2010 - PAK FA Program
The maiden flight of the first Russian fifth-generation fighter jet was completed successfully on Friday morning, 29 January 2010 at Komsomol'sk-na-Amur. The test pilot of the Russian Federation Sergey Bogdan piloted the aircraft. The prototype PAC[FA] conducted a flight of 47 minutes and completed landing on the takeoff and landing strip of the factory airfield. The flight passed successfully, in complete agreement with the flight mission. "In the course of flight we conducted the primary estimation of the aircraft handling, work of engine and main systems, aircraft produced regular harvesting and landing gear lowering. Aircraft showed well itself in all stages of the flying program outlined by us. It to easily and comfortably govern", noted Sergey Bogdan.
"Today we approached the execution of the flight test program of the aircraft of the fifth generation. This is the great success of Russian science and design thought. After this reaching stands the cooperation more than hundred subcontracting enterprises, our strategic partners. Program PAC[FA] derives Russian aircraft construction and adjacent branches to the qualitatively new technological level. These aircraft, together with the modernized aviation complexes of the fourth generation will determine the potential of Russian VVS during the next decades. Into the plans of company "Sukhoi" enters further development of program PAC[FA], at which we will work together with the Indian partners. I am confident, that our joint project will exceed western analogs on the criterion cost- effectiveness and will make it possible not only to strengthen the defense power VVS of Russia and India, but also will be occupied worthy place on the World Market", said the Director-General of joint stock company "company "Sukhoi" Mikhail Pogosyan, commenting on the beginning of flight tests.
As of early 2010 the newest combat aircraft were planned to be mass produced in Komsomolsk-on-Amur from 2015-2017. At that time, a total production run of at least 150-200 aircraft for the Russian Air Force and 200 aircraft for the Indian Air Force was envisioned. The Russian forces have a stated requirement for 420 aircraft to equip 10 regiments, each with 36 combat aircraft and six trainer-combat aircraft. As of 2006 Sukhoi hoped to achieve export sales of 500-650 aircraft. In January 2010, according to Ruslan Pukhov of the Center for the Analysis of Strategies and Technologies, the PAK-FA might gain one third of the total market for such aircraft, competing with both the F-22 and the F-35. As of early 2010 total developmental costs were estimated at about $8-10 Billion, at which time the unit cost was estimated at about $100 Million.
Lieutenant Colonel Marcel de Haas, Russian security researcher at the Netherlands Institute of International Relations Clingendael, was not convinced of the plane's bright future. "My impression is that this new fighter plane is also more propaganda than a real expectancy," he told Reuters.
As of late 2010, Russia's own needs in the new generation of the equipment, given the size of the country, are estimated as very modest. In 2013-2015 the Ministry of Defense will buy the installation batch of ten aircrafts, and by 2020 a serial batch of 60 units will be purchased for the Air Force.
In 2016, the Russian military will start deploying the fifth-generation fighter jet PAK FA, chief of the Russian Air Forces said August 10, 2014. Lieutenant General Viktor Bondarev gave an outline of his branch's modernization plans, including the build-up of Arctic infrastructure, in a radio interview with the Russian News Service station. The flight trials of PAK FA (T-50) will soon be over, and in 2016 the Air Force is planning to start commissioning the aircraft into service, the general said.
|
NEWSLETTER
|
| Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list |
|
|
|
