T-50 is ready for serial production
KLA preparing preliminary report on the production of the initial batch of the latest fifth-generation fighter T-50 for supply of air and space forces of Russia. According to "Izvestia", June 20, Komsomolsk-on-Amur, would rise into the air eighth car series, almost fully meets the requirements of the military's combat capabilities to the fifth-generation fighter.
- Unlike previous aircraft eighth board fully equipped with equipment and systems prescribed in the specifications to create a promising aviation complex tactical - he said "Izvestia" a source close to the KLA. - It is with the advent of the fighters can say that the T-50 as a combat unit has found a real person and is ready for mass production in favor of videoconferencing.
According to the source, currently in the shops of Komsomolsk-on-Amur aviation plant (KnAAZ) in various stages of readiness are four T-50. The machine under the number 9 will join the flight test complex in September. The next two, 10th and 11th, are on the stocks: in the first docked fuselage center section from the second collected. Until the end, both will take to the stage of flight tests. In the fall of the KLA is ready to sign a contract with the Ministry of Defence for the supply of the installation of fighter games.
Deliveries of machines, according to the commander of VKS Viktor Bondarev, due to begin in 2017.
- Mounting the party - is no less than 12 cars, that is, one squadron, - says head of the Center for Analysis of Strategies and Technologies (CAST), Ruslan Pukhov. - The number does not include fighter jets, test phase is now taking place. That is, in 2017 in the interests of videoconferencing will be built and delivered a completely new, meet the requirements of technical specifications fighting machines, who will pass the stage of military trials, after which it will be possible to talk about the expansion of purchases.
However, as the expert said, glad that the T-50 will be a massive fighter, it is not worth it. PAK FA is positioned as the main rival to the US F-22 Raptor. The cost of the program creating a Raptor is estimated at $ 74 billion per aircraft cost -.. US $ 146 million bought 187 of these aircraft, and then shut down the program in general. Our T-50 program and its development of much cheaper, but the Deputy Minister of Defence for Armaments Yuri Borisov has said that the military can buy a smaller number of fifth generation fighter aircraft than planned in the state program of armaments to 2020. Military contracts is 12 pieces and after their commissioning will determine how many aircraft of this type will be able to afford.
- Everything new is very expensive, and it is necessary to understand that the first machines will be very far from the common notion that with the advent of videoconferencing will have some sverhvozmozhnosti - says Pukhov. - The process of fine-tuning the aircraft even after adopting take years. Suffice it to recall that between the prototype of the Su-27 - T-10, appeared in 1977 - and the final product has been so many changes in design and on-board fighter equipment that only the last modification - Su-35S, adopting two years ago - It can be considered final. A similar fate seems to be waiting and T-50.
Although, if only because of the fifth-generation engines, known today as the "Type 30", or the engines of the second stage, in the development stage. Series T-50 will go into service with the motors 117C, the same, which are on the Su-35. Though they provide the necessary total thrust sufficient to achieve supersonic cruising speed, but does not meet the requirements of the fifth generation of the ratio of weight and traction as well as fuel consumption. Technical complexity of the debugging engine requires a very long bench and flight tests, which will affect the overall timing of the development of the T-50. According to various estimates, the power plants of the second stage of the Russian fighters T-50 will receive only the years 2025-2027. Actually, only then we can say that the T-50 became a true fifth-generation aircraft.
- I think that today it is necessary to go ahead of the curve, not only by developing the T-50 as part of FGFA program (export name of the PAK FA - Fifth Generation Fighter Aircraft) with our strategic partner in the field of military-technical cooperation - India, but also offering its Algeria and Vietnam, - said Pukhov. - Both countries are independent of the military-technical policy, and have their own funds to buy modern weapons. Through an alliance with them, you can "cheapen" the creation of the T-50, making it a massive fighter.