Russia's First Vice-Premier Ivanov personally repairs fifth generation fighter
Early this year the head of the United Aviation-Building Company (ОАК) Alexey Fedorov said that PAK FA will take off in 2009. Then he said that it is difficult to set the exact date, but certainly the plane will take off in 2009. More precisely it was to have been determined later, after basic development of the manufacture lines, especially of the new composite materials. Almost on the same day the former commander of the Air Force Vladimir Mihailov promised that PAK FA will be in air already in 2008. Assumingly Feodorov was just too cautious, and the plane will be able to fly in 2008. At least, Mihailov though often harsh always kept his word. One of these days Alexey Fedorov assessed the process of works on PAK FA as satisfactory, but who would accuse him of avoiding "perfect" grades in such conditions?
At the session of the MICom First Vice-Premier promised that PAK FA will take off already in the end of the next year. He said it in the presence of the head of the holding company Sukhoi Michael Pogosjana, who declared that straight after that flight tests will begin. Transfer of the documentation on the frame of the new plane to KnAAP (it already began preparation for the production) and to NAPO (the plant in Novosibirsk) is being finished. Manufacturing of the frame will have least problems. At the moment main difficulties are with the onboard radio-electronic equipment, though it has been unreservedly stated that all avionics will be Russian made.
According to some authoritative Russian experts the 5th generation combat aircraft (PAK FA) being created for the Russian Air Force and export somewhat disappeared from public discussions, which is wrong. It concerns not only the aircraft itself, but also individual components of the aviation complex. This is especially wrong when national designers really have noticeable achievements.
One of main elements of the future aircraft is active radar (AFAR). Just several years ago foreign experts doubted that Russian AFARs is a matter of the following years. There were enough skeptics in this country as well. Today the developers of the 5th generation aircraft have a choice: AFAR designed by the NIIP Tikhomirova and another of Fazatron NIIR. The first organization has the official status as the head organization of the radar for the PAK FA. The company first tested the AFAR with 68 receiving-transmitting modules in 2005. Fazatron demonstrated the model of the tactical AFAR with hundreds of such modules. The experimental AFAR of Fazatron is at the stage of tests. “
GosMKB Vympel is designing air-to-air missiles. According to the press service of the company today it deals with “principally new missiles based on the most advanced technologies and technical solutions, which must come into serial manufacturing in 2010-2012”.
One of the critical technologies for the PAK FA is “multi spectral situational data system for the pilot” (SRTR). This technology was first implemented on the model Su-32. The jet has two additional optic-electronic sensors around the cabin, which allow for providing the pilot with the live picture of the situation around the aircraft not as “radio frequency picture”, but as an “optical picture”.
Another technology called “intellectual interface pilot-aircraft” is being developed for Su-35, which is considered as the final “breakthrough” stage to PAK FA. According to the head of Technocomlpex Givi Dzhandzhgava this system is to help the pilot in the situation when the multi role jet with one pilot has to solve several tasks at a time. Technocomlpex already made all individual elements of the system.
Analyzing the data from open sources, it is possible to assume that according to the optimistic scenario serial manufacturing of PAK FA (also known as T-50, I-21, “product 701”) may begin as early as in 2010-2012. Pessimistic scenario - 2015. According to unofficial estimations Russian Air Force will need minimum 200-250 PAK FAs.
Yuri Seleznyov
