3 in civilian industries are currently formed, as well as more than 80 direct management organizations. Rostec’s portfolio includes such well-known brands as AVTOVAZ, KAMAZ, Kalashnikov Concern, Russian Helicopters, VSMPO-AVISMA, Uralvagonzavod, etc. Rostec organizations are located in 60 constituent entities of the Russian Federation and supply products to markets in more than 70 countries. Rostec's consolidated revenue in 2016 reached 1 trillion. 266 billion rubles, consolidated net - 88 billion rubles, and EBITDA - 268 billion rubles. The average salary for the Corporation in 2016 was 44,000 rubles. According to Rostec's strategy, the main objective of the Corporation is to ensure Russia's technological advantage in highly competitive world markets. One of the key tasks of Rostec is the introduction of a new technological structure and digitalization of the Russian economy.
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