India has always been Russia’s strategic ally and, moreover, an important defense technology partner since 1961, when the first batch of Mi-4 helicopters was shipped to the country. Surfaced as far back as 50 years ago, the trend persists in present-day world, with both nations attaching paramount importance to aerospace technologies in defense.

Indeed, aircraft projects are the largest, the two countries are running. Sophisticated research and development, technology transfer and license production are the most important programs in this sector, where the partnership between the nations has evolved to become really strategic. The sole official trader of Russian arms and dual-use technologies, Rosoboronexport is looking forward to enhancing the cooperation and is making high stake bets on future bilateral contacts in the area. As a result, Russia has fairly good chances to supply more of its advanced jets to India.

One of the kind, is internationally acclaimed and unanimously praised state-of-the-art amphibian, Be-200, which can carry a most advanced set of open-architecture surveillance and detection equipment for maritime patrol missions in the 200-mile exclusive economic zone, and also perform well in SAR, transport and medevac roles. Be-200 is really an outstanding multirole aircraft that proved effective not once in service with the Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations.

Historical Highlights

A landmark event took place in the Russian city of Irkutsk in late September 1998, when the first Be-200 took off from the airfield of the local aircraft production association. Designed by the Taganrog-based Beriev aviation scientific and technical center and built in Irkutsk, the aircraft started a new chapter in the history of amphibious aviation.

Working on the project, Russian developers made up their minds to make a multirole amphibian, rather than just a standard hydroplane. Be-200 got sophisticated high-lift devices, and an automatic flap deployment system that sets flaps to takeoff only at high speed, when the spray height is low.

The aircraft boasts a rust-protected airframe, which is ideal for aggressive and humid environments, including salty maritime atmosphere in tropical climates with air temperatures up to MCA +25°C (and 95% humidity.

Beriev’s wealth of experience in amphibious aircraft designs and studies of seaplane corrosion processes made it possible to develop an aircraft that meets the most stringent rigidity and operational requirements posed by humid and aggressive environments. Its outstanding resistance to corrosion was proven in several years of operation in the Azov, Black, Mediterranean, Baltic, Barents, Japanese and Bering seas.

The aircraft survives easily long-term parking under open sky without a hangar at temperatures out to +50°C.

The wing, rudder, ailerons, flaps, interceptors, tail and other elements of the aircraft are made largely of composite materials.

The Ukrainian Progress Company and JSC Motor Sich developed and manufactured a dedicated corrosion-resistant version of the reliable and high-efficient D-436TP engine especially for the Be-200.

Considerable attention was attached to aircraft agility and controllability, which are vital for aircraft in firefighting roles. The Be-200 was equipped with a triple-redundant EDSU-200 fly-by-wire system, and control sticks in the cockpit, which were borrowed from a fighter jet and replaced the traditional pilots’ handwheels.

Today Be-200 is the internationally acclaimed best-in-class hydroplane. Developed from the world’s largest amphibious jet A-40 Albatros, which was used to set up 148 world records, Be-200 inherited the best features of its predecessor. It is equally effective in a variety of jobs and missions, which makes it really a multirole aircraft.

Only a year after its maiden flight, Be-200 made its first public appearance at Le Bourget Airshow 1999. It was a success! Noteworthy, French airfield services were very much surprised, when asked so much water to refill the aircraft tank, and, with pure and genuine Gallic humor, offered wine instead.

Purpose

The baseline version of the amphibious Be-200 aircraft is intended for firefighting using suppressant liquids. However, Be-200 may be easily reconfigured for other missions, while retaining its fire-fighting capability in full. Modifications for cargo and passenger transport, search and rescue and medical evacuation are available as well.

The version for maritime patrols can search and detect ships, identify them, perform visual checks and record fishing law violations. Furthermore, it can carry inspection teams and, whenever applicable, attack sea border trespassers. The amphibian is also effective for environment monitoring, water area pollution control, weather monitoring, radiation metering, ice field exploration, oil spill liquidation and air dropping.