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Russian fifth-generation fighter: high hopes
Published: 31 January, 2010, 07:30
Edited: 27 October, 2010, 11:41
Under secrecy, Russia's first fifth-generation PAK FA fighter jet has successfully completed a test flight. Its appearance has now been revealed by Sukhoi, the plane’s manufacturer, which released footage of the flight.
Russia's hopes for the country's newest fighter jet took off with the maiden flight of the Sukhoi PAK FA, ringing in a new era for the country's air force.
This is the world's first look at the latest advances in stealth technology and both air-to-air and air-to-ground weapons in Russia.
“In Russia and the USA, there's a tendency to divide military jets into generations. Every new generation differs in the revolutionary change of a number of tactical and technologic parameters and combat capacities,” says Konstantin Makienko, deputy director of the Centre for Analysis of Strategies and Technologies (CAST).
Click to enlarge
The most significant innovations are its stealth and its ability to remain flying at supersonic speeds for the duration of its flight.
Makienko believes this technology provides a number of tactical advantages. “For example, if you penetrate a thick anti-air defence area, you are fast on the one hand and hard to see on the other, thus your survival rate is increased,” he notes.
The U.S. is the only country with a fifth-generation jet currently in service: the Lockheed-built F-22 Raptor. Lockheed's next fifth-generation jet will be ready in several years.
China also plans to unveil a cutting-edge fighter of its own within the next decade.
The jets are slated to be available for counties to buy between the year 2015 and 2017 and expected to be sold for about $100 million each.India is on-track to add up to 250 of these jets to their air force.
Ruslan Pukhov from the Centre for Analysis of Strategies and Technologies thinks “some countries will buy it for economical reasons, because the Russian fifth-generation jets would be much cheaper than those from the United States.”
 Russian fifth-generation PAK FA fighter jet |
“That's why it's so important to show that we are able to innovate; we are able to produce something outstanding,” Pukhov said.
With twice the range of its American equivalent, the new Sukhoi has the potential to capture up to one-third of the market when it comes into service in three years.
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@plasticpower
Petr Yakovlevich Ufimtsev is a Soviet/Russian physicist and mathematician, considered the seminal force behind modern stealth aircraft technology. In the 1960s he began developing equations for predicting the reflection of electromagnetic waves from simple two-dimensional shapes.
Much of Ufimtsev's work was translated into English, and in the 1970s American Lockheed engineers began to expand upon some of his theories to create the concept of aircraft with reduced radar signatures.Northrop made extensive use of Ufimtsev's work in developing the B-2 bomber.
@Dominik MJ, while stealth aircraft was originally an American achievement, thrust vectoring engines were invented in Russia. You should check your facts sheet. The only advantage we have over Russia is the sheer number of 5th generation jets that we can afford to put in service. That is, assuming our economy doesn't collapse.
No. Its not a publicity stunt. While it does resemble the F-22A Raptor I am certainly postive it will react nothing like it's equal. As for the AN-225 Condor. It has a heavier lift Capacity than the C-17, C-5, and the C-141 combined coupled with a shorter take off and laning dtance with ability to land on unimproved, dirt air strips unlike the Globe Master, Stratolifter, or the Starlifter. The russsian were pragmatic in thier designs- as stated by other posts they had vectored thrust, Look down shoot down capability long before NATO or the US implemented them. truth betold even the antiquated MIG-29A had some novel design features which are still absent on any western Aircraft. Not to meantion the Angle of Attack on the MIG29/SU27/35/37 variant aircrafts which led America to develop the X-30 program which was instrumental in the development of the F-22. So, doubtly this NOT a publicity stunt.