Yak-44E on Project 1143 Krechyet TAKR [Kiev class]
In the spring of 1976, on the basis of the studies executed by Neva Planning and Design bureau [NPKB], the government adopted the decision about the design in 1976-1977 and the building by 1985 of two atomic aircraft-carrying ships of Project 1153. In concept and in practice this new design did not differ from the Project 1160, but the air group was reduced from 60-70 to 50 flight vehicles.
In November 1977 the government declined this project, after deciding from the fifth ship to build Project 1143 TAKR [Kiev class] taking into account basing on them not only by VTOL aircraft Yak-141 and helicopters KA-252, but also the catapult takeoff aircraft Su-27K and Su-25K. Prepared by November 1980, the precise tactical-technical task [TTZ] for the development of the Project 1143.5 TAKR provided for the creation of ship with a displacement of 55,000 tons with the air group of 46 flight vehicles (Yak-141, Su-27K, and MiG-29K] fighters), Yak-44'0 RLDN aircraft, and KA-27 and KA-27PS helicopters.
But in April 1981 a decision was made about the modernization of the second by constructed the TAKR of Project 1143.4 in the direction of a decrease in the size of its air group to 40 flight vehicles, and adding, besides the VTOL aircraft Yak-141 and the helicopters, the Su-27K and MiG-29K fighters. For takeoff of these fighters the nose section of the flight deck was provided to construct a springboard. For the information input of ships of carrier-based group, and also for the control of the military operations of carrier-based fighters in the authorized strength of the air group of the aircraft-carrying ship of project 1143.4 were included Yak-44E RLDN turboprop aircraft on the upper deck.
The development of aircraft Yak-44E was assigned to OKB L.S. Yakovlev in 1979. Subsequently on the base of RLDN aircraft it was planned to create other modifications of aircraft. By November 1979, OKB A.S. Yakovleva prepared a technical proposal on the RLDN aircraft with basing on land airfields and aboard the aircraft-carrying ships (takeoff from the springboard, landing on the arresting gear). In the stage of technical proposal were examined two alternatives of radio-technical complex [RTK]: "Torch" (with the inner fuselage arrangement of antennas RLS, one in the forward fuselage and the second in the tail) and E-700 (with thesurveillance radar antenna in the revolving fairing above the fuselage).
In March 1980 the OKB held a conference with the deputy chairman of the VPK of the USSR N.S.Stroeva, Glavkoma of the Navy S.G.Gorshkov, Glavkoma VVS P.S.Kutakhov, Minister of Aircraft Industry V.A. Zazakov and Minister of Radio Industry P.S.Pleshakov, with whom they discussed the Yak-44 project. They as a result approved version RTK "Torch". Initially the power plant of the aircraft was combined: under the wing were four lift TRD (turbojet engine) in the fuselage. Lift engines (PD) were used only on the takeoff and the landing for reduction in the unstick speed of aircraft from the deck of ship and its approach for the landing. The calculated takeoff run length from the springboard was 150-200 m, calculated cruising flight speed - 450 km/h, and the duration of patrolling - about 5 h. [RTK] had to reveal the aircraft of enemy in air of at a distance 150-200 km from the ship and direct on them carrier-based fighters. The range of detection of surface targets was more than 300 km. The crew was three people.
However, the installation in the fuselage of four lift engines and the required significant fuel stocks hampered the layout of systems on the aircraft. Many problems arose also in the developers of RTK "Torch", which led to the pulling, and then to curtailment in March 1983 of work on this complex. This led to the serious delay of the development of aircraft Yak-44E as a whole.
In the same period, from 1982, OKB O.K.Antonov had developed the RLDN aircraft An-71 for the Air Force [VVS] on the base of the An-72 military transport aircraft. Therefore, for the output from the created situation in March 1983, they decided to develop the alternative project of ship-based RLDN An-71K aircraft by OKB O.K.Antonov. For increasing the thrust-weight ratio of aircraft An-71 they additionally equipped with booster TRD RD-38A, and its deck version - An-71K - it was intended to equip with three booster TRD. The antenna RLS RTK E-700 was placed in mushroom-shaped fairing at the apex of the tail, which had negative sweepback on the trailing and leading edges. The prototype of the aircraft was ready in the autumn of 1984, and it was by this time explained that the geometric dimensions and takeoff mass did not make it possible to place the An-71K on the TAKR, and this ended further development of the ship-based derivative.
In connection with this, since October 1984 OKB A.S.Yakovlev continued works on Yak-44E on the basis of the new assembly design diagram, in which there is no lift engines, and high takeoff thrust-weight ratio and blowout of the upper wing surface for increasing its lift were ensured with D-27 turbopropfan engines [TVVD]. The new version of the Yak-44E had to be equipped with the RTK E-700 with RLS antenna in the mushroom-shaped fairing above the fuselage, as on the American carrier-based aircraft E-2S Hhawkeye. As a result of certain changes which were made for the ramp takeoff, the Yak-44E had somewhat greater overall size than the aircraft of catapult takeoff with the same measures of effectiveness. However, it was suited rather well to the decks of ship and did not require the noticeable (from the point of view of the effectiveness of entire ship air group) decrease of the number of fighters. From the other side, it is necessary to recognize the positive qualities of the ramp takeoff. As a takeoff device, it possessed larger reliability, especially in the characteristic for the combat activity of Russian fleet in northern waters.
In December 1985 the "Tbilisi" [since 1990, "Admiral Kuznetsov"], was launched, and the yard began building the second analogous ship - "Zak-13 106" ("Riga", and from 1990 "Varyag"). It was assumed that aboard these ships will be based on 3-4 Yak-44E RLDN aircraft.
In January 1990 the commission for the examination of the design of aircraft Yak-44E charged OKB im. A.S.Yakovlev together with other organizations to conduct the estimation of the possibility of the transport of aircraft on the flight deck and in the hangar, and also the conditions for its arrangement and maintenance on the TAKR "Admiral Kuznetsov". Usually it is used for this the simplified by size-weight aircraft scale model. Such mock-ups of fighters Yak-141, MiG-29K and Su-27K, intended for the basing on [TAKR] of this type, passed finally aboard the ship in 1987.
In this case in order to accelerate works on Yak-44E, as the size-weight mock-up they decided to use the finished construction / engineering aircraft scale model. In August OKB im.A.S.Yakovlev finished the modification of this mock-up, then it they dismantled, shipped to barge and delivered by river ways into the Black sea onboard the cruiser, which underwent tests to Sevastopol region. The aircraft scale model Yak-44E was on the flight deck of TAKR "Admiral Kuznetsov" in September 1991 at Sevastopol.By this time TAKR "Admiral Kuznetsov" already underwent official tests, it was enrolled into the composition of northern fleet and prepared for the passage to the North Sea.
Simultaneously in September 1987 it was planned to conduct on the TAKR official tests of aircraft Su-27K, MiG-29K and helicopter KA-31, which had already passed the ground-based part of the tests on at airfields. Therefore the evaluation of operating characteristics of aircraft Yak-44E with the basing on board TAKR "Admiral Kuznetsov" was conducted within the compressed periods during the first half of September 1987. Checks were done on the possibilities of towing and mooring aircraft on the flight deck and in the hangar, rolling to the platform of hoist and lift to the flight deck, descent into the hangar and the installations for the regular place, joinings of aircraft with the posts of technical support in the hangar and on the deck. After the completion of all works according to the program, the aircraft scale model Yak-44E completed the reverse journey into Moscow, where it was established in the assembly shop of OKB.
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