"Phantom" does not catch up. "phantom" does not catch up with New Su 57 aircraft

The fifth-generation Su-57 fighter, which the Russian military positions as unrivaled in its class, received a rather controversial assessment from a regular contributor The magazine National Interest Dave Majumdar, who specializes in combat aviation.

In his opinion, in terms of its flight characteristics, the Su-57 is superior to the Chinese J-20. Even with the AL-41F1 first-stage engine, it has good speed and excellent maneuverability, including at high angles of attack. Thrust on the afterburner AL-41F1 reaches 14.5 thousand kgf, which gives decent performance in supersonic.

And when the Su-57 receives more powerful turbines with a thrust of up to 19 thousand kgf, which are still referred to as "Product 30", the aircraft will completely equal the American F-22 and will also be able to maintain supersonic cruising speed. It is believed that this is one of the main indicators of the fifth generation fighter.

The J-20 is about the same power as the Su-57 with the first stage engine. In maneuverability, he does not win, and even loses to the Russian fighter. But there is one but. According to the author of NI, when designing a fighter, the Chinese paid much more attention to the effective dispersion area (ESR) than the Russians. Therefore, the Su-57 will be more noticeable on the radar than the J-20.

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For example, the aircraft will be emitted by a rounded electro-optical sensor, which the designers did not deepen into the body. In addition, the wing roots have special movable flaps (LERX), which also affect the EPR of the aircraft.

The engines in the Su-57 are not well camouflaged; in the same F-22, the nozzles are slightly recessed into the body. The Chinese J-20 also has a more progressive stealth design. Electro-optical and infrared sensors are hidden from him. The J-20 has better aerodynamics, the aircraft itself is more streamlined. The Missile Warning System (MWS) is almost the same as the F-22 and F-35.

The problem of the Chinese fighter is the engine, if Beijing manages to build an analogue of the "Product 30", then the J-20 can compete with the Su-57 in close combat. At the moment, the WS-15 is being developed with a thrust of up to 18 thousand kgf, but it is not clear when it will be put on the plane.

As for the sensors, there is still no exact data on which aircraft they are more effective on. The fact is that they were designed for different tasks. Su-57 pilots will try to spot the enemy's fifth-generation fighters using the Belka radar, which operates in the X- and L-bands. According to Western experts, this is possible, but it is not known whether it will be possible to capture the target and lead it.

The Chinese took a different path and tried to make an aircraft similar to the F-35. His main task will not be an air battle with a squadron of enemy fighters, but an unexpected strike when the enemy does not even think about the danger. To do this, he has a system similar to the American AN / ASQ-239, but not as advanced.

Obviously, the Su-57 and J-20 were conceived for different tasks. If the Russian fighter was created as a counterweight to the American "predator" F-22, then the Chinese J-20 is much closer to the F-35, which does not need to gain superiority in the sky in close combat, but it is enough just to detect the enemy first and strike.

Mass production latest fighter Su-57 "no need to force." This was first discussed by the new curator of the defense complex, and then by the head of the profile commission of the State Duma. But a few years ago, very serious hopes were placed on this fifth-generation car - which, it seems, the project did not justify at all. What went wrong?

In an era of rapid technological development, the fifth generation Su-57 fighter will quickly become obsolete, so we need to focus on developing a new, sixth generation aircraft. This was stated by a member expert council State Duma for the aviation industry, head of the Duma commission for legal support development of defense organizations Vladimir Gutenev. “The Su-57 will not be massively purchased in the interests of the Aerospace Forces. But the car has excellent export potential, many countries would like to buy it, ”Gutenev told the Interfax agency.

Let's leave the statement about the "excellent export potential" on the conscience of the deputy - foreigners always buy only those vehicles that the Russian army itself prefers to use. One statement of the deputy contradicts another - if the Su-57 is not massively purchased in the interests of the Aerospace Forces, its export potential can be safely put an end to. The most important thing is why the deputy confirms that the Russian Air Force, in fact, is abandoning the aircraft, on which such hopes were placed and in the development of which such gigantic funds were invested?

Such a harsh judgment cannot be considered the opinion of a single deputy, even from a specialized commission. Gutenev stressed that he is in solidarity with the opinion of the new curator of the defense industry, Deputy Prime Minister Yuri Borisov, in the recent past, Deputy Minister of Defense. There is no point in speeding up the mass production of the Su-57, Borisov said on the air of the Rossiya 24 channel on Monday.

The Deputy Prime Minister paid tribute to the qualities of this fighter: the Su-57 "proved to be very good, including confirming its flight performance and combat capabilities." But at the same time, Borisov noted: today, one of the best aircraft in the world is considered a representative of the previous generation “4+” - the Su-35. Apparently, the Su-35 is quite an effective and at the same time not so expensive option.

A similar argument was made by deputy Gutenev. The Aerospace Forces already have some of the world's best Su-35S fighters in service, he said. According to Gutenev, these vehicles of the “4+” generation are superior in combat qualities not only to the main American counterparts - the F-15 and F-16. To some extent, the Su-35 is not inferior to the F-35 and F-22 - fifth-generation aircraft, the deputy believes.

Such conclusions contrast with the promising plans that were announced at the beginning of work on the T-50 (such was the factory index of the current Su-57). The development of this fifth-generation fighter within the framework of the PAK FA project (Promising Aviation Complex of Frontal Aviation) began back in 2001-2002. It was planned that the fifth-generation fighter, which is at the forefront of military-technical thought (stealth technology, advanced avionics, powerful radars), should become a counterweight to the F-22 and F-35.

Investments in the project were more than impressive. Nine years after the start of work, in 2010, President Vladimir Putin stated that about 30 billion rubles were spent on the first stage of creating the aircraft alone. The same amount, according to the head of state, was required to complete the work.

Then, in 2010, the first flight was made. The Ministry of Defense planned that mass production of new aircraft would begin at the end of 2016. Only from 2016 to this year, the Air Force was supposed to receive eight T-50s annually. The state armaments program until 2020 included the purchase of 52 vehicles. It was planned to form two regiments.

But, as they say, "something went wrong." After 17 years since the start of work, Deputy Prime Minister Borisov stated: the tests of the Su-57 "are going according to plan" (that is, it is still far from entering the series), and in 2018 only two prototypes should be accepted into the Aerospace Forces. Experienced, but not serial.

The deviation from the set course could be noticed back in 2015. The same Yuri Borisov, then in the rank of deputy head of the Ministry of Defense, reported: the department of Sergei Shoigu reserves the right to review the number of purchased vehicles. "Contracted" was only 12 T-50 aircraft. On the other hand, last year the Ministry of Defense ordered about a hundred Su-35S and more than 100 Su-30SM.

Experts believe that the reason for the decline in interest in the Su-57 was "interspecific" competition.

Firstly, in terms of its characteristics, the Su-35 is almost as good as the Su-57. Secondly, the current models of the latest Su-57 are equipped with outdated engines - similar to those used on the Su-brand aircraft operating in the Air Force. The modernization of this "engine" took 14 years, and only in April were state bench tests completed. In May, it was reported that the "flying laboratory T-50-2" (prototype Su-57) continues flight tests with the engine of the second stage. But this engine, referred to as "product 30", as expected, should have been in business for a long time.

The specificity that manifested itself in Soviet times- the latest aircraft appear before the engines they need are developed and tested (and this is understandable, given the complexity of manufacturing this essential element aircraft).

Thirdly, the question of cost. The price of one Su-57 unit is about $50 million, or 3.16 billion rubles. For comparison, in 2014, the then Commander-in-Chief of the Air Force, Viktor Bondarev, complained about the high cost of the Su-30, Su-35 and Su-34 entering the army: “Each aircraft costs more than 1 billion rubles!” Recall that in the early 1970s, the excessive cost "buried" the project of the promising Su-100 bomber-missile carrier. And not just him.

The current interest shown by the military department in the Su-35 is fully justified. “The fighter has established itself as an excellent aircraft with good performance in terms of flight range. It is important that it can be used as a multipurpose aircraft, as frontline bomber, even as an escort aircraft with a good range - with the "engines" that are on it. And I think that this is not the last engine, they will continue to be developed in terms of increasing the range of its flight, ”explained the former instructor pilot, Air Force Major Andrei Krasnoperov to the VZGLYAD newspaper. Such a “class 4 ++” aircraft lacks one plus to complete invisibility for radars, the expert notes.

As for the Su-57, Krasnoperov believes that this

"Let's just say, a more expensive toy."

“The fact that the characteristics of the Su-57 are very similar to the Su-35, especially in terms of the engine, is understandable, but a new engine is being developed, and it will appear. All this does not come immediately and, of course, requires costs, ”the pilot emphasizes. In the meantime, “in order to keep the defense capability of our country at the required level, it is necessary to purchase those aircraft that are available and that are reliable - this applies primarily to the Su-35,” Krasnoperov emphasizes. We add that this raises the question - why the bet on the Su-35 was not made earlier?

The expert also recalls that “American F-series aircraft have suffered several accidents and, in general, they have many failures. That is, the project is damp.” Recall that the F-35 fighter, the latest and extremely expensive (Lockheed Martin presented as an achievement the reduction in its cost from 100 million to 85 million dollars apiece), was subjected to harsh criticism. In particular, a lot has been said about him with bailouts, which, apparently, so far.

Critics are of the opinion that high-tech, but expensive fifth-generation fighters, both domestic and American, represent a kind of “dead end” in the evolution of combat aircraft. It cannot be said that the Ministry of Defense directly confirms this opinion. But let us pay attention to the statement of Deputy Gutenev mentioned at the beginning. He, among other things, said that work should begin on the next generation combat aircraft, which would become a transitional link between manned and.

And this means that we will most likely never see the mass production of the Su-57.

IN Lately facilities mass media There is a lot of talk about the Russian fifth-generation fighter, which was formerly known as the T-50 and has now received the official name of the Su-57. India's decision to abandon this joint program could be a disaster for future aircraft. It was adopted after the failed use of this machine in war-torn Syria at the end of February. The program was also negatively affected by the fact that Russia cannot afford large production batches of such aircraft, as well as continuing problems with engines.

But above all, the low visibility of this machine is doubtful, since it lacks some of the key characteristics that are defining for modern stealth fighters. Nevertheless, all of the above does not mean that the Su-57 does not have noteworthy qualities and features.

To a certain extent, the T-50/Su-57 is a misunderstood aircraft. Its lack of high-tech stealth design features does not mean that this machine is useless and even inefficient. Designers from the Sukhoi Design Bureau have chosen a "balanced approach" to the implementation of stealth technologies in the new fighter. Therefore, the reduced effective scattering surface of the aircraft from certain angles of view has become simply one of the characteristics to be considered along with other design priorities. Most likely, this is due to the need due to the lack of developments in materials that provide invisibility, the production base and relevant design developments. And yet, the result was the same.

I have already written about the role that a weapon capable of striking without an aircraft entering the affected area began to play in this equation. But the design of the airframe also provides for some other features, due to the understanding that, in terms of stealth alone, the Su-57 will not be able to compete with American and even Chinese fighters. And if we take into account the organizational structure of the Russian armed forces and the military doctrine that stands behind it, it becomes clear that penetration into the depths of the most modern and integrated air defense systems during certain expeditionary operations is not a top priority for Russia.

I am often asked: what is the degree of "invisibility" of the S-57 in comparison with other fighters? Based on a long study of this aircraft and numerous conversations with people from the aerospace industry about its design, I can draw the following conclusion. The Su-57 is a cross between the American Super Hornets (F/A-18E/F Super Hornet) and Silent Eagle (F-15SE Silent Eagle), and the Chinese J-20. However, it is closer to the first two.

With all this in mind, I want to talk about five features of the Su-57 that we like. Some are intended to make up for the aircraft's lack of ultra stealth performance, at least in part.

Side radars

The Su-57 has one feature that the designers of the F-22 have long promised, but have not kept their word. This is a radar station looking to the sides, located below the cockpit on the "cheeks" of the aircraft. Such X-band active phased array radars complement the main H036 Belka active phased array radar. Presumably, the share of auxiliary radars accounts for a third of the transceiver modules of the aircraft's main radar.

At first glance, the benefits of these radars are obvious - they provide a much larger sensor field of view and increase the situational awareness of the Su-57 pilot. But behind this lies the main advantage. These radars give the pilot the ability to perform key tactics much better than on any other aircraft. This tactic is commonly referred to as radiation or flare.

Radiation is when the aircraft turns 90 degrees away from the enemy Doppler radar and becomes perpendicular to it. Because these types of radars use the Doppler effect to measure the target's relative velocity and filter out low relative velocity signals such as ground clutter, the emitting fighter does not go very far or approach the enemy's radar, and may enter the radar's "Doppler gap". .

The blind spot is where the speed strobe, acting as a filter, sees a target that is moving so slowly relative to it that it ignores it. Therefore, even when an enemy fighter flies at a speed of 800 kilometers per hour, the radar does not notice it. As a result, it filters out information about this target, as it filters out information about a mountain top. This is an extremely useful tactic when the radar is at a higher altitude than the emitting aircraft and is attempting to acquire a target in a low hemisphere target engagement scenario against the ground.

But when making a maneuver, a radiating fighter equipped with a fixed AFAR or mechanically scanned antenna array loses the radar image of the enemy it wants to get away from. If there are no extraneous detection devices transmitting data to a radiating fighter via a data link, the pilot "goes blind" and ceases to be in control of the combat situation at the moment when it is most important. Even worse, radar-guided missiles launched from a radiant fighter will not be able to receive updated information about the target in the middle section of their flight, and therefore the probability of hitting the target in this case is sharply reduced, especially if launched from a long distance.

Modern radars with AFAR are very sensitive and have a complex software, which to a certain extent reduces the impact of exposure as a tactic. But it is still of great importance, especially when conducting combat operations with an enemy that does not have serious network capabilities and auxiliary tracking equipment.

When you consider that the Su-57 lacks advanced stealth capabilities, the benefit of side radars becomes clear - they can reduce the possibility of detecting an aircraft using flare tactics, especially at long distances, while still actively directing their missiles to the target.

Again, modern networking capabilities, especially those of the United States and its allies, can reduce the effectiveness of illumination in the battlespace where active surveillance, including with the participation of AWACS aircraft, ground-based and ship-based radars and other fighters, which jointly create an overall picture transmitted via data channels. But Russia has nothing to gain from such a network interface, in fact, like many of its likely adversaries. For this reason, it seems very reasonable to install side radars on the Su-57, which help to ensure situational awareness of the pilots and aim weapons at the target with simultaneous radiation without outside help.

Large swarms of Su-57s are also said to have L-band (Ultra High Frequency) radar antenna arrays on the leading edge. First of all, they are designed to recognize targets. The aircraft has another X-band array in the tail to increase the situational awareness of the pilot. It is possible that in the future it will be used to guide missiles that capture a target after launch.

It should also be noted that AFAR can be used to carry out pinpoint electronic attacks. Theoretically, a fighter's radar could use these EW techniques while attacking another aircraft or being attacked. It is advantageous to do this even at a sharp angle, without changing the position of the nose of the car. For this reason, the Su-57 can become a powerful means of electronic warfare, if not today, then in the future.

It is worth noting that when emitted, the energy of the radar can give out your location. But the Su-57 has a solution for this problem as well.

Infrared search and tracking

The Su-57 has on board a modern optoelectronic search and tracking system 101KS Atoll, which is located in a traditional place for Russian fighters - in the upper part of the nose of the aircraft near the windshield of the cockpit. Such an arrangement clearly harms the radar visibility of the Su-57 in the forward hemisphere, which is more important than anything else. But infrared search and tracking is one of the best technologies for detecting and dealing with stealthy targets at long range. I recommend reading more about infrared search and tracking and how it is used in air combat in order to better understand the unique capabilities that this system gives to aircraft in air combat.

Su-57 in flight

Infrared search and tracking can be used to transmit target information to fighter missiles in flight, even when the aircraft is pointing along the beam. First of all, such search and tracking allows the Su-57 to operate and hit targets while maintaining “electromagnetic silence” (that is, without emitting radio waves). Nowadays, this is extremely important, in fact, as well as to remain unnoticed by the enemy’s radar. In addition, infrared search and tracking are not affected by electronic warfare.

Modern combat aircraft can detect, classify and even geolocate enemy radiation. The radar mode with a low probability of intercepting signals by the enemy greatly helps to remain invisible, although some radiation still remains. But low probability of interception is a very general term, and not all low probability of interception radars can go unnoticed while actively operating in a combat situation.

However, the infrared search and tracking system allows for creative tactics that can surprise the enemy and disrupt his combat plan by detecting flaws in it. But then again, first of all, the Su-57 gets the ability to detect and even destroy the most inconspicuous aircraft without giving any radio signals. Such systems have a limited range and their operation is affected by atmospheric conditions. Therefore, it is difficult for them to get close to the target before they can be destroyed by a long-range air-to-air missile. It is also worth noting that this system can create an image of an aircraft out of sight, which is quite useful, since the pilot in the harsh conditions of air combat can be the first to strike.

A modern infrared search and tracking system was also promised to F-22 pilots as part of the Advanced Tactical Fighter Program. But it was closed to save money. Money when the designers moved from prototypes to production versions. Today, the Navy and Air Force are close to getting infrared search and tracking systems for their 4th generation fighters. The F-35 can use an electro-optical targeting system for long-range aircraft identification and limited search and tracking, but this is no match for a separate infrared search and track system.

Controlled infrared countermeasures system

Like the F-22, the Su-57 has several missile launch detection apertures located in different locations. But it also has turrets for variable laser beams that blind an incoming enemy missile and knock it off course. Used in the Su-57 Russian system is part of the N101-KS electronic-optical complex, which also includes missile launch detection systems, an infrared search and tracking system, as well as turrets for controlled counteraction to infrared weapons located on top of the fuselage behind the cockpit, as well as under the fuselage in the cockpit area.

The optoelectronic countermeasures complex was installed on several prototypes of the Su-57, and it works in accordance with the declared characteristics. This complex can reliably protect the aircraft from modern infrared-guided missiles, which are also called thermal homing missiles. These include various MANPADS and aircraft missiles.

The guided infrared countermeasure system, which the US military and its allies have been using for almost 20 years, works more effectively against modern thermal homing heads than against disposable electronic countermeasures such as thermal reflectors and IR traps.

Russia has installed rather bulky anti-IR systems on some of its helicopters and transport aircraft, but what the Su-57 has is much smaller. These systems in their compactness may well compete with the American ones. But in Syria, Russia is very much afraid of MANPADS, which is absolutely right.

Installing a controlled infrared countermeasures system on a fighter is unheard of. Of course, the concept itself exists, but at present, these self-defense systems are installed mainly on military transport aircraft and helicopters in order to protect against MANPADS, and not against aircraft missiles. But the goal of the Su-57's controlled anti-infrared system is definitely to disrupt the attacks of just such missiles. In this sense, the Su-57 is a kind of pioneer. And systems of this type may well become a deterrent for long-range infrared-guided aircraft missiles and dual-function missiles.

Welcome to bad airfields

Russian fighters, even the most modern and inconspicuous, are designed and built with a large margin of safety. They have a reinforced chassis and large wheels, as well as mudguards on the front wheel. Various versions of the MiG-29 even have air intake flaps that close during taxiing. Some Su-27 models have screens that perform the same function of cutting off air flows. The Su-57 does not have such obstacles on the air intakes, but has a solid chassis, about the same as its predecessors.

If you've ever seen Russian airfields, or at least some of them, you'll understand why airplanes need strong undercarriages. But it can also come in handy when performing various landing tasks at airfields and runways where there is no small army of cleaner cars.

In this regard, many American aircraft are inferior to Russian ones, and this is a rather serious problem, since the Pentagon intends to actively use its aircraft in the event of a crisis in the Pacific region, which will be deployed at poorly equipped airfields. But within the framework of this concept, fragile machines like the Raptors and even the Reaper drones will have to land and take off in small groups from the runway on the isolated islands.

Three-dimensional thrust vector deflection system

We talked about the fact that the thrust vector is of only limited use in different operational modes of fighter flight. It is most useful for high altitudes and speeds, or in a mode close to stalling. But it's still cool, especially if there are few other advantages.

Controlled nozzles of AL-41F1 engines

Given the shortcomings in the design and performance of the Su-57, superiority over the enemy in maneuverability within sight is still positive, especially due to the fact that this aircraft will not be able to evade combat, unlike its less visible opponents. A three-dimensional thrust vector deflection system at low speeds and low altitudes allows the pilot to perform incredible acrobatic pirouettes. But there is not much benefit from this, and besides, such aerobatics is even dangerous during any action, excluding one-on-one combat within sight. If you carry out a cunning maneuver with energy state control, then the enemy can be hit. But when there are other fighters nearby (and they usually are), it means that you will also die. However, the Su-57 has such a system, and it is the first time it has been used on a stealth fighter.

Unique weapons bay configuration

The Su-57 has a unique tandem-type weapon bay. We don't know much about it yet, but it looks like the aircraft can carry four to six medium-range air-to-air missiles at the same time. Depending on the depth of the compartments, a smaller number of more large weapons, such as guided bombs or air-to-surface missiles launched from a position that is all within the range of air defenses. But you have to wait until official information and photographs in order to discuss this issue in more detail with a greater degree of certainty.

This fighter is supposedly capable of a pair of short-range air-to-air missiles in launch canisters located under the root of its wings. These triangular and canoe-shaped devices are said to open like clam shells during combat, thus making way for missiles. It should be emphasized once again that, as far as we know, there are no images of the actual use of these systems, and it is not yet entirely clear how a missile such as the R-73 can be placed there. Perhaps in the future a special rocket with a smaller profile diameter will be placed in these tanks.

Ultimately, it can be said that Russia has done its best to compensate for the limitations in stealth and added other qualities that allow the Su-57 to survive in combat. And, as we often like to emphasize, stealth technologies are just part of a whole set of tools, the totality of which will determine the issues of life and death in the air combat zone. Especially the means of conducting electronic warfare, combined with stealth, are becoming more and more an important factor during modern warfare.

When we talk about stealth technology (even when we are talking only about the spectrum of radio frequencies used), we should not forget that we are talking about how far a target can be detected and from what distance it can be hit using a particular radar, operating at a specific frequency and at the moment when the target is observed from a certain position.

If we take the same X-band pulse Doppler radar (this is just a hypothetical example), then the Su-27 can be detected ahead at a distance of 145 kilometers, the Su-57 at a distance of 54 kilometers, while the F-22 will be found at a distance of less than 16 kilometers. Sure, we see major performance differences, but that's just one aspect of the very complex equation of modern dogfighting. I would like to emphasize again that it is necessary to take into account network indicators, the sensitivity of sensors located on board, the presence of weapons used outside the range of air defense, the degree of stealth from various directions, electronic warfare, tactics, speed, range, constant support from aircraft of the early warning system and management and much more. The price of the aircraft itself, as well as the associated quality advantages, must also be taken into account.

We do not know the data on the quality and level of integration of the sensors and the most important systems of the Su-57, but judging at least from the data on paper, we can say the following: no, the Su-57 is not at all "trash". It is a fairly sensible combination of capabilities that is in line with Russia's simpler, less networked air combat doctrine, a doctrine that certainly allows combat against more likely enemies than in an Armageddon war against the United States.

However, given the strict rules on the use of weapons that exist, for example, in Syria, many of the capabilities of even the most serious opponents are neutralized. If Russia can continue to fund the Su-57 and solve its engine problems, it could become an efficient and highly valuable fighter that outperforms all other aircraft in the Russian Air Force's possession.

But can we say that it is comparable to the F-22? No you can not

This is the problem - it is obvious that it was not developed as such. But by all appearances, Russian officials and the Russian press are constantly making contrary statements. It's like saying the F/A-18E/F "Super Hornet" has the same qualities as the F-35 in some respects - but that's simply not true, and above all, it's an incorrect comparison.

Nevertheless, credit must be given to the Russians for not being afraid of the new risks associated with the development of this fighter, and for being able to use innovative concepts in the process, although this was due to the critically low level of knowledge in the field of stealth, as well as limitations in the field production.

The panic in the NATO leadership began as soon as the fifth generation fighter took off for the first time in the air with a new power plant that allows reaching the speed of sound without the use of afterburner. Edition on German Contra Magazin recognizes an outstanding fifth-generation aircraft and a big problem for NATO, since the North Atlantic bloc has the best fourth-generation fighter Eurofighter, American F-22 And F-35 due to their shortcomings, they are not taken into account, and even Chinese aircraft of the new generation are left far behind.

The new engine of the Russian fighter

On a frosty January morning in 2010, under the factory designation, for the first time, it took off from the concrete of the airfield and made a test flight of a new fifth-generation aircraft. It was demonstrated to the public at MAKS-2011, and in 2017 the car received a new index - with which it continues test flights.

At the end of 2017, on December 5, a test flight with the second stage engine, the so-called “product 30”, continued for 17 minutes, which was successful, testing and testing in the air of the new engine will continue for another three years.

The accumulated huge potential in the aircraft industry was successfully used when creating the engine of the second stage for and this once again proved that the groundwork that the Russian aviation industry received in Soviet times is not lost and is used to create highly intelligent digital systems.

Second stage engine for SU-57

In this power plant the nozzle has a flat surface inside and a jagged edge along the outer contour, which is important for obtaining the best invisibility by stealth technology and maintaining high maneuvering capabilities.

The mixing of hot air from the power plant with the external cold flow occurs more intensely when the machine is maneuvering and forces the cold jet to pass between the outer edge and the inner surface, which significantly reduces the visibility of the aircraft in the infrared range.

Compression-expansion of the power drive is a design feature of the Russian engine nozzle Su-57 and American cars of the fifth generation.

Despite this similarity in the Russian power plant, the compressor impellers are structurally made of radio-absorbing elements, which most effectively increases the stealth and maneuverability of the Russian aircraft and makes it possible to fly supersonic in cruise mode. According to experts, these qualitative changes prove superiority over the Raptor.

Su-57 equipped with the latest weapons

On the Russian began testing a new generation of aviation weapons. The Tactical Missiles Corporation has developed and created the latest high-precision weapon system for the fifth generation fighter, which is located both inside the fuselage and on external hardpoints. The weapon is currently being tested in the air and the results will be known soon.

The Raduga and Vympel design bureaus are involved in the creation of high-precision weapons for the new vehicle, but, for reasons of secrecy, it is still unknown what exactly these weapons will be. These design bureaus it is planned to equip a new generation supersonic aircraft with medium and long-range air-to-air missiles RVV-SD and RVV-BD.

The latest missile armament of the Su-57

Design Bureau Raduga plans to supply air-to-surface weapons consisting of Kh-58UShK and Kh-38 missiles. NPO Novator has plans to supply ultra-long-range air-to-air weapons, which include the KS-172 missile.

A little earlier in 2016, the NNPU-50 gun mount was tested on a model of the front of a combat aircraft, the bomb and missile load only inside the fuselage will be 4.2 tons, and eight suspension points will be used for aircraft weapons on the outer surface. Testing weapons for the fighter is the final cycle, in 2018 it is expected to enter combat units, but so far with the engine of the first stage.

Conclusion

It is obvious that the North Atlantic bloc cannot yet oppose our aircraft, and it must be admitted that the revolution in the United States in the field of aircraft construction has brought American aviation to the brink of destruction, since the evolutionary process of creating new aircraft has been disrupted. In Russia, they consistently developed the entire chain of Sukhoi Design Bureau machines from to and in the USA they neglected this, for which they paid.

MOSCOW, August 11 - RIA Novosti. The newest Russian fifth-generation fighter has been named the Su-57 and will begin entering service in 2018. The Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Aerospace Forces, Colonel-General Viktor Bondarev, announced this to the Zvezda TV channel.

"The decision has been made, the plane got its name, like a child after birth. Su-57 - now we will call it that way," the commander-in-chief said.

Previously, the project, which is still being tested, was known as a promising front-line aviation complex (PAK FA) and T-50.

High level of automation

In July of this year, at the MAKS air show in Zhukovsky, Bondarev announced the signing of a preliminary conclusion on state joint tests of the first stage. The commander-in-chief stressed that a recommendation had been received to start manufacturing an initial batch of aircraft.

At the same time, Bondarev noted that the aircraft evokes extremely enthusiastic epithets from the military. “So far, I would say that there is no physiological limit for a PAK FA pilot. Both in mastering and operating this aircraft,” he said. “Designers are working to ensure that the machine does the maximum for the pilot.”

The commander-in-chief explained that in many respects such a high level of automation was achieved thanks to the most modern electronic filling of the aircraft from different manufacturers.

First batch

Aviaexpert: the new Su-57 can operate virtually autonomouslyThe fifth generation Russian fighter was named Su-57. Aviation expert Viktor Pryadka on the air of Sputnik radio noted that the new fighter is, in fact, a multifunctional complex.

UAC President Yuri Slyusar said during the MAKS air show that the Russian Defense Ministry and the United Aircraft Corporation are discussing the delivery of 12 PAK FA fighters in the first batch. He noted that pre-series production of the T-50 is planned from 2019.

Earlier, Deputy Defense Minister Yuri Borisov said that work on the new fighter is at the final stage. "This year we are receiving the 10th and 11th samples, which will be connected to testing, and in the future state armament program for 2018-2025, we have planned the first serial purchase of T-50 aircraft," the deputy minister said during a visit. aircraft factory named after Gagarin in Komsomolsk-on-Amur.

In December 2016, Bondarev assured that the timing of the first deliveries of the PAK FA would be fully met. "All the deadlines are kept, the PAK FA tests are going by leaps and bounds, the eighth copy has already been delivered. The aircraft shows excellent flight performance. This is our future, our hope. Not only the flight crew, but also the engineering staff will master it with great success," — he said at the celebration of the centenary of the aviation engineering service of the Aerospace Forces.

New generation

Su-57 is a fifth generation Russian fighter. The PAK FA model was presented to Russian President Vladimir Putin in 2004. The aircraft first took to the air in 2010.

The design of the Su-57 uses composite materials based on carbon fiber, significantly reducing its radar visibility. In addition, carbon fiber panels have invaluable qualities for aviation - lightness and strength. And the multifunctional electronic system installed in the fighter not only detects ground and air targets, but also solves the problems of navigation, identification, electronic intelligence and countermeasures.

The fighter is equipped with a twin 30-mm cannon, and the main armament is two short-range missiles and eight medium-range missiles located in two internal compartments.

Fight in five dimensions

The new aircraft has a fundamentally new avionics complex and a promising radar station with a phased antenna array. Su-57 has increased engine power, bomb load and flight range.

The main competitors of the newest fighter are the American F-22 and F-35. At the same time, the Su-57 has super-maneuverability, which is the merit of its engines with thrust vector control (UVT).

As the media reported with reference to Givi Dzhandzhgava, Deputy General Director for R&D of on-board equipment of the Radioelectronic Technologies Concern (KRET), the fifth-generation fighter can "fight in five dimensions." He is able to control not only his position in space and flight time, but also be able to monitor the electromagnetic spectrum, this will make the aircraft protected.

Multifunctional complexes

The main task facing the designers was to create a machine that would do the maximum for the pilot. According to CEO of the Alliance of Aviation Technologies Avintel, Viktor Pryadka, such fighters are actually becoming multifunctional complexes.

Now each aircraft, as Pryadka said, is becoming a computer center that decides on the acquisition of certain weapons for a specific combat operation.

"The physical well-being of the pilot and even his mood can affect the control of the aircraft. And when specialists are in the bunker and control aircraft, then they can much more quickly lay down the functions that are on board and use them to successfully complete the operation," he said.