Uzbekistan may create aerospace industry
By Kamila Aliyeva
Uzbekistan plans to restore the aviation industry and create an aerospace industry. This is stipulated by the draft state program for 2018 - ‘Year of active entrepreneurship, innovative ideas and technologies’.
As part of the reforms, it is planned to develop a strategy for the formation of the aerospace industry for 2018-2035.
Until November 10, 2018, it is expected to create a draft regulatory and legal document and approve a state program of action aimed at developing material and scientific bases, training personnel, as well as attracting foreign investment to a new direction of the country's economy.
The state agency for aerospace activity, “which will allow solving all issues of the sphere development in a complex manner”, will be created in the country, according to Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev.
“Unfortunately, in recent years, little attention has been paid to the introduction of strategic aerospace technologies in the leading sectors of our economy,” the head of state said in his message to the parliament in December 2017.
Foreign investors should be involved in the implementation of projects based on public-private partnership to develop this progressive sphere and creation of the national space infrastructure for land-based and industrial purposes, according to Mirziyoyev.
The aviation industry in Uzbekistan until recently was represented by the Tashkent Aviation Production Association named after V. Chkalov (TAPOiCh). The enterprise was established on the basis of an aircraft factory evacuated to the republic in 1941 from the Moscow region. The plant produced IL-76 transport aircraft and passenger IL-114, as well as wings for AN-70 aircraft. In January 2014, the plant was renamed into the Tashkent Mechanical Plant JSC, which was supposed to preserve the production of spare parts for Il-114 and Il-76 aircraft. Currently, the main products of the plant, which is part of the structure of Uzbek Railways JSC, are building structures, household products, auto parts, spare parts for agricultural machinery and rail transport.
Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin said during his visit to Uzbekistan in October 2017 that Russian experts will consider the possibility of the Tashkent mechanical plant joining the production of Il-114 aircraft. In addition, during the talks the parties discussed the development of cooperation in the field of space.
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Kamila Aliyeva is AzerNews’ staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Kami_Aliyeva
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