PAK-FA, T-50: News #2

The people are getting paid... They don't give a rat's @&$ about what we think about the F-35. In fact, a few of those working on it found flaws themselves and got the boot!

and its just outside the window from where i sit- must be work of that airborne laser

Don't worry mate... I am sure you wont feel a thing...

Any new updates on PAK FA?

sepheronx wrote:Any new updates on PAK FA?

Russia ready to launch fifth generation fighter serial production — deputy minister

The initial number of fifth-generation fighters for purchase may be corrected due to adjustment of the state armaments program

KOMSOMOLSK-ON-AMUR, March 23. /TASS/. The Russian Defense Ministry may adjust the order for the T-50 fifth-generation fighters (PAK FA) in the new economic situation with taking into account the Sukhoi Su-35 high flight characteristics, Deputy Defense Minister Yuri Borisov said on Monday.

"It would be better for us to have a reserve of PAK-FA and the possibility to move ahead in the future to using the 4+ fighters’ [Su-30 and Su-35] capabilities to the maximum," the deputy minister said.

He also said that the Komsomolsk-on-Amur-based plant in the Russian Far East that is so far making the PAK-FA prototype models is ready to launch the aircraft series production. "According to the next year plans, we should have the first delivery of the series fifth-generation fighters," Borisov said during a visit to the plant.

"Most importantly, I can say that the fighter has been a success," he said."

According to Borisov, the Defense Ministry within the adjustment of the state armaments program reserves the right to determine the number of fifth-generation fighters for purchase, so the initial plans may be corrected.

The PAK FA (literally "Prospective Airborne Complex of Frontline Aviation") is a fifth-generation fighter programme of the Russian Air Force. The T-50 is the aircraft designed by Sukhoi for the PAK FA programme. The aircraft is a stealthy, single-seat, twin-engine jet fighter, and will be the first operational aircraft in Russian service to use stealth technology. It is a multirole combat aircraft designed for the air superiority and ground attack functions.

The series deliveries of the PAK-FA fighters to the troops are to begin in 2016. According to data as of late 2014, five such fighters were assembled and three more were in the process of manufacturing. By 2020, the Russian Air Force is to receive 55 T-50 fighters, according to Russia’s United Aircraft Corporation.

I just wrote an article about this for my blog - The Sentinel. However, since I am new I will have to wait 7 days before being able to post it.

I think the PAK FA will definitely be a great multirole fighter, especially with its different payload configuration possibilities.

Nice

Defense Ministry: Russian military in 2015 will receive four fifth-generation fighter

Viktor,

I wrote an article about it on my blog but I can't link yet ... www dot thesentinel dot ca .... you'll find it there

Reduced purchases of fighter T-50 than planned in the state armament program until 2020.

George1 wrote:Reduced purchases of fighter T-50 than planned in the state armament program until 2020.

Like in comments section, its coming from kommersant, which isnt reliable. It is a wait and see. They could opt out of Su-35's for PAK FA's as the later is much better. PAK FA costs are also not that high and is affordable. They also say can and may a lot. So no guarantee. From my understanding, Putin said that there will be no changes in weapons procurement. But they may actually order more Su-35's then. That is one rumor.

It could be possible they might decide to lengthen the procurement dates for certain items to reduce costs in the short term and save a little money.

Its too bad that the order for PAK FA has been reduced quite significantly.. will this cause a big impact on future procurements of the Russian air force? what are the likely results? I hope the prices for manufacturing PAK FA won't be affected too much as well as its technological potential ( less money, slower R&D for improving and refining the aircraft)

AbsoluteZero wrote:Its too bad that the order for PAK FA has been reduced quite significantly.. will this cause a big impact on future procurements of the Russian air force? what are the likely results? I hope the prices for manufacturing PAK FA won't be affected too much as well as its technological potential ( less money, slower R&D for improving and refining the aircraft)

It has not been reduced, not in a way that will make unit cost go up. Sukhoi is getting all the funding they need to make the bird right. They are just committing to a smaller batch before deciding how many they will actually order. At worst the production and introduction tempos will just be slower.

Instead of the vague "60 by 2020" floated earlier, they are basically saying they are sighning for 12 airframes now, and will on the basis of these decide how many to order and in what timeframe after. Sounds OK to me.

Though I suspect other luxuries (like the increase of the second Su-35 batch) might find themselves unaffordable now.

There has not been any reduction in procurement of weapons, this was stated by Putin and Co earlier.  It isn't on the table.  Costs have risen on some parts and others would have been reduced due to ruble's value.  So the planes and other equipment would roughly come out the same.

There were a lot of "Can" mention.  Can does not = will.

What this does make me think though is the importance of cheaper aircrafts. MiG-35 should be cheaper than Su-35 and PAK FA, no? As well, PAK FA may be an aircraft of design/choice for now, but I still think it is more geared towards developing the needed technology so they can upgrade existing aircraft with the newer technology (AESA radar for the Su-30SM, etc) as well as maybe transfering that tech towards something like a MiG or some other design. As the threat of war is increasing, the last thing one needs to do is decrease their arsenal or planned purchases.

higurashihougi wrote:Western media doesn't waste a change to say bad things about T-50.

http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Europe/2015/0327/Grounded-Russia-s-answer-to-US-next-gen-fighter-hits-the-skids

...You got to love how it comes with the cliche'd 'Kremlin' and 'Putin', like the Ministry of Defense and Sergey Shoygu, and or the VVS and Viktor Bondarev don't exist or have a say in the matter lol!

magnumcromagnon wrote:

higurashihougi wrote:Western media doesn't waste a change to say bad things about T-50.

http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Europe/2015/0327/Grounded-Russia-s-answer-to-US-next-gen-fighter-hits-the-skids

...You got to love how it comes with the cliche'd 'Kremlin' and 'Putin', like the Ministry of Defense and Sergey Shoygu, and or the VVS and Viktor Bondarev don't exist or have a say in the matter lol!

Not to mention they failed to mention that even if initial batch will be 12 rather than 50, the final amount will still be the same, so they extended the deadline per se rather than dropping the numbers being produced. So they will still end up with the 200 - 250 that they are initially wanting. And they will start production next year.