Russian fighter jet designer Simonov dies at 82

MOSCOW. March 4. KAZINFORM Mikhail Simonov, the former chief designer at the Sukhoi aircraft design bureau who was known as the father of the Su-27 family of fighter jets, died on Friday aged 82. Kazinform refers to RIA Novosti.

Simonov served as Sukhoi's chief designer from 1983. During his time at Sukhoi, he worked on the Su-24 strike aircraft and Su-25 ground-attack jet, as well as setting up the company's sport aircraft division, but will be best remembered for his work on the Su-27 fighter, which went on to set world records and became one of the best-selling military aircraft of the post-Soviet era.

Variants of the Su-27 family remain in production today.

Simonov was awarded the Hero of the Russian Federation (1999) and Lenin Prize (1974), and held the Order of the Red Banner. He was a doctor of technical science, and professor of the Moscow Aviation Institute. Kazinform cites RIA Novosti. See www.en.rian.ru