Sukhoi T-50 PAK FA (FIFTH GENERATION FIGHTER)

The Sukhoi T50 PAK FA is a twin-engine jet fighter being developed by Sukhoi for the Russian Air Force. The Sukhoi T-50 is the prototype for PAK FA. The PAK FA is one of only a handful of stealth jet programs globally.

The PAK FA, a fifth generation jet fighter, is intended to be the successor to the MiG-29and Su-27 in the Russian inventory and serve as the basis of the Sukhoi/HAL FGFA being developed with India.. The PAK-FA is expected to have a service life of about 30–35 years.

 The emergence of the Russian Sukhoi T-50 / PAK-FA , the intended replacement for the T-10 Flanker series, marks the end of the United States' quarter century long monopoly on the design of Very Low Observable (VLO) or stealth aircraft. Designed to compete against the F-22 in traditional Beyond Visual Range (BVR) and Within Visual Range (WVR) air combat, the PAK-FA shares all of the key fifth generation attributes until now unique to the F-22 - stealth, supersonic cruise, thrust vectoring, highly integrated avionics and a powerful suite of active and passive sensors. While the PAK-FA firmly qualifies as a fifth generation design, it has two further attributes absent in the extant F-22 design. The first is extreme agility, resulting from advanced aerodynamic design, exceptional thrust/weight ratio performance and three dimensional thrust vectoring integrated with an advanced digital flight control system. The second attribute is exceptional combat persistence, the result of a 25,000 lb internal fuel load.  The internal and external weapon payload are likely to be somewhat larger, though comparable to those of the F-22A.

First prototype of the PAK-FA during an early test flight, January 2010

DESIGN

The T-50 will feature stealth technology and have the capability to supercruise, and incorporate advanced avionics such as an Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar and an artificial intelligence system. It is to be outfitted with the next generation of air-to-air, air-to-surface, and air-to-ship missiles

The T-50 has been designed to be more maneuverable than the F-22 Raptor, at the cost of making it less stealthy than the F-22. One of the design elements that have such an effect is the Leading Edge Vortex Controller (LEVCON).

The PAK FA does not have the very low observable stealth of the F-22, but instead uses composite materials, aerodynamic configuration, and engine signature reduction measures to achieve low levels of radar, optic and infrared signatures

ENGINE

THE SUKHOI T50 CONTAINS 117 (AL-41F1) new fifth generation engine built specifically for the PAK-FA. THE ENGINE allow the aircraft to supercruise, sustaining supersonic flight speeds without using afterburners. this engine (117) meets the Russian Air Force's requirements and will be installed in production PAK-FA aircraft.

The engine generates a larger thrust and has a complex automation system, to facilitate flight modes such as maneuverability. It is expected that each engine will be able to independently vector its thrust upwards, downward or side to side. Vectoring one engine up with the other one down can produce a twisting force, which would enable the PAK FA to be the first fifth generation fighter with full 3-D thrust vectoring along all three aircraft axes: pitch, YAW AND ROLL. These engines will incorporate infrared and RCS reduction measures.

ARMAMENT

Guns: None on prototype. Apparent provision for a cannon (most likely GSh-301). Possible two 30 mm cannon.

§  HARDPOINTS: Two internal bays Other sources suggest two auxiliary internal bays for short range AAMS and six external hardpoints.

PERFORMANCE

·         Maximum speed: Mach 2+, 2,100-2,600 km/h (1,300-1,560 mph) ; at 17,000 m (45,000 ft) altitude

§  Cruise speed: 1,300-1,800 km/h (808-1,118 mph)

§  Ferry range: 5,500 km (3,417 mi)

§  Service ceiling: 20,000 m (65,600 ft)

§  Rate of climb: 350 m/s (68,900 ft/min)

§  Wing loading: 330-470 kg/m2 (67-96 lb/ft2)

Sukhoi/HAL Fifth Generation Fighter Aircraft 

The Sukhoi/HAL Fifth Generation Fighter Aircraft (FGFA) is a derivative project from the PAK FA (T-50 is the prototype) being developed for the Indian Air Force. FGFA was the earlier designation for the Indian version, while the combined project is now called the Perspective Multi-Role Fighter (PMF).

The completed PMF will include a total of 43 improvements over the T-50, including stealth, supercruise, advanced sensors, networking and combat avionics.

Two separate prototypes will be developed, one by Russia and a separate one by India. According to HAL chairman A.K. Baweja (speaking shortly after the India-Russia Inter-Governmental Committee meeting on 18 September 2008), both the Russian and Indian versions of the aircraft will be single-seater. The first aircraft will begin testing in India in 2014, with introduction into service expected by 2022.

Difference between T-50 and FGFA

The difference between PAK FA and the FGFA will be similar to that between Su-30M and Su-30MKI]. The FGFA will be predominantly armed with weapons of Indian origin such as the Astra, a Beyond Visual Range missile (BVR) being developed by India, although in keeping with the Russian BVR doctrine of using a vast variety of different missiles for versatility and unpredictability to countermeasures, it can be expected to have compatibility with many different missile types. The FGFA may include systems developed by third parties.

The completed joint Indian/Russian versions of the operational fighters will differ from the current flying prototypes through the addition of stealth, supercruise, sensors, networking, and combat avionics for a total of 43 improvements