How did the pay system work? Was this a lot of money for somebody in the Soviet Union? Or was it still a small amount? Would somebody in his position get special bonuses or perks because of his work on an important piece of technology for the government? Any sort of general information regarding the wage system at the time might be helpful.
The designer was Vladimir Antonov and the documentary is "Building the SU 27 - The Best Fighter Jet in the World"
Here is a link to the part in the documentary where he talks about it:
/u/AboveTheRadar has done some good work here on the Ruble's value, but there's an element missing from this picture. Part of how privilege and reward worked in the Soviet Union was less a matter of fiscal awards, but rather access to shops and other special amenities not available to the wider Soviet public. Although cash mattered, shopping in the Soviet Union was not an open-based retail system. There were gradations in Soviet retail in which the state granted access either as a reward or perk for state service. The stores that had luxury goods, either from abroad or higher-quality Eastern bloc items, were not open to the general public. For example, Berezka stores often had such goods, but frequently had a guard at the entrance and the only currency recognized were state-issued checks given as a reward for loyal service. Shortages were common even for members of those relatively well-off in the Soviet system, so being granted even temporary access to these special shops allowed one to load up on scarce luxury goods that were vital social lubricants in a system where informal arrangements and networks were vital components of navigating everyday life.
Source
Chernyshova, Natalya. Soviet Consumer Culture in the Brezhnev Era. Abingdon, UK: Routledge, 2013.
Official Ruble to Dollar exchange rate in 1971 was 0.9 rubles per $1 USD (Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soviet_ruble#Sixth_Soviet_ruble.2C_1961_-_1991). Accounting for inflation, that translates into ~$5.50 today. In essense, it translates into approximately $1000 today dollars. However, a physical exchange of Rubles to Dollars was never allowed for nearly all citizens in the Soviet Union, so it really comes down to what can 185 rubles buy you in Russia. I'm assuming this is for a citizen in Moscow. Also keep in mind, housing and public services were often highly subsidized, so a salary of 185 rubles is in many ways a stipend for luxury goods (I'm using that term loosely, as a phone or refrigerator would be considered luxury in Moscow in 1970). HEre is one admittedly terrible source for what prices were like in the Soviet Union in dollars assuming a 0.63/USD rate (which means its much more favorable for Americans than 0.9/USD). I'm unable to determine what year these prices were from, but for general purposes it will probably suffice (http://englishrussia.com/2009/03/08/soviet-photos/).