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PFI 1971 - December - Final Commission Meeting

The final meeting of the NTS MAP devoted to the subject of the TFIs, conducted in TsAGI December 23, 1971, and it was very representative. The delegation was headed by the Client, Deputy Air Force Commander Colonel-General A.Efimov. From the industry at a meeting attended by the leadership of MAP, headed by the Minister, representatives from head institutions MAP airframe EDO (Mikoyan, Sukhoi and Yakovlev) and developers missile - PKPK "Lightning" and M3 "Vympel".

The first presentation was made by A.N.Efimov. His report contained the elements of the theoretical formulation of air combat objectives and general requirements for PFI. On the part of industry speakers were: Deputy. Chief NIIAS deputy A.M.Batken. Chief of TsAGI G.S.Byushgens and deputy chief L.I.Mironov, as well as representatives of the aircraft design bureau and "rocket men".

In the speeches of representatives of MAP is clearly present abstracts of ongoing discussions about the park Description of fighter aircraft. For example, AM Batken to its report at first quite elaborated on the analysis of the main trends of development of weapons and sighting systems abroad and the related process of changing the nature of air combat. Then, referring to made at the Institute of Research, he reiterated that "... to deal with prospective fleet of enemy fighters optimal in terms of efficiency at a fixed cost, is its frontline fighter, which should include two types: a light tactical fighter ( 10 - 14 tons) and heavy tactical fighter (20 - 25 tons).

"Light front-line fighter is a fighter of low weight acting on its territory and having a high efficiency in the near (visual) dogfight. The main rocket armament of this aircraft are lighter missiles with thermal homing missiles and short-range air combat. It is also possible to boost the capacity of the aircraft through the use of weapons of medium-range missiles with radar and heat seekers.

A heavy tactical fighter is the main fighter air superiority, acting as over its territory and over enemy territory when accompanied by stormtroopers. medium-range missiles are a major missile weapons of the aircraft and weapons build-up - long (heavy) with radar homing missiles."

G.S.Byushgens in his speech formulated the basic criteria for PFI and maneuverability in the most general terms described the means to ensure these indicators in terms of aerodynamics. The findings of its report stated that the basic requirements for the Air Force fighter air combat may well be satisfied with the size of the take-off weight of 14 tons., This will require a reduction of the functions assigned to special equipment and weaponry so that the total weight of the payload must not exceed 3.0 -3.5 m.

As a result, it began to develop a new, additional project TTZ on light PFI (LPFI), but the work, as is often usual, was delayed, and formally the document had been prepared only by the summer of 1972, when the PFI program's fate was, in fact, already been solved. In this regard, it is evident that the study of the OKB Mikoyan alternative, fighter smaller dimension was carried out in advance, even before the formal decision on the division of the program into two areas and the issuance of additional TTZ, otherwise it is difficult to explain the fact that the aircraft preliminary design under the designation MiG-29A in weight dimensions 13-14 m was presented to the customer in March 1972.

Yakovlev acted differently: to assess the current political situation, it adopted the "Solomonic solution": to present to the customer at the preliminary design is not one, but two versions of the aircraft - and "light" and "heavy". Moreover, to speed up the work, it was decided that both versions would use the same layout solutions: new, heavy version of the aircraft, designated the Yak-47 was, in fact, scaled up from "light" version Yak-45I fighter. The weight of the fighter was about 23 tons.

Only Sukhoi remained in their former positions, continuing aircraft development project in the same dimension (about 18 tons). Making materials of preliminary design was completed in the 1st quarter of 1972, after which, as expected, it was sent to obtain the conclusions to the relevant sectoral institutions and MAP for consideration to the customer - the Air Force.