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PFI 1969 - NIIAS & 30th SRI

In general, within the framework of the analysis, in NIIAS there were allocated the most important in terms of the criteria of the Institute, developed the relevant requirements for prospective fighters, its equipment and weapons, and formulated proposals on the structure and types of fighter aircraft fleet of the USSR. It should immediately be emphasized that NIIAS experts from the start of works on the subject of PFI were in favor of creating not one but two main types of fighters - light and heavy.

According to the memoirs of one of the leading NIIAS workers BE Fedunova, the first joint meeting with the representatives of the Air Force on the TFIs held in early autumn 1969 at the old territory of 30 CRI Defense (Khodynka). There were first announced approaches to each of the parties. Representatives of 30 Central Research Institute of Ministry of Defense reported preliminary draft requirements for future aircraft. In turn, speaking from the Deputy Head of the Institute NIIAS AM Batkov presented the appearance dvuhtipovogo fleet as part of the lung (6-10 tonnes) and heavy (up to 24 m) fighter. The report was submitted to the general appearance of each of the types of aircraft and assess the value of their production models.

At TsAGI the first such meeting was held in June 1970. A report of the Institute Deputy Chief of GS Byushgens reported the main results of research on the choice of the scheme of prospective aircraft, with a brief summary of each option - the normal scheme, aircraft with variable sweep wing and tailless. There have analyzed the basic requirements for prospective maneuverable aircraft, made demands on the engine and control system. Also leads the preliminary results of the research of aerodynamics of the aircraft.

Study TTZ Air draft provisions on PFI industry continued throughout the 1970s. By year-end level meetings on PFI rose to its highest level in December 1970 at a special meeting on the issue of creating a new generation of front-line fighter held the MIC. PFI works at the initial design stage, ie under the pilot project, wehere it was decided to carry out on a competitive basis, which was quite unusual for the domestic aviation industry.

After appropriate departmental approvals, and the inevitable "clerical delay" to the beginning of 1971 defined the participants of the competition - they have become three aircraft design bureaus engaged in "fighter" theme: EDO A.I.Mikoyan, P.O.Sukhoi and A.S.Yakovlev. Incidentally, Pavel Sukhoi management IAP had to literally be "persuaded" to participate in the competition, it is this, in particular, it is due to such a long period of negotiation TTZ. According to the memoirs O.S.Samoilovych "Sukhoi wanted to withdraw from the competition, citing the fact that our backlog in electronics will not allow us to create a relatively light aircraft. ... Persistence of P. Sukhoi continued for several months until he "is not twisted arms" and he gave the order to start work. "

It is interesting to note another fact: the words of O.Samoilovych show how sufficiently long and hard with the military debated the question of the name of the new theme. As is known, the FX fighter program included the development in the US, designed for "air superiority" (air superiority). In the USSR, such a statement of the main tasks for the new fighter was found to be insufficient, the domestic perspective plane was asked to name the "superiority fighter in the air."