Reuben F. Johnson

One of the most well-known defense enterprises in the former Soviet Republic of Belarus is the Baranovichi Aircraft Repair Plant (BARP) No. 558.&nbsp;The facility specializes in upgrading front-line fighter aircraft originally developed in the former USSR, and it is moving into new markets for its own electronic warfare (EW) products.

 


Three of the combat aircraft that BARP (Chalet F95) has a depth of experience with are the Mikoyan MiG-29 and Sukhoi Su-27 and Su-30, as well as the Su-25 attack and close-air support aircraft.&nbsp;The company has developed several modernization packages for these aircraft,&nbsp;including Belarus-produced EW&nbsp;modules based on technological approaches decidedly different from Russian design methodology.

 


During the Soviet period, BARP No. 558 was part of a network of repair and overhaul plants maintained not by the Soviet Ministry for Aircraft Production (MAP)&nbsp;but&nbsp;instead owned by the USSR ministry of defense.&nbsp;Once the Soviet Union dissolved, repair facilities like BARP located outside of the Russian Federation found themselves in a predicament.&nbsp;They had been equipped and staffed to support aircraft now in the air forces of the Russian Federation,&nbsp;a foreign country that had little interest in supporting Belarusian industry.&nbsp;The Belarus armed forces could not provide enough work to keep the factory operating, and the company had to find external customers or close its doors.

 


The BARP enterprise first supported the sale of surplus aircraft from Belarus's air force (VVS) to third-party nations and also proposed modernization packages for these aircraft. The company&nbsp;provided technical support for other Soviet-manufactured platforms sold to Moscow’s export customers.&nbsp;Several nations were in search of maintenance and modernization services at prices measurably less than what Russian firms proposed, which was BARP’s competitive advantage.

 


BARP representatives explained to AIN, “We were able to perform services that Russian firms could not.&nbsp;The factories in Russia are skilled in turning out brand-new weapon systems, but they have little experience in overhauling aircraft and inserting modernized components during the rebuilding process. That is our forte.”

 


In the present day, the company has several streams of activity:

 


• Servicing and upgrading Su-22, Su-25, Su-27, Su-30, MiG-29, and Antonov An-2 fixed-wing aircraft plus Mil Mi-8, Mi-17, and Mi-24/Mi-35 helicopters.&nbsp;The overhauls of these models include refurbishing the electronic infrastructure of these airframes, mechanical remanufacturing, and installation of modern cockpit displays.&nbsp; These contracts are carried out for the Belarus VVS as well as for export clients.

 


• The development and installation of EW systems that are installed on some of these same airframes.&nbsp;“The installation of our EW designs makes it possible for these aircraft to be assured a higher level of survivability but at a price that is value for money,” explained the BARP engineer in charge of EW development.

 


The main product in this category is the Satellit EW pod, which is a lightweight, modular,&nbsp;solid-state design.&nbsp;Video presentations of the pod in operation against current-day airborne and SAM radars show performance equal to or better than heavier and more expensive Russian-design jamming pods.

 


• The third area of activity for the company is a forward-looking perspective on how it can support a future generation of Belarus military hardware.&nbsp;In November 2019 Belarus took delivery of the first two of a total of 12 Irkut-built Su-30SM fighters.&nbsp;The contract was signed in 2017 for four aircraft to be delivered per year beginning in 2020.

 


BARP has been focused on modernizing and servicing previous-generation weaponry for more than two decades but is now planning to support the operation of these new aircraft from Russia.

 


“As of now, the new Su-30SMs are supposed to be delivered with no EW systems onboard—the standard Russian EW hardware will be deleted,” said the BARP EW engineer.&nbsp;“What we would like to do is install our EW products on these aircraft, which will be a major step towards a new era of business for us.”

News and issues about aviation maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO), covering all segments of the aviation industry; and modifications for aircraft and engines. Subjects include product support of aircraft, engines and avionics, MRO company mergers, acquisitions, announcements and personnel, Airworthiness Directives, Supplemental Type Certificate approvals and other topics.

BARP Offers Services for New and Older Russian Fighters

Belarus Aircraft Repair Plant No. 558 enjoys a competitive advantage in the servicing of Russia-built aircraft. 

2024 Corporate Aviation Leadership Summit

Matt Thurber

News and issues relating to international air transport and cargo carriers, national airlines and regional airlines, including aircraft, engines, personnel, acquisitions, accidents, safety, security and training.

News and issues relating to business, corporate and private aviation, primarily regarding turbine-engine-powered airplanes and helicopters. Subjects include aircraft, engines, maintenance, operations, personnel, acquisitions, accidents, safety, security, and training.

Added space facilitates work on heat-transfer, landing gear, and pneumatic components

Liebherr-Aerospace Expands MRO at Michigan Campus

Amy Wilder

Cabin redesign features custom interiors and updated connectivity

Citadel Completes VIP 757 Refurbishment for NBA Team

Curt Epstein

Dallas MRO hopes to bring a new approach to workforce

MRO Profile: Jets MRO Bringing New Paradigm

Gripedge tools and PM Research PMA products are now available

ASI Adds Ultrasonic Testing and New Product Lines

Essential news and analysis on the defense aerospace business. Your trusted source for new and ongoing programs and requirements in military aircraft (manned and unmanned), engines, avionics, weapons and associated systems, including ground-based air defense.

Solution enhances surveillance and intelligence operations

Bird Wins Intelligence STC from Israel for King Air 350C

Facility supports Cessna Citation business jets and Beechcraft King Air turboprops

Textron Service Center in Stuttgart Turns 10

News and issues regarding all manner of civil and military rotorcraft and their powerplants, including helicopters, tilt rotors and unmanned air vehicles.

More In Maintenance and Modifications

Liebherr-Aerospace Expands MRO at Michigan Campus

Added space facilitates work on heat-transfer, landing gear, and pneumatic components

Citadel Completes VIP 757 Refurbishment for NBA Team

Cabin redesign features custom interiors and updated connectivity

MRO Profile: Jets MRO Bringing New Paradigm

Dallas MRO hopes to bring a new approach to workforce

ASI Adds Ultrasonic Testing and New Product Lines

Gripedge tools and PM Research PMA products are now available

Bird Wins Intelligence STC from Israel for King Air 350C

Solution enhances surveillance and intelligence operations

Textron Service Center in Stuttgart Turns 10

Facility supports Cessna Citation business jets and Beechcraft King Air turboprops

Leonardo Opens MRO Center at Whiting Aviation Park

Facility is FAA Part 145-approved and will service military and civil customers

Duncan Adds Battery Shop in Scottsdale, Arizona

Located in Duncan’s satellite repair station at KSDL

AIN Products

SUBSCRIPTIONS

RESOURCES

ABOUT AIN