Tbilisi Aircraft Manufacturing
Encyclopedia
Tbilisi Aircraft Manufacturing (TAM), also known as JSC Tbilaviamsheni, is a Tbilisi
, Georgia
manufacturing company specializing in aerospace. TAM employs about 2,300 people.
TAM has trained a number of their production supervision, employees and engineers in long-term training programs in Western aerospace manufacturing plants.
the aircraft factories of Taganrog
and Sevastopol
(Ukraine
) were moved to Tbilisi, Georgia. Soon after the move, Tbilisi Aircraft State Association (TAM) launched the production of its first fighter aircraft, the LaGG-3. Through the war TAM manufactured a number of additional fighter aircraft for the former Soviet Air Force such as LaGG-3 and Yak-3. During World War II, the company was the sole supplier of fighter aircraft to the Caucasian front.
Following World War II, TAM worked in conjunction with the Yakovlev Design Bureaus to build the first Soviet jet fighter, the Yak-15 in 1946 followed by the Yak-17, Yak-23 and Yak-23 twin-seat trainer jet.
In the 1950s the factory started production of Mikoyan
's MiG-15 and later, the MiG-17 fighter aircraft. In 1957 Tbilisi Aircraft State Association built the MiG-21 two-seater fighter-trainer aircraft and its various derivative aircraft, continuing the MiG-21 production for about 25 years. At the same time the company was manufacturing the K-10 air-to-surface guided missile.
The first Sukhoi
SU-25 (known in the West as the "Frogfoot") close support aircraft took its maiden voyage from the runway of Tbilisi State Association. Since then, more than 800 SU-25s have been delivered to the customers worldwide. From the first SU-25 to the present day, JSC Tbilaviamsheni is only manufacturer of this type of aircraft. Along with the SU-25 aircraft Tbilisi State Association also launched large scale production of air-to-air R-60
and R-73
IR guided missiles, a production effort that built over 6,000 missiles a year and that lasted until the early 1990s.
In the mid 1980s Tbilisi Aircraft State Association also participated in former Soviet space program "Buran" (the Soviet analog of Space Shuttle) by manufacturing and assembling various parts and assemblies for this program.
In the late 1990s there was a joint project of Tbilaviamsheni and the Georgian Space Constructions' Institute to design and produce the space antenna-reflector which were successful used in their first attempt on Russian space station "MIR
".
Since 2001, TAM is constructing the Su-25U, upgrading the Su-25 to the Su-25KM Scorpion and also constructing and marketing civilian Very light jet
(VLJ) known as the TamJet.
During the South Ossetia war of August 2008
, the Russian air force bombed the TAM factory, resulting in unknown damage.
Currently, TAM is also constructing armoured personnel carriers, the Didgori Armoured Personnel Carrier
family beeing the first of ground vehicles ever built by the plant.
Tbilisi
Tbilisi is the capital and the largest city of Georgia, lying on the banks of the Mt'k'vari River. The name is derived from an early Georgian form T'pilisi and it was officially known as Tiflis until 1936...
, Georgia
Georgia (country)
Georgia is a sovereign state in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded to the west by the Black Sea, to the north by Russia, to the southwest by Turkey, to the south by Armenia, and to the southeast by Azerbaijan. The capital of...
manufacturing company specializing in aerospace. TAM employs about 2,300 people.
TAM has trained a number of their production supervision, employees and engineers in long-term training programs in Western aerospace manufacturing plants.
History
Tbilisi Aircraft Manufacturing (former Tbilisi Aircraft State Association) was established on December 15, 1941. In the early days of World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
the aircraft factories of Taganrog
Taganrog
Taganrog is a seaport city in Rostov Oblast, Russia, located on the north shore of Taganrog Bay , several kilometers west of the mouth of the Don River. Population: -History of Taganrog:...
and Sevastopol
Sevastopol
Sevastopol is a city on rights of administrative division of Ukraine, located on the Black Sea coast of the Crimea peninsula. It has a population of 342,451 . Sevastopol is the second largest port in Ukraine, after the Port of Odessa....
(Ukraine
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
) were moved to Tbilisi, Georgia. Soon after the move, Tbilisi Aircraft State Association (TAM) launched the production of its first fighter aircraft, the LaGG-3. Through the war TAM manufactured a number of additional fighter aircraft for the former Soviet Air Force such as LaGG-3 and Yak-3. During World War II, the company was the sole supplier of fighter aircraft to the Caucasian front.
Following World War II, TAM worked in conjunction with the Yakovlev Design Bureaus to build the first Soviet jet fighter, the Yak-15 in 1946 followed by the Yak-17, Yak-23 and Yak-23 twin-seat trainer jet.
In the 1950s the factory started production of Mikoyan
Mikoyan
Russian Aircraft Corporation MiG , or RSK MiG, is a Russian joint stock company. Formerly Mikoyan-and-Gurevich Design Bureau , then simply Mikoyan, it is a military aircraft design bureau, primarily designing fighter aircraft...
's MiG-15 and later, the MiG-17 fighter aircraft. In 1957 Tbilisi Aircraft State Association built the MiG-21 two-seater fighter-trainer aircraft and its various derivative aircraft, continuing the MiG-21 production for about 25 years. At the same time the company was manufacturing the K-10 air-to-surface guided missile.
The first Sukhoi
Sukhoi
Sukhoi Company is a major Russian aircraft manufacturer, headquartered in Begovoy District, Northern Administrative Okrug, Moscow, famous for its fighters...
SU-25 (known in the West as the "Frogfoot") close support aircraft took its maiden voyage from the runway of Tbilisi State Association. Since then, more than 800 SU-25s have been delivered to the customers worldwide. From the first SU-25 to the present day, JSC Tbilaviamsheni is only manufacturer of this type of aircraft. Along with the SU-25 aircraft Tbilisi State Association also launched large scale production of air-to-air R-60
Molniya R-60
The Molniya R-60 is a lightweight air-to-air missile designed for use by Soviet fighter aircraft. It has been widely exported, and remains in service with the CIS and many other nations....
and R-73
Vympel R-73
The Vympel R-73 developed by Vympel machine-building design bureau, is the most modern Russian short-range air-to-air missile.-Development:...
IR guided missiles, a production effort that built over 6,000 missiles a year and that lasted until the early 1990s.
In the mid 1980s Tbilisi Aircraft State Association also participated in former Soviet space program "Buran" (the Soviet analog of Space Shuttle) by manufacturing and assembling various parts and assemblies for this program.
In the late 1990s there was a joint project of Tbilaviamsheni and the Georgian Space Constructions' Institute to design and produce the space antenna-reflector which were successful used in their first attempt on Russian space station "MIR
Mir
Mir was a space station operated in low Earth orbit from 1986 to 2001, at first by the Soviet Union and then by Russia. Assembled in orbit from 1986 to 1996, Mir was the first modular space station and had a greater mass than that of any previous spacecraft, holding the record for the...
".
Since 2001, TAM is constructing the Su-25U, upgrading the Su-25 to the Su-25KM Scorpion and also constructing and marketing civilian Very light jet
Very Light Jet
A very light jet, entry-level jet or personal jet, previously known as a microjet, is a category of small jet aircraft approved for single-pilot operation, seating 4-8 people, with a maximum take-off weight of under...
(VLJ) known as the TamJet.
During the South Ossetia war of August 2008
2008 South Ossetia war
The 2008 South Ossetia War or Russo-Georgian War was an armed conflict in August 2008 between Georgia on one side, and Russia and separatist governments of South Ossetia and Abkhazia on the other....
, the Russian air force bombed the TAM factory, resulting in unknown damage.
Currently, TAM is also constructing armoured personnel carriers, the Didgori Armoured Personnel Carrier
Didgori Armoured Personnel Carrier
The Didgori is a Georgian-made armoured personnel carrier family developed by the "Delta" research center of the Ministry of Defence of Georgia and exists in two baseline variants.-Technical characteristics:...
family beeing the first of ground vehicles ever built by the plant.
External links
- Tbilisi Aerospace Manufacturing's official website
- http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/russia/tam.htmTAM at Global SecurityGlobalSecurity.orgGlobalSecurity.org, launched in 2000, is a public policy organization focusing on the fields of defense, space exploration, intelligence, weapons of mass destruction and homeland security...
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