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Sukhoi Su-57 (T-50 / PAK FA)

History

The Su-57 (formerly "PAK FA" and "T-50") is currently being developed with the well-known Sukhoi OKB, a Russian aircraft company with origins dating back to World War II (1939-1945) ) of the Dark Ages) Since then, he has contributed many designs to the Soviet Air Force and Army during the Cold War. The Su-57 is classified as a "fifth generation fighter" because it incorporates the latest in aviation technology, radar absorbing materials and weapons to ensure outstanding performance, agility and responsiveness to upcoming conflicts.

As a fifth-generation fighter, the Su-57 challenges an empire currently dominated by the US air superiority fighter Lockheed F-22 Raptor - the world's first fifth-generation fighter. The arrival of the T-50 introduces a second player to the exclusive "fifth-generation club" once wholly owned by the United States, while China continues to develop its own homegrown fifth-generation fighter across the Pacific.

In Russian, "PAK FA" means "Future Air Force Complex - Tactical Air Force". The Su-57 was developed in part through a partnership between Russia and India, to which India has contributed no less than 35 percent to date. India's intention is to take advantage of the program by procuring their own 5th generation PAK FA fighter jets over the next decade. Serial production of the T-50 is planned for 2015, and the prototype's first public appearance was shown during the MAKS 2011 air show outside Moscow in August 2011. Four prototypes have been completed to date (2013), the fifth of which includes construction.

A state trial is expected in 2014.

In the near future

In Russia's inventory, the Su-57 will fill the role of the large Sukhoi Su-27/Su-37 "Flanker" series as well as the light Mikoyan MiG-29 "Fulcrum" (both 4th generation fighters). Both product lines are widely used in the world market, resulting in a wide variety of variants and configurations. The Su-57 will also take part in the Russia-India joint FGFA (fifth generation fighter) program in the near future - an agreement between the two countries in 2001 - with results expected sometime in 2015.

The aircraft will be largely based on developments from Russia's PAK FA/T-50/Su-57 program, and India intends to purchase around 250 FGFA fighters by the end of the program.

T-50 Prototype

The PAK FA prototype was called "T-50". As a multi-role aircraft, the Su-57 undertakes both air superiority and ground attack missions, as well as aerial reconnaissance using specialized airborne equipment.

Their design will provide excellent performance within their height constraints, allowing operation in day/night and severe weather conditions. Sukhoi intends for her to be an equally deadly performer in all her defined roles.

In size, the Su-57 will mirror that of another proven Sukhoi flagship, the Su-27 flanker.

Project Background

At the end of the Cold War, the need to replace Russia's powerful "jack of all trades" fighter jets became increasingly apparent to the authorities. Several projects were carried out to find solutions for next-generation vehicles, two of which produced the Mikoyan MiG "1.44" and the Sukhoi Su-47 "Berkut" (the latter were called S-32 and S-37 respectively). ). The MiG 1.44 became a top-secret technology demonstrator and flew for the first time on February 29, 2000. It is designed to compete head-to-head with the US Lockheed F-22 Raptor in air superiority.

The front canards of the MiG 1.44 had a split air intake under the fuselage, similar to the Eurofighter 2000. The Sukhoi Su-47 Berkut is another technology demonstrator, although it has a better chance of seeing full production. This type is most notable for its forward-swept wing configuration (similar to the Grumman X-29 concept) and significantly larger Sukhoi brand size. The Su-47 first flew on September 25, 1997, and was officially unveiled in January 2000. Only one known example of the Su-47 was built, while two examples of the MiG 1.44 (the other being a similar MiG 1.42/42) are known.

Both are powered by a twin-engine layout, and a wealth of information gleaned from ongoing flight tests has played a role in the development of the Su-57.

In early 2002, Sukhoi was selected to lead the design of Russia's new fifth-generation fighter jet. In early 2003, a few other successful bidders were announced for contracts to design, develop and manufacture suitable components, such as avionics kits and engines, as well as substructures and final assembly systems. Production of the first aircraft began in August 2007, with the goal of delivering three such airworthiness systems by early 2009.

There were some unavoidable delays throughout 2009, leading to the first flight date of January 29, 2010 being met - lasting approximately 47 minutes to all requested destinations. The first flight itself was delayed on January 28 due to bad weather in the area.

A second flight followed, on February 6, and a third flight was recorded on February 12. These are used to indicate the relative maturity of the PAK FA project so far.

PAK FA Tour

Although its core is entirely Russian in-house design, Western observers were quick to note the Su-57's resemblance to existing Lockheed products, with long lines, sharp angles and broad shapes, suggesting that the Russians designed Developments in the United States were closely monitored in the 1990s. Viewed from the front, the Su-57 showcases its F-22-like faceted fuselage design with an elevated, high-visibility single-seat cockpit. The cockpit is located aft of the nose cone assembly that houses the radar equipment. Below each side of the Su-57 and the centerline of the fuselage are two rectangular air intakes for intake of the twin-engine configuration.

The entrance is clearly sloping inward. The main wings are set back from the midpoint of the design and have truncated tips, while each component has curved leading and trailing edges. The main wing is immediately complemented by a smaller set of fully moving horizontal planes. The vertical tails are well-spaced and curve outward from the centerline, and each unit has a fully moving surface with truncated tips and a fairly small surface area. Each engine spits out aft of the vertical tail section, and a stinger assembly extends between the engines, similar to the Su-27/Su-35.

The engines are intentionally spaced to allow for large internal weapons bays and to provide thrust vectoring for maximum agility. That's thanks to the small, fully articulated tail surfaces -- an advantage the American F-22 doesn't have.

The landing gear has a traditional tricycle layout with two single-wheel main landing gear legs and a two-wheel nose landing gear leg. The main legs are retracted on the intake side, while the front legs are retracted behind and below the cockpit floor.

Core Components

The Su-57 uses radar absorbing materials for stealth, as well as onboard counter systems and structural design. These engines allow for supercruise travel, enabling supersonic flight without the need for a thirsty radar/missile attracting afterburner (aka "reheat"). The Advanced Active Phased Radar Array (APRA) system, developed by Fazatron-NIIR, provides forward-looking and side-scan capabilities - similar in range to the Irbis radar on the Sukhoi Su-35BM Flanker. The entire system, including several interconnected radar systems, will be tested on existing aircraft (though not on the T-50 prototype).

These capabilities allow simultaneous tracking and engagement of multiple targets, whether on the ground or in the air. Compared to the previous Russian product, the cockpit will be "all glass" and oriented towards digitalization. The onboard computer network will actively address in-flight stability issues and assist pilots by reducing workload.

The wings are equipped with leading edge flaps that allow control of lift at higher angles of attack while fully adapting to the speed of the aircraft. Ailerons assist in low-speed flight and maneuvering, while flaperons assist in low-speed approach or takeoff.

Engine and Performance

The T-50 is powered by 2 NPO Saturn AL-41F (Type 117) turbofan engines, each providing 33,050 lbs of thrust. The finished production version will receive a ?40,000 thruster version (Model 30) in 2020. Thrust vectoring will be standard, allowing the required agility. Authorities say top speed is around Mach 2 (1,330 mph), while cruising speed is 1,120 mph.

The listed ferry has a range of 3,400 miles with an operating limit of 65,000 feet. The body supports forces up to 9 g. The PAK FA initially listed a speed of Mach 2.35, then dropped to Mach 2.1 and finally to Mach 2.

Armed

The Su-57 was primarily classified in 2013 and is believed to support existing and developing air-to-air and air-to-surface weapons (the T-50 prototype was unarmed at this time). Standard armament consists of one or two 30mm GSh-301 series cannons. There are six internal hanging points and up to six external hanging points available. Internal mount points were placed on two (maybe four in final production form) internal gun bays located under the hull. Added support for Kh-35E anti-ship missiles (AS-20 "Kayak"), R-77 RVV-MD air-to-surface missiles (AA-12 "Adder"), Kh-58UShKE (AS-11 "Kilter") and Kh -38ME air-to-surface missile.

Of course, these are operational missiles that will meet the Su-57 in its early operational stages. Specially designed ammunition is expected to be used exclusively for the Su-57 family within the next decade.