Russian next gen fighter to fly in 2009

[CV32]

From RIA Novosti

 

Russia's next-generation warplane to make maiden flight in 2009

19:51 | 21/ 01/ 2009

 

ASTRAKHAN, January 21 (RIA Novosti) - Russia's first fifth-generation warplane will make its maiden flight before the end of this year, the deputy prime minister in charge of arms procurement said on Wednesday.

 

"We expect the plane to take to the skies no later than the end of this year," Sergei Ivanov told a news conference after a meeting of the Military-Industrial Commission.

 

Earlier plans set 2010 for the first tests of the new fighter, which will feature high maneuverability and stealth to ensure air superiority and precision in destroying ground and sea targets.

 

Russia's advanced multirole fighter is being developed by Sukhoi, which is part of Russia's United Aircraft Corporation (UAC), along with India's Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), under a preliminary intergovernmental agreement signed in October 2007.

 

Russia and India will simultaneously develop two versions of the combat aircraft - a two-seat version to meet the requirements of India's air superiority doctrine, and a single-seat version for the Russian Air Force.

 

The Russian version will be built at the Komsomolsk-on-Amur aircraft-manufacturing plant in Russia's Far East.

 

Ivanov said the plant had almost completed the construction of a first prototype of the fifth-generation fighter, but it will undergo only durability tests on the ground at a research facility in Zhukovsky near Moscow.

 

However, a second prototype will be built and will take to the skies by the end of this year, he said.

 

Ivanov also said on Wednesday that the aircraft manufacturing industry should review and adjust some testing programs and methods due to advanced nature of the new aircraft.

 

[CV32: Seems a tad ambitious?]

[TonyE]

[CV32: Seems a tad ambitious?]

 

my 2 cents is that doesn't seem at all outrageous. I don't think that when working with known structural materials there is anything more that can be accomplished in 5 years than 1, given proper funding of course. Development of new aircraft will stumble on software and stealth coverings, neither of which need be present in a flyable plane even if the end result contains nifty software and stealth aiding materials.

[eclipse_trb]

[CV32: Seems a tad ambitious?]

 

my 2 cents is that doesn't seem at all outrageous. I don't think that when working with known structural materials there is anything more that can be accomplished in 5 years than 1, given proper funding of course. Development of new aircraft will stumble on software and stealth coverings, neither of which need be present in a flyable plane even if the end result contains nifty software and stealth aiding materials.

 

Not to mention the Russians always seemed willing to let one or two crash and burn while they work the bugs out, at least in the past anyways.

[CV32]

You guys are pretty forgiving of the Russians.

 

The Sukhoi design for a fifth generation fighter is the PAK FA.

 

I will be very surprised if anything beyond a very early prototype (something that will likely be quite different from the final jet) gets into the air in 2009.

[noxious]

Not to mention the Russians always seemed willing to let one or two crash and burn while they work the bugs out, at least in the past anyways.

 

I think the Canadian pilots who sneakily died testing the faulty tail of the F-18 while believing they were flying production planes on patrol would disagree it's just the Russians

So would the US airmen who shared the same fate as those Canucks

 

We just don't hear about the test pilot crashing, or didn't because it was/is restricted/classified, but if the opposition or competition experiments the same problems, we make it front page news

 

New planes crash, whatever countries field them. And don't be too quick to disregard the Russian's technical abilities : they now have money to retain (well, and other techniques) brain power, which in the math/logic/comp sci department they are in the top echelon, always have been.

What they didn't have during the Cold War, among other procurement problems, is cheap access to miniaturized electronics. They do now.

They fielded better planes than the West in certain generations while lagging in electronics and material procurement.

Even the field, add the Indians (another great source of math brains) and you have a puzzle that shouldn't be ignored

 

That said, who knows what the next year has in store for the Russian air force ?

[eclipse_trb]

 

I think the Canadian pilots who sneakily died testing the faulty tail of the F-18 while believing they were flying production planes on patrol would disagree it's just the Russians

So would the US airmen who shared the same fate as those Canucks

 

 

Wasn't really comparing their tests capabilities to the Western powers just the simple fact that in the past they were willing to lose a few airframes to test their systems since they tended to have less capabilities in lab testing that the US or Europe would have.Also if Lockheed martin loses a jet in initial testing competitions it tends to make them look bad but from the sounds of it the Russians already decided who the manufacture is so their is no worry of losing a competitive selection contract.

 

Besides the lack of technology one thing that also greatly affected their aircraft manufacturing was materials used (they tended to use lots of metals instead of composites and therefore had to compensate in other areas, larger engines more fuel etc etc..) and quality control during manufacturing if they have worked those 2 out along with their ability to purchase electronics then they should be able to put up an interesting aircraft but by the end of the year would require at least a few shortcuts.

[Silent Hunter UK]

As for the stealth stuff- they've probably had a look at that F-117 that got shot down over Serbia in 1999.

[CV32]

As for the stealth stuff- they've probably had a look at that F-117 that got shot down over Serbia in 1999.

 

That was a different generation and type of stealth technology, not terribly useful to any new generation fighter, even to the Russians. Just compare the F-117 to the F-22 and you'll readily see what I'm talking about.

[Silent Hunter UK]

As for the stealth stuff- they've probably had a look at that F-117 that got shot down over Serbia in 1999.

 

That was a different generation and type of stealth technology, not terribly useful to any new generation fighter, even to the Russians. Just compare the F-117 to the F-22 and you'll readily see what I'm talking about.

 

But surely the radar-asborbing materials would help.

[CV32]

But surely the radar-asborbing materials would help.

 

Oh, I'm not saying they would not have been mildly interested (and there are a few reports of the Serbs inviting the Russians to examine the wreckage, and the Russians taking samples for testing, etc, etc), but by 1999 the stealth technology (yes, even the RAM) used in the F-117 was quite dated. The Russians would not have been spending much time and effort trying to replicate it.

[Crashdown109]

But surely the radar-asborbing materials would help.

 

Oh, I'm not saying they would not have been mildly interested (and there are a few reports of the Serbs inviting the Russians to examine the wreckage, and the Russians taking samples for testing, etc, etc), but by 1999 the stealth technology (yes, even the RAM) used in the F-117 was quite dated. The Russians would not have been spending much time and effort trying to replicate it.

 

But do they have knowledge of their own on RAM? Is it something that can compete with the stuff we can produce?

[CV32]

But do they have knowledge of their own on RAM? Is it something that can compete with the stuff we can produce?

 

Absolutely they do have their own radar absorbent materials. The Su-30MK Flanker, certain anti-ship missiles, even the Kirov class battlecruisers are reportedly fitted with RAM.

 

Whether it can perform as well as American technology, I have no idea, of course.

 

But I would think the Russians have yet to perfect the application and maintenance of RAM (not that its much easier in the West, since even US aircraft require plenty of regular maintenance to keep up the integrity of their RAM coatings).