Not an easy, but nevertheless remarkable, destiny has been the lot of the Komsomolsk-on-Amur branch of the Sukhoi Company PJSC. Born under unimaginable conditions, the plant has always been at the forefront of the domestic manufacturing industry. It has been continuously growing and developing, achieving higher and higher peaks – from the very first aircraft to fifth-generation fighters.

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The last few years have become the logical continuation of the enterprise's heroic history and glorious traditions, and in their significance, they are comparable to the most important milestones in the history of the plant. Today, veterans proudly remember the era of the1980s, when the Su-27 airplanes went into production. This was a time of transition from third generation fighter jets to fourth generation models. Back then, the engineers, technologists, designers, workers and managers all worked in a united team to develop creative solutions. Back then, putting in every ounce of their competence and expertise, not to mention personal time, they successfully fulfilled their assigned task, giving the enterprise great prospects for the next few decades. This was really great labor achievement.

Today, working simultaneously on three of the most advanced projects in the Russian aviation sector, the team of this branch of the Sukhoi Company PJSC is achieving equally remarkable breakthroughs: building of the Su-35S multi-functional fighter, the T-50 fifth generation fighter, and the Sukhoi Superjet 100 modern civil aircraft. 

The task set for the current generation of aircraft industry workers, is to do all they can to ensure that these airplanes enter into reliable serial production, once again providing the enterprise with a stable and sustainable future.

An airplane bordering on fantasy

This is how people refer to the new Prospective Airborne Complex of Frontline Aviation (PAK FA) T-50 - the fifth generation fighter. These advanced winged-machines evoke admiration and envy on the part of specialists, experts and spectators.

The PAK FA manufacturing program has led to the development a cardinally new layout of the plant. Especially for the manufacturing of this new fighting machine, the Sukhoi Company purchased modern hi-tech equipment and test stands, and also developed new technologies. These include wide use of modern composite materials, a considerable increase in the amount of titanium parts in the airplane's structural systems, and new approaches in the performance of assembly works.

The workers in the Komsomolsk aircraft industry have now been set a rather difficult task: Within strict deadlines, to prepare the plant for serial production of the fifth generation fighter. The T-50 is destined to become the main military aircraft produced at the plant, and will be the backbone of the Russian Air Force for the next few decades.

Multi-functional and super-maneuverable

What were the main achievements of the plant in the last 15-20 years? Practically all the new first aircraft models, designed and developed by the Sukhoi Experimental Design Bureau (EBD), were brought to life in this plant.

The classic task of the manufacturing plant is the implementation of design documentation, and bringing a practically ready model, having been fully tested, into serial production. However, today, the work on the initial stages is no longer performed at the EBD, but straight in the enterprise - the first experimental models are created at the Komsomolsk-on-Amur Aircraft Production Association, in cooperation with the Experimental Design Bureau.

This brings us great joy and pride, but also great additional tasks: this is what makes to new era different. Here in Komsomolsk-on-Amur, through the labor of our workers, technologists, engineers, designers, the new winged-machine is being born, growing to maturity and going into serial production.

On December 25, 2015, Su-35S fighters from 23rd Fighter Aviation Regiment, stationed in the Dzyomgi Airport, took up their combat duty for the first time. This was a highly important milestone moment, which meant that the airplane became fully operational.

In 2016, we are planning to fulfill our contractual obligations to the Ministry of Defense of Russian Federation on the serial production of Su-35S airplanes, delivery of Su-35 aircraft for export, as well as work on the production of T-50 fighter jet test models The implementation of military and civil aircraft industry programs allows our enterprise to maintain its loading in 2016, at the same level of the preceding year.

Civil aircraft industry

The development of the civil aircraft industry program is an important direction of activities the Komsomolsk-on-Amur branch of the Sukhoi Company PJSC. The program involving the building of the Sukhoi Superjet 100, a new model of a civil airliner, started in the mid-2000s, On September 26, 2007, there was held an official rolling out ceremony of the first flying model, and just half a year later, on May 19, 2008, the first SSJ 100 took off into the skies.

This ambitious project, which required organizing the production of parts for a civil airliner, entailed major retooling of the plant. Before this, the branch had never built civil aircraft of such size. The required equipment was missing - stretch forming presses, riveting machines, unique machinery for automatic connection of fuselage sections, etc.

In 2010, special processing lines were created: for the manufacture of fuselage sections and outer wings. In 2013, the plant workers reconstructed the working area of Assembly Workshop No. 5. Outer Wing Assembly Workshop No. 89 was changed beyond recognition. Moreover, the work in the workshop never stopped: in parallel with the fulfillment of the planned tasks, the premises were reconstructed, new equipment was installed, new technologies were mastered, and personnel was trained. This was a real labor achievement for the workshop crew.

Currently the enterprise continues to actively implement the program involving the manufacture of components for the Sukhoi Superjet 100. In 2015, 19 complete aircraft were manufactured, 20 are planned for 2016, and 40 complete aircraft will be produced and delivered in 2017. Once again, our specialists have proven that they can solve any tasks that are assigned to them.

Not by number, but by skills

The Sukhoi Company PJSC is one of the most dynamically developing enterprises in the Russian aircraft manufacturing sector. Production facilities are being constantly maintained at the most advanced level: the branch keeps implementing new manufacturing processes, which make it possible to reduce manufacturing times, masters advanced materials, and uses new efficient equipment for machining and assembly of aggregates.

Today the branch is in the process of implementing a wide range of federal special-purpose programs.  A significant number of production facilities have been built or reconstructed. A new modern workshop for the treatment of aluminum alloys will be commissioned in the near future. This will become one of the largest workshops in the enterprise - practically all the main machining production works will be united in this complex. Currently under construction, meeting all the newest requirements, is an electroplating workshop, which should be commissioned in 2018.

Komsomolsk-on-Amur Aircraft Production Association specialists, in cooperation with Sukhoi EBD, invented a cardinally new pipe bending technique - new not only for the plant, but for the entire domestic aircraft industry. The absence of welding joints in pipelines will allow for a significant improvement of the quality of the products, and lower overall labor and material costs.

Ultrasonic cleaning technology has been implemented. The new manufacturing procedure is aimed at decreasing labor requirements and increasing  the quality of products, improving labor conditions and the environmental situation in the workshop. Opportunities offered by modern machines allow for a significant increase in production efficiency, achieve cost improvements, and work practically, according to Suvorov - not by number ,but by skills.

A large amount of work is being performed under the energy efficiency program. Reconstruction of the bulk power supply high voltage line section is being carried out, the mounting of a gas pipeline to connect workshops to gas radiant heating is being completed, allowing for a reduction in energy costs, and what is most important, providing the required temperature range at working stations during the winter season.

In 2015, the volume of capital investments into Komsomolsk-on-Amur Aircraft Production Association amounted to 5.2 billion rubles, and into commissioning - 2.4 billion rubles. In 2016, funding of technical retooling, reconstruction and new construction has been planned at the level of 962 million rubles.

THE PLANT'S STRENGTH ARE ITS PROFESSIONALS

Personnel makes the enterprise. Both professionals able to make any detail on a universal machine tool, and young people, of which there are many in the plant, are important.

The plant has achieved a great success in personnel training. If five years ago, those who could work on new equipment were very few, then today the occupation of CNC machine operator has become wide-sweeping.

Specialists who able to work on modern equipment are trained according to the proven scheme "school - university - enterprise". The Small Aviation Faculty and Rosmachclasses created at the Komsomolsk-on-Amur State Technical University are the first steps in the personnel training program, which provides specific pre-university preparation of future aircraft industry workers.

Graduates of SAF and Rosmashclasses get priority when it comes to being admitted to the Komsomolsk-on-Amur State Technical University (state funded places) with scholarships from the plant (from 2,500 to 4,800  rubles, depending on their academic achievements).

In 2015, as part of the interaction with Komsomolsk-on-Amur State Technical University, five laboratories for university students and post-graduates were created and operating on the territory of the Komsomolsk-on-Amur Aircraft Production Association.

Relatively soon, on the base of the government aircraft industry college, a Trans-regional Center of Competencies will be created, whose responsibility will be the training of specialists for hi-tech production plants for all of the Far East. Over 500 million rubles will be invested into the technological infrastructure of the Center . 

WE KNOW HOW TO WORK AND WE KNOW HOW TO REST

The Sukhoi Company continues to support municipally significant social facilities for sports, healthcare, culture - the Smena Sports Complex, the Cultural Palace of Aircraft Industry Workers, the Shargol Recreation Center, and the Gagarin Culture and Recreation Park. - (in cooperation with the municipal administration). In 2015, spending on support of social facilities surpassed 127 million rubles, in 2016, the level of funding was to be maintained at the same level.

Affiliated companies of the Sukhoi Company PJSC are: ATP LLC, Medical Center Kedr LLC, Dzyemgi Hotel LLC, Cultural Palace of Aircraft Industry Workers Non-profit Cultural Institutions.

Care of veterans and non-working pensioners, who devoted their lives to the aircraft industry is an indispensable and mandatory part of the Sukhoi Company's social policy. In the branch, they make every effort to ensure that seniors are not left alone to face to their problems, not to be left feeling lonely.

The enterprise is also not indifferent to sports life in the city, and traditionally supports the Smena football (soccer) club. This year, Komsomolsk football (soccer) players won the Russian championship in the second league of the East Zone.

Currently, the Sukhoi Company is actively working at improving the living conditions of its employees. Thanks to participating in the implementation of the Khabarovsk Krai Government Decree "On terms and procedure of granting state support to economy class housing" a building at the corner of Kalinin Street and Kopylov Avenue was erected - 196 families of plant workers moved into their new apartments. Now the Sukhoi Company is working at implementing a second project that is similar, but of a larger scale: They are planning to erect a new building with 850 apartments on Dvortsovy Lane. It will be constructed in several phases, from 2016 to 2019. The first stone in the foundation of the new building will be laid in autumn of this year.

GREAT PROSPECTS

The aircraft industry has always been a kind of locomotive, which pulled behind it all the other sectors. 

The Komsomolsk-on-Amur branch of the Sukhoi Company PJSC has a great future. The manufacturing programs - Su-35S, T-50, Sukhoi Superjet 100 - are designed for the long-term perspective.  Therefore the enterprise rightfully attracts energetic, perspective, and trained young staff to its plant. Respectable salaries, new equipment and technologies, modern labor conditions, career advancement opportunities.