Russia unveils its first stealth fighter jet

SwordFish_13

SwordFish_13

Active member
Hi,

Source: BBC News

Russia has unveiled its new stealth fighter jet, meant to boost the country's ageing arsenal of weaponry and be a rival to the US F-22 Raptor.

The Sukhoi T-50, also called the PAK FA, made its maiden flight in Russia's far east. Test pilot Sergei Bogdan said it was "easy and comfortable to pilot".

Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said much work needed to be done before mass production began in 2015.

Stealth technology is meant to nearly eliminate a plane's radar signature.

The plane is being developed by the Sukhoi company at its Komsomolsk-on-Amur production plant.

The new jet has been developed in partnership with India. :D It is seen as a significant milestone in Russia's efforts to modernise its Soviet-era military hardware.

Sukhoi's director Mikhail Pogosyan said he was convinced that the project would "excel its Western rivals in cost-effectiveness and will not only allow strengthening of the defence power of the Russian and Indian air forces, but also gain a significant share of the world market".

The company says the jet's stealth features considerably enhance its combat effectiveness in all weathers.

Its features include: all-weather capability, ability to use a take-off strip of just 300-400 metres, capacity for sustained supersonic flight including repeated in-flight refuelling, advanced avionics, simultaneous attacks on air and ground targets.

But analysts have denied the jet is a leap forward.

"It's just a prototype lacking new engines and a new radar," military analyst Pavel Felgenhauer told the Associated Press news agency.

Originally scheduled for 2007, the T-50's maiden flight was repeatedly postponed because of technical problems.

Observers of Russia's recent military modernisation drive say it has been plagued by delays and quality problems.
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sRlQV5tPxlk&

Peace
-=SF_13=-
 
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I suspect that the flight of the first prototype will be followed by years before a working version will enter service. Remember that aircraft carrier that the Russians were supposed to build for the Indians?
 
Gary of CA said:
I suspect that the flight of the first prototype will be followed by years before a working version will enter service. Remember that aircraft carrier that the Russians were supposed to build for the Indians?
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Delay is their way of Working ;) .. However there is a difference The Aircraft Carrer was supposed to be a gift to a different country doesn't seem to be anyone's priority.. and a fifth generation Fighter Aircraft to modernize Russian Air force would be priority.

After BhraMos this would be the Second big Russia - India joint Production .
 
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Nice aircraft.
But I've said it before and I guess I have to say it again, stealth doesn't mean crap to the guy looking at you through his binoculars.
 
Looks like an Su-27 undergone some serious makeover.
Wonder how effective the stealth is and I don't see any internal weapons stores.
 
Hi,

Just to put into Respective how This India - Russia Project is supposed to progress.. The PAK-FA is totally a Russian Project .. the joint India-Russia Varient would be called FGFA

Source

The Fifth Generation Fighter Aircraft (FGFA) is a fifth-generation fighter which is being developed by Russia and India. It is a derivative project from the PAK FA (T-50 is the prototype) being developed for the Indian Air Force (FGFA is the official designation for the Indian version). The program is initiated to develop a fifth generation fighter aircraft to fill a role similar to that of Lockheed Martin's F-22 Raptor and the F-35 Lightning II, the world's first fifth-generation fighter jets.

According to HAL chairman A.K. Baweja shortly after the India-Russia Inter-Governmental Committee meeting on 18 September 2008, the Russian aircraft will be a single-seater, the Indian FGFA will be a twin seater, analogous to the Su-30MKI which is a twin seat variant of the baseline Su-30. Two separate prototypes with minimum common technology will be developed, one by Russia (designated the Sukhoi T-50) and a separate one by India (designated FGFA).[9]

On January 05, 2010 it was reported that an Indian Defence Ministry delegation to Sukhoi’s flagship aircraft facility in Siberia observe the Sukhoi’s FGFA prototype, which is expected to make its first flight within weeks. A detailed contract on joint development is just around the corner. The contract, which Bangalore-based Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) will sign with Russia’s United Aircraft Corporation (UAC), will commit to building 250 fighters for the IAF and an equal number for Russia. The option for further orders will be kept open. HAL and UAC will be equal partners in a joint venture company, much like the Brahmos JV, that will develop and manufacture the FGFA.[10] Further it was reported that the Bangalore-based HAL has negotiated firmly to get a 25 per cent share of design and development work in the FGFA programme. HAL’s work share will include critical software, including the mission computer; navigation systems; most of the cockpit displays; the counter measure dispensing (CMD) systems; and modifying Sukhoi’s single-seat prototype into the twin-seat fighter that the Indian Air Force (IAF) wants. Further Russia’s expertise in titanium structures will be complemented by India’s experience in composites like in the fuselage. A total of 500 aircraft are planned with option for further aircrafts. Russian Air Force will have 200 single seated and 50 twin-seated PAK FAs while Indian Air Force will get 200 twin-seated and 50 single seated FGFAs.
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Peace
-=SF_13=-
 
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:m16shoot:congratulations to RUSSIA. definitely a step in right direction.i hope it goes into production soon.
 
I thought Russia had their own gas/oil lines :???: n no wonder they can afford to build these 'weapons' when their pay scale is different compared to ours. Maybe our public should consider building up our own forces by reducing pay to near minimum, just to stay competitive?
 
The issue with American hardware right now is not the cutting edge of technology but their affordability and deployability. The F-22 scores a zero on those departments.
 
I saw on a News program (sorry no source, it was one of the military rent-a-mouth on TV) that in fact its a reworked SU-27. The Airframe is new but the avionics and electronics are of the Gen 4 era and not up to Gen 5 Standards.

Cant comment to the authenticity of this report however.
 
If you look at it, it is a highly modified Su-27.
That was my first impression when I saw it and that's all I believe it is unless proven otherwise.
 
the_13th_redneck said:
If you look at it, it is a highly modified Su-27.
That was my first impression when I saw it and that's all I believe it is unless proven otherwise.
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Aren't shape of plane and materials it is made of most important factors to fit it into 5th generation? Modern avionics, radars and armament can be attached to an older planes too, but that is not enough to transpose an older plane in a 5th generation.
 
the_13th_redneck said:
The issue with American hardware right now is not the cutting edge of technology but their affordability and deployability. The F-22 scores a zero on those departments.
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There is nothing later in technology 'that flies' than the F-22 and F-35! The high thrust efficient engines, the AESA radar, other sensors are unmatched and, that's not counting stealth! Every two to three years the F-22 goes through an upgrade, assuring the F-22 will remain state of the art. The third upgrade will come next year -2011.
NOW... if you are trying to compare the micro-processor of you PC to that of the F-22's, you are correct that it is not the latest in technology. Regardless of what processor you use, by the time you design it into a major system (seven years plus), it will be dated by PC standards. Then again, a PC is not a major system, it is a rather small subsystem!
 
I cant help but sense familiarity with that plane...like Ive seen it some place before..

Anyways, congratulations russia about time they got a stealth plane...cant help feeling it lagged behind the West for a good 25 years..


F-22! thats it, thats what im reminded of...i guess they liked it.
 
AVON said:
There is nothing later in technology 'that flies' than the F-22 and F-35! The high thrust efficient engines, the AESA radar, other sensors are unmatched and, that's not counting stealth! Every two to three years the F-22 goes through an upgrade, assuring the F-22 will remain state of the art. The third upgrade will come next year -2011.
NOW... if you are trying to compare the micro-processor of you PC to that of the F-22's, you are correct that it is not the latest in technology. Regardless of what processor you use, by the time you design it into a major system (seven years plus), it will be dated by PC standards. Then again, a PC is not a major system, it is a rather small subsystem!
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How many missions has the F-22 flowin the GWOT?
And what is it's combat readiness rate?
Go look it up.
I know how awesome the F-22 is when it actually works, it is without equal. I did not claim otherwise. Read what I actually wrote.
 
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