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Sukhoi Su-57

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PAK FA
File:Pak fa in flight.jpg
PAK FA T-50 prototype on the day of its first flight
Role Stealth multirole fighter
National origin Russia
Manufacturer Sukhoi
First flight 29 January 2010[1][2][3]
Introduction 2015 (planned)[4][5][6]
Status Test flight / pre-production
Primary user Russian Air Force
Number built 2 flown[7]
Variants Sukhoi/HAL FGFA

The Sukhoi PAK FA (Template:Lang-ru, Perspektivny aviatsionny kompleks frontovoy aviatsii, literally "Prospective Airborne Complex - Frontline Aviation") is a twin-engine jet fighter being developed by Sukhoi OKB for the Russian Air Force.

The current prototype is Sukhoi's T-50.[8] The PAK FA, when fully developed, is intended to be the successor to the MiG-29 and Su-27 in the Russian inventory and serve as the basis of the Sukhoi/HAL FGFA project being developed with India.[9][10] A fifth generation jet fighter, the T-50 performed its first flight 29 January 2010.[3][11] Its second flight was on 6 February and its third on 12 February 2010. As of 31 August 2010, it had made 17 flights and by mid-November, 40 in total. The second prototype was to start its flight test by the end of 2010, but this was delayed until March 2011.[12][13][14][15][16]

Sukhoi director Mikhail Pogosyan has projected a market for 1,000 aircraft over the next four decades, which will be produced in a joint venture with India, two hundred each for Russia and India and six hundred for other countries.[17] He has also said that the Indian contribution would be in the form of joint work under the current agreement rather than as a joint venture.[18] The Indian Air Force will "acquire 50 single-seater fighters of the Russian version" before the two seat FGFA is developed.[19] The Russian Defense Ministry will purchase the first 10 aircraft after 2012 and then 60 after 2016.[20][21] The first batch of fighters will be delivered without the "Fifth generation" engines.[22] Ruslan Pukhov, director of the Centre for Analysis of Strategies and Technologies, has projected that Vietnam will be the second export customer for the fighter.[23] The PAK-FA is expected to have a service life of about 30–35 years.

Development

Radar with APAA for the PAK FA is provided by NIIP. MAKS-2009
APAA in slat. MAKS-2009

In the late 1980s, the Soviet Union outlined a need for a next-generation aircraft to replace its MiG-29 and Su-27 in frontline service. Two projects were proposed to meet this need, the Sukhoi Su-47 and the Mikoyan Project 1.44. In 2002, Sukhoi was chosen to lead the design for the new combat aircraft.[24]

The Tekhnokompleks Scientific and Production Center, Ramenskoye Instrument Building Design Bureau, the Tikhomirov Scientific Research Institute of Instrument Design, the Ural Optical and Mechanical Plant (Yekaterinburg), the Polet firm (Nizhniy Novgorod) and the Central Scientific Research Radio Engineering Institute (Moscow) were pronounced winners in the competition held in the beginning of 2003 for the development of the avionics suite for the fifth-generation airplane. NPO Saturn has been determined the lead executor for work on the engines for this airplane.

The Novosibirsk Chkalov Aviation Production Association (NAPO Chkalov) has begun construction of the fifth-generation multirole fighter. This work is being performed at Komsomol'sk-on-Amur together with Komsomolsk-on-Amur Aircraft Production Association; the enterprise's general director, Fedor Zhdanov reported during a visit to NAPO by Novosibirsk Oblast's governor Viktor Tolokonskiy on 6 March 2007. "Final assembly will take place at Komsomol'sk-on-Amur, and we will be carrying out assembly of the fore body of this airplane", Zhdanov specified.

On 8 August 2007, Russian Air Force Commander Alexander Zelin was quoted by Russian news agencies that the development stage of the PAK FA program is now complete and construction of the first aircraft for flight testing will now begin.[25] Alexander Zelin also said that by 2009 there will be three fifth-generation aircraft ready. "All of them are currently undergoing tests and are more or less ready", he said.[26] In the summer of 2009 the design was approved.[24]

On 11 September 2010, it was reported that Indian and Russian negotiators had agreed on a preliminary design contract that would then be subject to Cabinet approval. The joint development deal would have each country invest $6 billion and take 8 to 10 years to develop the FGFA fighter.[27] The agreement on the pre-design of the fighter was to be signed in December 2010.[28] The preliminary design will cost $295 million and will be complete within 18 months.[29]

Flight testing

Optical detection pod for the Sukhoi PAK FA at MAKS-2009

On 28 February 2009, Mikhail Pogosyan announced that the airframe for the aircraft was almost finished and that the first prototype should be ready by August 2009.[30] On 20 August 2009, Sukhoi General Director Mikhail Pogosyan said that the first flight would be by year end. Konstantin Makiyenko, deputy head of the Moscow-based Centre for Analysis of Strategies and Technologies said that "even with delays", the aircraft would likely make its first flight by January or February, adding that it would take 5 to 10 years for commercial production.[31]

The maiden flight had been repeatedly postponed since early 2007 as the T-50 encountered unspecified technical problems. Air Force chief Alexander Zelin admitted as recently as August 2009 that problems with the engine and in technical research remained unsolved.[32]

On 8 December 2009, Deputy Prime Minister Sergei Ivanov announced that the first trials with the fifth-generation aircraft would begin in 2010.[33] The testing, however, has commenced earlier than stated, with the first successful taxiing test taking place on 24 December 2009.[34][35][36]

The aircraft's maiden flight took place on 29 January 2010 at KnAAPO's Komsomolsk-on-Amur Dzemgi Airport; the aircraft was piloted by Sergey Bogdan (Сергей Богдан) and the flight lasted for 47 minutes.[3][37][38] [39]

A second airframe was first planned to join the flight testing in the fourth quarter of 2010 but was postponed. On 3 March 2011 a second prototype was reported to have made a successful 44 minutes test flight.[12] These first two aircraft will lack radar and weapon control systems, while the third and fourth aircraft, to be added in 2011, will be fully functional test aircraft.[40]

On March 14 2011, the aircraft achieved supersonic flight at a test range near Komsomolsk-on-Amur in Siberia.[41]

The T-50 is expected to be on display at the 2011 MAKS Airshow.[42]

Navalized Sukhoi T-50 PAK FAs will be deployed on the Russian aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov and future Russian aircraft carriers.[43] There will be a competition between the Sukhoi, Mikoyan and Yakovlev design bureaus to choose the new naval aircraft.[44]

Light Fighter

Alexei Fedorov has said that any decision on applying fifth generation technologies to produce a smaller fighter (in the F-35 range) must wait until after the heavy fighter, based on the T-50, is completed.[45]

Design

Although most of information about the PAK FA is classified, it is believed from interviews with people in the Russian Air Force and Defense Ministry that it will be stealthy,[46] have the ability to supercruise, be outfitted with the next generation of air-to-air, air-to-surface, and air-to-ship missiles, incorporate a fix-mounted AESA radar with a 1,500-element array[47] and have an "artificial intellect".[48]

File:Pak fa.jpg
The PAK FA on a runway

According to Sukhoi, the new radar will reduce pilot load and the aircraft will have a new data link to share information between aircraft.[49]

Composites are used extensively on the T-50 and comprise 25% of its weight and almost 70% of the outer surface.[40] It is estimated that titanium alloy content of the fuselage is 75%. Sukhoi's concern for minimizing radar cross-section (RCS) and drag is also shown by the provision of two tandem main weapons bays in the centre fuselage, between the engine nacelles. Each is estimated to be between 4.9-5.1 m long. The main bays are augmented by bulged, triangular-section bays at the wing root.[50]

The Moskovsky Komsomolets reported that the T-50 has been designed to be more maneuverable than the F-22 Raptor at the cost of making it less stealthy than the F-22.[51] One of the design elements that have such an effect is the Leading Edge Vortex Controller (LEVCON).

Avionics

The PAK-FA SH121 radar complex includes three X-Band AESA radars located on the front and sides of the aircraft. These will be accompanied by L-Band radars on the wing leading edges.[52][53] L-Band radars are proven to have increased effectiveness against very low observable (VLO) targets which are optimized only against X-Band frequencies, but their longer wavelengths reduce their resolution.

The PAK-FA will feature an IRST optical/IR search and tracking system, based on the OLS-35M which is currently in service with the Su-35S.

Hindustan Aeronautics Limited will reportedly provide the navigation system and the mission computer.[51]

Engines

The PAK FA was expected to use a pair of Saturn 117S engines on its first flights. The 117S (AL-41F1A) is a major upgrade of the AL-31F based on the AL-41F intended to power the Su-35BM, producing 142 kN (32,000 lb) of thrust in afterburner and 86.3 kN (19,400 lb) dry. In fact, PAK FA already used a completely new engine in its first flight, as stated by NPO Saturn.[54] The engine is not based on the Saturn 117S and is rumoured to be called "127 engine".[55] The engine generates a larger thrust and has a complex automation system, to facilitate flight modes such as maneuverability. Exact specifications of the new engine are still secret. It is expected that each engine will be able to independently vector its thrust upwards, downward or side to side. Vectoring one engine up with the other one down can produce a twisting force. Therefore the PAK FA would be the first fifth generation fighter with full 3-D thrust vectoring along all three aircraft axes: pitch, yaw and roll. These engines will incorporate infrared and RCS reduction measures.[56][57]

Operational history

Testing

The first flight video shows that PAK-FA has no conventional rudders, its vertical tails are fully movable.[58] This special tail fin design is mechanically similar to V-tails used by the Northrop YF-23 in 1990s,[59] but is supplemented by dedicated horizontal stabilators (as on the F-22). The T-50 has wing leading-edge devices above the jet engine intakes that have been called a challenge for signature control.[60]

Specifications

Diagram
Diagram

Because the aircraft is in development, these specifications are preliminary and are taken as estimates from the available images.

Data from warfare.ru,[61] pravda.ru[62]

General characteristics

  • Crew: 1Fuel capability: 10,300 kg (22,711 lb)[61]
  • Radar Cross Section (RCS): 0.5 m²[63]

Performance

Armament

  • Guns: None on prototype. Apparent provision for a cannon (most likely GSh-301).Possible two 30mm cannons[22]
  • Hardpoints: Two internal bays estimated at 4.6-4.7 metres by 1-1.1 metres.[64] Other sources suggest two auxiliary internal bays for short range AAMS and six external hardpoints

Avionics
N050(?)BRLS AFAR/AESA built by Tikhomirov NIIP and based on Tikhomirov NIIP N035 Irbis-E. It will be the second aircraft based AESA Radar to be built by Russia, the first being the Phazotron NIIR ZHUK-A Radar in the MIG-35.[65]

Designed armament

Two Izdeliye 810 Extended beyond visual range missiles per weapons bay. Multiple Izdeliye 180 / K77M beyond visual range missiles. K74 and K30 within visual range missiles can also be carried.[64]
Two KH38M or KH58 USHK air-to-ground missiles per weapons bay. Multiple 250–500 kg precision guided bombs per weapons bay,[64] with a maximum of 10 bombs in internal bays[69]
Other possible loads include one 1500 kg bomb per weapons bay or two 400 km+ range anti-AWACS weapons on external hard-points.[68] A maximum weapons load of 7500 kg is reported.[69]

See also

Related development

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era

Related lists

References

Notes
  1. ^ The new fighter's control systems, avionics and cockpit will be designed on the basis of the Su-35BM's systems.[68]
Citations
  1. ^ Subbotin, Sergei. "Russia to start flight tests of fifth-generation in 2009" RIA Novosti, 3 April 2008. .
  2. ^ "Русский Raptor" впервые взлетит через три дня (in Russian)". LIFE NEW. RetrievedL 25 January 2010.
  3. ^ a b c "Российский истребитель пятого поколения поднялся в воздух (in Russian". Lenta.ru. Retrieved: 29 January 2010.
  4. ^ "Russia draws back veil of secrecy with peek at future fighter." RIA Novosti. Retrieved: 29 January 2010.
  5. ^ Singh, Rajiv. "The 'Raptorski' creates its ripples of envy." aviationweek.com, 30 January 2010. Retrieved: 26 January 2011.
  6. ^ Sweetman, Bill. "PAK-FA Will Be Operational In 2015: Executive." aviationweek.com, 21 June 2010. Retrieved: 26 January 2011.
  7. ^ 2nd Russian Fifth-generation Jet Fighter Completes First Flight
  8. ^ Daly, Kieran. "Russia's United Aircraft reaches maturity." Flight International, 11 August 2009.
  9. ^ Unnithan, Sandeep. "India, Russia to have different versions of same fighter plane." India Today, 29 September 2008.
  10. ^ Cohen, Ariel. "Russia bets on new Sukhoi fighter to match F-35." United Press International (UPI), 16 January 2009.
  11. ^ "Russia to test fifth-generation fighter in 2009." RIA Novosti via rian.ru, 6 December 2007.
  12. ^ a b Russia tests 2nd prototype of fifth-generation fighter | Defense | RIA Novosti
  13. ^ "Second PAK FA prototype to fly in 2011: UAC." Brahmand, 21 Dec 2010.
  14. ^ ОАО "Компания "Сухой" - Новости - Новости компании (in Russian)." sukhoi.org. Retrieved: 26 January 2011.
  15. ^ "Pictures: Indian officials get up close to new-look PAK FA fighter." flightglobal.com. Retrieved: 26 January 2011.
  16. ^ "Defense: Second prototype fifth-generation fighter to fly before yearend." RIA Novosti. Retrieved: 26 January 2011.
  17. ^ Bryanski, Gleb. "Russia to make 1,000 stealth jets, eyes India deal." reuters.com. Retrieved: 26 January 2011.
  18. ^ Mikhail. Kutuzov. "Russian-Indian work on 5G fighter to go ahead without extra deal." rian.ru, 11 June 2010. Retrieved: 26 January 2011.
  19. ^ "No JV with India on fifth-gen fighter: Sukhoi chief." brahmand.com. Retrieved: 26 January 2011.
  20. ^ "Russian military to buy 60 fifth-generation fighters after 2016." rian.ru. Retrieved: 26 January 2011.
  21. ^ "Russia to almost double arms spending." ruvr.ru. Retrieved: 26 January 2011.
  22. ^ a b Druzhinin, Alexei. "Defense: Russian Air Force to buy over 60 fifth-generation fighters." RIA Novosti. Retrieved: 26 January 2011.
  23. ^ Johnson, Reuben F. "Russian think-tank projects additional Su-30, PAK-FA exports." Janes via cast.ru, 13 May 2010. Retrieved: 26 January 2011.
  24. ^ a b "Premier Putin satisfied with Russian fifth-generation fighter tests." RIA Novosti, 20 April 2010.
  25. ^ "Russia to build fifth-generation fighter prototype soon." RIA Novosti, 8 August 2007.
  26. ^ "Russia's next-generation warplane to make maiden flight in 2009." RIA Novosti, 21 January 2009.
  27. ^ India, Russia to Ink gen-5 fighter pact
  28. ^ "Russia, India to begin design of 5G-fighter in December." RIA Novosti, 27 October 2010
  29. ^ "Russia and India fix T-50 fighter design contract cost at $295 mln." RIA Novosti, 16 December 2010.
  30. ^ "Sukhoi PAK FA Updates: First Prototype by August 2009, Special Software for Indian Versions." India Defence, 28 February 2009.
  31. ^ Solovyov, Dmitry. "Interview: Russia's new fighter to fly by yr-end - Sukhoi." Reuters, 20 August 2009.
  32. ^ Halpin, Tony. "Russia unveils its first stealth fighter jet - the Sukhoi T-50." The Times (London), 30 January 2010. Retrieved: 7 February 2010.
  33. ^ "Russia to start 5th generation fighter tests in 2010 - deputy PM." RIA Novosti, 8 December 2009.
  34. ^ "Начались испытания российского истребителя пятого поколения" ["Russian fifth-generation fighter tests have begun"](in Russian)". Lenta.ru, 24 December 2009.
  35. ^ "Сухой" пятого поколения совершил пробежку ["Sukhoi fifth-generation fighter taxiing" (in Russian).] BBC Russian Service, 24 December 2009.
  36. ^ Vogelaar, Rob. "Sukhoi's PAK-FA or T-50 started taxi trials, first flight early in January." Aviation-News, 29 December 2009.
  37. ^ Lenta.Ru: Оружие: Первый полет российского истребителя пятого поколения прошел успешно
  38. ^ "Sukhoi Company launches flight tests of PAK FA advanced tactical frontline fighter." Sukhoi Company (JSC), 29 January 2010.
  39. ^ Pandit, Rajat. "1st test of 5-Gen fighter in Russia." Times of India. Retrieved: 26 January 2011.
  40. ^ a b Komarov, Alexey. "More Sukhoi T-50s To Fly In Next 12 Months." aviationweek.com, 12 March 2010.Retrieved: 26 January 2011.
  41. ^ http://rt.com/news/fighter-pak-fa-supersonic/
  42. ^ Miranovsky, Anatoly. "Russia to export 600 Sukhoi PAK FA fifth generation jets. India to acquire and jointly develop 250 sukhoi T-50 this fifth generation fighters with Russia." pravda.ru. Retrieved: 26 January 2011.
  43. ^ Kramnik, Ilya. "Moscow set to upgrade Admiral Kuznetsov aircraft carrier." rian.ru. Retrieved: 26 January 2011.
  44. ^ Druzhinin, Alexei. "Defense: Russian Navy to get fifth generation carrier fighter after 2020." RIA Novosti, 28 September 2009. Retrieved: 26 January 2011.
  45. ^ "Легкий истребитель 5-го поколения будет создан на базе технологий тяжелого перспективного истребителя" (in Russian). arms-tass.su. Retrieved: 26 January 2011.
  46. ^ Cite error: The named reference Shukla-PACT was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  47. ^ Barrie, Douglas and Alexey Komarov. Visually, the aircraft appears to be a conglomerate of design features from both of the Western ATF prototypes (YF-22 and YF-23) as well as proven design strengths from the Su-27 family of aircraft.
    //www.aviationweek.com/aw/generic/story_channel.jsp?channel=defense&id=news/RUSSAF082609.xml&headline=Fighter%20Order%20Rekindles%20Russian%20Air%20Force "Fighter Order Rekindles Russian Air Force"]. Aviation Week & Space Technology, 26 August 2009. Retrieved: 26 January 2011.
  48. ^ Tendulkar, Sachin. "Russia to commence flight tests of FGFA." Zeenews.com, 23 December 2009. Retrieved: 26 January 2011.
  49. ^ "Sukhoi Company launches flight tests of PAK FA advanced tactical frontline fighter." sukhoi.org. Retrieved: 26 January 2011.
  50. ^ Lake 2010, pp. 26–33.
  51. ^ a b "Russia's T-50 PAK FA Not Fifth-Generation Fighter Jet Yet." pravda.ru. Retrieved: 26 January 2011.
  52. ^ "PAK FA: T-50 - Technologies of take off (English and Greek subs)." youtube.com. Retrieved: 26 January 2011.
  53. ^ "T-50 completes early flight and bench tests." ainonline.com. Retrieved: 26 January 2011.
  54. ^ "NPO." Saturn Press Release, 29 January 2010. Retrieved: 26 January 2011.
  55. ^ Fomin, Andrei. "Fifth generation". Взлет magazine (Aeromed), 2010, p. 38.
  56. ^ Яндекс.Народ
  57. ^ "Safety." RIA Novosti. Retrieved: 26 January 2011.
  58. ^ "Maiden Flight of T-50 (PAK-FA)." Youtube, 29 January 2010. Retrieved: 26 January 2011.
  59. ^ "YF-23 Black Widow II." GlobalSecurity.org. Retrieved: 26 January 2011.
  60. ^ "Major Work Ahead On T-50 Stealth Fighter." aviationweek.com, 8 February 2010. Retrieved: 26 January 2011.
  61. ^ a b c d e "PAK-FA Sukhoi T-50." warfare.ru. Retrieved: 26 January 2011.
  62. ^ "Russia's Fifth Generation Jet Tested Successfully." pravda.ru, 29 January 2010. Retrieved: 26 January 2011.
  63. ^ India, Russia close to PACT on next generation fighter
  64. ^ a b c Butowski 2010, p. 34.
  65. ^ "T-50 Radar." FlightGlobal.com Retrieved: 26 January 2011.
  66. ^ a b Butowski 2010, p. 35.
  67. ^ a b ПАК ФА Т-50
  68. ^ a b c "T-50 / Project 701 / PAK FA." GlobalSecurity.org. Retrieved: 26 January 2011.
  69. ^ a b "Российский истребитель пятого поколения совершил шесть учебных полетов" (in Russian) vesti.ru.Retrieved: April 2010]
Bibliography
  • Butowski, Piotr. "Raptorski's Maiden Flight". Air International, Vol. 78, No 3, March 2010, pp. 30–37. Stamford, UK: Key Publishing.
  • Lake, Jon. "Sukhoi T-50 - Russia's Raptor?" Combat Aircraft, Vol. 11, No.4, April 2010.
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