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Putin boasts new jet fighter better than U.S. plane
MOSCOW
Thu Jun 17, 2010 5:26pm EDT
MOSCOW (Reuters) - Prime Minister Vladimir Putin climbed into the cockpit of Russia's newest fighter jet on Thursday and said it would trump a U.S.-built rival, the F-22 Raptor.
India is Russia’s sole partner in the development project and is likely to acquire a twin-seat version of the fighter for its Air Force. The prototype is a single-pilot aircraft.
Putin watched a test flight of a "fifth-generation" stealth fighter, dubbed the T-50 and billed as Russia's first all-new warplane since the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991.
"This machine will be superior to our main competitor, the F-22, in terms of maneuverability, weaponry and range," Putin told the pilot after the flight, according to an account on the government website.
Putin said the plane would cost up to three times less than similar aircraft in the West and could remain in service for 30 to 35 years with upgrades, according to the report.
Successful development of the fighter, built by Sukhoi, is crucial to showing Russia can challenge U.S. technology and modernize its military after a period of post-Soviet decay.
Russia also plans to manufacture T-50s jointly with India.
The F-22 raptor stealth fighter first flew in 1997 and is the only fifth-generation fighter in service. Fifth-generation aircraft have advanced flight and weapons control systems and can cruise at supersonic speeds.
According to the government website, the test pilot told Putin the controls of the T-50 allowed the pilot to operate most of the plane's systems without taking his hands off the joystick, which he said would be very useful under high forces of gravity.
"I know, I've flown," Putin replied. Sukhoi has said the plane should be ready for use in 2015.
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General characteristics
* Crew: 1
* Length: 19.8 m (65.9 ft)
* Wingspan: 14 m (46.6 ft)
* Height: 6.05 m (19.8 ft)
* Wing area: 78.8 m2 (848.1 ft2)
* Empty weight: 18,500 kg (40,785 lb)
* Loaded weight: 26,000 kg (57,320 lb)
* Useful load: 7,500 kg (combat load) (16,534 lb)
* Max takeoff weight: 37,000 kg (81,570 lb)
* Powerplant: 2× New unnamed engine by NPO Saturn and FNPTS MMPP Salyut of 175 kN each. Prototype with AL-41F1 of 147 kN each,[49] definitive version with new engine >157 kN[49]
* Maximum Fuel weight: 10,300 kg (22,711 lb)[47]
Performance
* Maximum speed: 2,600 km/h (Mach 2.45) (1,615 mph) ; at 17,000 m (45,000 ft) altitude
* Cruise speed: 1,300 - 1,800 km/h (808 - 1,118 mph)
* Ferry range: 5,500 km[50] ()
* Service ceiling: 20,000 m (65,616 ft)
* Rate of climb: 350 m/sec (1,148 ft/sec)
* Wing loading: 330(normal) - 470(maximum) kg/m2 (67(normal) - 96(maximum) lb/ft2)
* Thrust/weight: 1.4
* Maximum g-load: +11.0 g[47]
Armament
* Guns: None on prototype. Apparent provision for a cannon (most likely GSh-301)
* Hardpoints: Two internal bays estimated at 4.6-4.7 metres by 1-1.1 metres.[51] . Other sources suggest two auxiliary internal bays for short range AAMS and 6 external hardpoints
Avionics
N050(?)BRLS AFAR/AESA built by Tikhomirov NIIP and based on Tikhomirov NIIP N035 Irbis-E . It will be the second aircraft based AESA Radar to be built by Russia, the first being the Phazotron NIIR ZHUK-A Radar in the MIG-35.
Designed armament
Two Izdeliye 810 Extended beyond visual range missiles per weapons bay. Multiple Izdeliye 180 / K77M beyond visual range missiles. K74 and K30 within visual range missiles can also be carried.
Two KH38M or KH58 USHK air-to-ground missiles per weapons bay. Multiple 250–500 kg precision guided bombs per weapons bay, with a maximum of ten bombs in internal bays.
Other possible loads include one 1500 kg bomb per weapons bay or two 400 km+ range anti-AWACS weapons on external hard-points. A maximum weapons load of 7500 kg is reported.
MOSCOW
Thu Jun 17, 2010 5:26pm EDT
MOSCOW (Reuters) - Prime Minister Vladimir Putin climbed into the cockpit of Russia's newest fighter jet on Thursday and said it would trump a U.S.-built rival, the F-22 Raptor.
India is Russia’s sole partner in the development project and is likely to acquire a twin-seat version of the fighter for its Air Force. The prototype is a single-pilot aircraft.
Putin watched a test flight of a "fifth-generation" stealth fighter, dubbed the T-50 and billed as Russia's first all-new warplane since the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991.
"This machine will be superior to our main competitor, the F-22, in terms of maneuverability, weaponry and range," Putin told the pilot after the flight, according to an account on the government website.
Putin said the plane would cost up to three times less than similar aircraft in the West and could remain in service for 30 to 35 years with upgrades, according to the report.
Successful development of the fighter, built by Sukhoi, is crucial to showing Russia can challenge U.S. technology and modernize its military after a period of post-Soviet decay.
Russia also plans to manufacture T-50s jointly with India.
The F-22 raptor stealth fighter first flew in 1997 and is the only fifth-generation fighter in service. Fifth-generation aircraft have advanced flight and weapons control systems and can cruise at supersonic speeds.
According to the government website, the test pilot told Putin the controls of the T-50 allowed the pilot to operate most of the plane's systems without taking his hands off the joystick, which he said would be very useful under high forces of gravity.
"I know, I've flown," Putin replied. Sukhoi has said the plane should be ready for use in 2015.
-------
General characteristics
* Crew: 1
* Length: 19.8 m (65.9 ft)
* Wingspan: 14 m (46.6 ft)
* Height: 6.05 m (19.8 ft)
* Wing area: 78.8 m2 (848.1 ft2)
* Empty weight: 18,500 kg (40,785 lb)
* Loaded weight: 26,000 kg (57,320 lb)
* Useful load: 7,500 kg (combat load) (16,534 lb)
* Max takeoff weight: 37,000 kg (81,570 lb)
* Powerplant: 2× New unnamed engine by NPO Saturn and FNPTS MMPP Salyut of 175 kN each. Prototype with AL-41F1 of 147 kN each,[49] definitive version with new engine >157 kN[49]
* Maximum Fuel weight: 10,300 kg (22,711 lb)[47]
Performance
* Maximum speed: 2,600 km/h (Mach 2.45) (1,615 mph) ; at 17,000 m (45,000 ft) altitude
* Cruise speed: 1,300 - 1,800 km/h (808 - 1,118 mph)
* Ferry range: 5,500 km[50] ()
* Service ceiling: 20,000 m (65,616 ft)
* Rate of climb: 350 m/sec (1,148 ft/sec)
* Wing loading: 330(normal) - 470(maximum) kg/m2 (67(normal) - 96(maximum) lb/ft2)
* Thrust/weight: 1.4
* Maximum g-load: +11.0 g[47]
Armament
* Guns: None on prototype. Apparent provision for a cannon (most likely GSh-301)
* Hardpoints: Two internal bays estimated at 4.6-4.7 metres by 1-1.1 metres.[51] . Other sources suggest two auxiliary internal bays for short range AAMS and 6 external hardpoints
Avionics
N050(?)BRLS AFAR/AESA built by Tikhomirov NIIP and based on Tikhomirov NIIP N035 Irbis-E . It will be the second aircraft based AESA Radar to be built by Russia, the first being the Phazotron NIIR ZHUK-A Radar in the MIG-35.
Designed armament
Two Izdeliye 810 Extended beyond visual range missiles per weapons bay. Multiple Izdeliye 180 / K77M beyond visual range missiles. K74 and K30 within visual range missiles can also be carried.
Two KH38M or KH58 USHK air-to-ground missiles per weapons bay. Multiple 250–500 kg precision guided bombs per weapons bay, with a maximum of ten bombs in internal bays.
Other possible loads include one 1500 kg bomb per weapons bay or two 400 km+ range anti-AWACS weapons on external hard-points. A maximum weapons load of 7500 kg is reported.
