KYIV. May 31 (Interfax-Ukraine) – Ukraine and the United States continue negotiations on cooperation in the missile engine building sphere. Ukraine still pins hopes to join the project on the creation and production of a new liquid missile engine for the United States to replace Russia’s RD-180 engine, Head of the State Space Agency of Ukraine (SSAU) Liubomyr Sabadosh has said.
He said at a press conference on Monday in Kyiv that the prospects of expansion of technological and industrial cooperation in the aerospace area, in particular, cooperation in the missile engine building sphere, were discussed during the negotiations with U.S. partners during the working visit of Sabadosh to the United States on May 23 through May 27.
“Our U.S. partners understand that this task is complicated, but we can cope with it,” he said.
He said that the talks would continue at the level of sector specialists. The design terms, tests, conditions of cooperation and expenses are to be discussed.
“We are confident that jointly with U.S. partners we would be able to realize the project more quickly. I think it would be cheaper,” he said, adding that the next round of the negotiations is scheduled for November.
He said that the possibility of lobbying for Ukraine’s interests in the implementation of the project to create an alternative liquid missile engine to Russia’s RD-180 for the U.S. Air Force was discussed with Senate committee office on Armed Services, chaired by U.S. Senator John McCain.
Ukraine hopes to given preference in participating in the project, Sabadosh said.
