Su-57 is a 5th generation fighter developed at the Design Bureau named after. Sukhoi as part of the PAK FA project. Until the end of the summer of 2017, the car was better known under the symbol T-50, until it received its serial name. This machine was developed as a more modern replacement for the Su-27 fighter and a counterweight to the American F-22. In terms of design and characteristics, the Su-57 fully corresponds to the fifth generation. In 2010, he took to the skies for the first time. In 2013, small-scale production of trial versions required for testing was launched. In 2016, official information appeared that serial deliveries of the aircraft would begin in 2018. Let's get acquainted with the technical and tactical characteristics of the Su-57 and the history of the creation of this aircraft.

Development

Before we begin to review the characteristics of the Su-57 and its features, let’s get acquainted with the history of the creation of the first one built in the Russian Federation. Back in the late 1990s, the USSR Air Force decided on the requirements for a new generation fighter, which was supposed to replace the Su-27 and Mig-29 models. Based on these requirements, Design Bureau named after. Sukhoi created the prototype of the Su-47 aircraft, and RSK Mig created the 1.44. The collapse of the Soviet Union led to an economic recession and a halt in work on creating a new fighter. Soon, project 1.44 was no longer funded and was closed, and the Su-47 began to be used as a flying laboratory.

Only in 2002, work on the project of a fundamentally new machine was resumed. This is how the history of the Su-57 began, the characteristics of which we will consider today. The development of the aircraft was entrusted to the Sukhoi Design Bureau. In its creation, it was supposed to rely on the design solutions of the Su-47 and Mig 1.44 projects, as well as modern technologies, which, of course, have taken a decisive step forward since the late 90s. In 2004, Russian President V. Putin got acquainted with the aircraft’s mock-up, and a year later the development began to be actively funded.

Tests

In January 2010, the plane took to the skies for the first time. Sergei Bogdan, an honored test pilot of the Russian Federation, kept the car in the air for about 45 minutes. March 14th next year during the next tests, the new fighter overcame sound barrier. This achievement preceded by about 40 test flights, after each of which the characteristics of the Su-57 improved.

In July 2012, the third model of the vehicle, equipped with an on-board radar system, took to the skies. By the fall of 2013, prototypes of the Su-57 had made more than 400 flights. In September 2015, the start of the final stage of testing was announced. In November 2016, the 7th prototype of the fighter took off into the sky. In the last quarter of 2017, the first Su-57 aircraft with a new type of engine should take to the skies.

In July 2017, Yuri Slyusar, President of PJSC UAC (United Aircraft Company), stated that the start of the transfer of the pilot batch of Su-57 fighters (12 copies) is planned for 2019. Moreover, all but two aircraft will be equipped with stage 1 engines. A month later, Colonel-General Bondarev, Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Aerospace Forces, announced that the first production copies of the new aircraft would be transferred to the Air Force in 2018.

Design: general information

With the appearance of the first mentions of the Su-57, the characteristics and photos of this aircraft began to interest everyone. But if the photos are available to anyone, the technical parameters have not yet been disclosed. The lion's share of information about technical characteristics ah Su-57 is classified. Only approximate data is available to the general public, which, in principle, is more than enough for ordinary people.

It is assumed that the wingspan and hull length of the Su-57 are slightly greater than that of the American F-22, but less than that of its predecessor, the Su-27. In terms of weight, the new fighter, like the Su-27, most likely belongs to the heavy fighter category. What is known for sure is that he belongs to the very 5th generation, distinctive features which are stealth, supersonic cruising speed, ability to maneuver with high overload, versatility and the presence of advanced electronics. Now let's look at the characteristics of the Su-57 aircraft in more detail.

Cabin

Due to the special characteristics and type of the Su-57, the width of its single-seat cabin is greater than that of the Su-27 model. The equipment is largely unified with the Su-35S fighter, which is classified as the “4++” generation. The cockpit is equipped

Information is displayed through 2 15-inch multifunctional indicators MFI-35, one smaller MFI (bottom right), one backup indicator displaying current flight information (top right), ShKS-5 collimation system and voice informant. In addition, some of the data is displayed directly on the pilot's helmet glass.

The canopy consists of a front (visor) and rear part. To open it, you need to slide the back part back, similar to what is done in the T-10 model. The 1st and 3rd versions of the T-50 had a longitudinal binding on the back; the other models do not have it. A radio-absorbing coating is applied to the inside of the canopy, which reduces the aircraft's visibility by 30%. It is known that in the near future the fighter canopy may receive significant changes.

According to Sergei Pozdnyakov, general director and chief designer of the Zvezda design enterprise, the Su-57 will receive a completely new ejection seat. It will be superior to previous versions of the seats used in the Russian Air Force in all respects.

The main feature of the new catapult is the use of a small-sized electronic control system for the movement of the chair, which can interact with information system fighter. The system is capable of automatically analyzing the aircraft's speed, flight altitude, bank angles and other parameters. Among other things, it takes into account the weight and height of the pilot. The new seat was tested in parallel with the aircraft. , oxygen system and other equipment were also designed from scratch.

Glider

The integral airframe of the Su-57 fighter is made according to a normal aerodynamic design and has a mid-mounted trapezoidal wing that smoothly mates with the fuselage. The wide fuselage makes up about 45% of the wingspan. The sweep angle is 48 degrees along the leading edge and 14 degrees along the trailing edge. represented by ailerons, flaperons and wing tips. The aileron and flaperon drives are located under the wing and are hidden under oblong fairings that protrude slightly from the main plane. There are bevels at the ends of the wings.

The wing is equipped with a developed overflow, the front part of which is rotatable. When the aircraft's engines are turned off, the rotating parts of the influx are in a hanging state. In the event of a failure during flight, they assume a deflected non-operating position. On previous fighters of the Su family (30th, 33rd and 34th models), the PGO (front horizontal tail) was used to increase maneuverability due to the lack of motors with thrust vector control. The presence of a PGO makes it possible to increase the maneuverability of the aircraft in the vertical plane, especially at the forward angles of attack. Thanks to it, the range of critical modes increases until the flow breaks down from the control and bearing planes. In general, the efficiency of PGO is lower compared to motors equipped with UHT.

The tail of the Su-57 fighter, the characteristics of which we are considering today, is represented by all-moving trapezoidal stabilizers and fins, the camber of which is approximately 26° to reduce visibility. At the base of the keels there are small air intakes necessary for cooling various systems airplane. Aerodynamic braking is achieved by deflecting the fins, increasing drag.

The engines also have additional air intakes located under the fuselage. The engine nacelles are located on both sides of the flat bottom of the fuselage at a distance of approximately 1.3-1.4 meters from each other. Two pairs of weapon compartment doors are located in a similar manner. Two ridges with a triangular cross-section are installed under the junction of the fuselage and wing consoles. The weapons compartment doors are also installed on their outer surface.

At the rear, between the engine nozzles, protruding beyond them (like the Su-27 aircraft), there is a tail boom, into which a container for the parachute braking system is mounted. On the right side of the bow there is an air cannon, and on the left there is a retractable boom with which the fighter can refuel in the air.

The Su-57 aircraft has a three-post landing gear, similar in design to a similar element of the Su-27 model. All racks fold in the direction opposite to the direction of movement. Thanks to the wide fuselage, the landing gear track was as much as 5.5 m. The two-wheeled nose gear has a pair of landing lights and a mud deflector. The main racks each have one wheel with a diameter of 1 m. When retracted into niches located near the outer sides of the air intakes, they rotate along two axes.

The shape of the airframe was chosen for reasons of stealth - the most important characteristic for Su-57 and all modern fighters. As for the weight of the airframe, it was significantly reduced (compared to its predecessors) due to the widespread use of composite materials (CM). According to A. Davidenko, the chief designer of the aircraft, the CM accounts for 25% of the mass empty plane and 70% of the area. Davidenko also noted that the Su-57 airframe has 4 times fewer elements compared to the Su-27. The latter feature makes the assembly process faster and less labor-intensive, which significantly affects the price of the aircraft. Considering the characteristics of the Su-57, it should be noted that the carbon fiber parts of the hull received a special lightning-resistant coating.

Motors

The Su-57 prototype and the first production samples were equipped with engines of the AL-41F1 model, which received the working name “Object 117”. This turbojet bypass engine has an afterburner and controlled thrust vectoring. It was created at NPO Saturn. The power plant allows you to reach supersonic speed without the use of afterburner. It is equipped with a fully digital control system and a plasma ignition system. Unlike the engines of the F-22 aircraft, the Russian engine is equipped with round, rather than rectangular, nozzles. It is distinguished from the engine used in the Su-35S aircraft by increased thrust, a complex automation system, a new turbine, reduced fuel consumption and digital system management.

"Type 30"

As part of the PAK FA program, a 2nd stage power plant is also being developed, which has received the working name “Type/Product 30”. In September 2016, prototypes of this engine were built and entered for the first tests. This engine was built from scratch. According to the creators, it has introduced many innovations and some of them have no analogues. The first flight of the Su-57 with new engines, the characteristics of which have not yet been disclosed, is scheduled for the fourth quarter of 2017.

Armament

The fighter will be armed with a 30-mm aircraft cannon model 9-A1-4071K, which is an improved version of the GSh-30-1 cannon produced for Mig-29 and Su-27 aircraft. This gun is capable of firing its entire ammunition load in any fire mode. New air-to-air guided missiles of different ranges will be loaded into the internal bomb bays. They differ from their predecessors in increased sensitivity, noise immunity and the ability to detect and capture an enemy target directly during autonomous flight. It is also likely that the KS-172 model air-to-air missiles will be used on the external hardpoints. In total, the fifth generation fighter received 14 types of weapons.

Electronic systems

A fighter's radar system is fundamentally different from an aircraft radar in the traditional sense. Along with the main active phased array radar (AFAR), a number of auxiliary stations, both active and passive, are installed on board the aircraft. Being spread over the entire surface of the fuselage, they constitute the so-called “smart skin”. The integrated multifunctional radar will have 5 built-in antennas.

Stealth

For 5th generation fighters, such an indicator as stealth is one of the fundamental ones and includes a number of measures that reduce the likelihood of detecting a fighter in the infrared, visible light and radio range, as well as acoustically.

Reducing the visibility of the Su-57 aircraft in the radio range is achieved not only due to its shape and the use of special materials (absorbing and reflecting), but also due to electronic warfare (electronic warfare) means. The edges of individual airframe elements are oriented in strictly limited directions, and the angles between the surfaces have a certain range. In order to avoid the effect of a corner reflector, engineers eliminated the arrangement of structural parts at an angle of 90° to each other. In addition, to reduce radio signature, the bulk of the weapons were hidden in the internal compartments of the aircraft.

Thanks to the successful camouflage painting of the hull, it was possible to reduce the visibility of the fighter in the visible range. Reducing the infrared (thermal) signature of the aircraft is achieved thanks to the special design of the engines.

An important role in the stealth of a modern fighter is played by the ability to receive data about enemy targets without giving oneself away. For this purpose, the aircraft is equipped with a system of passive sensors and sensors, as well as a reliable information exchange channel.

Technical characteristics of the Su-57 fighter

The parameters given below are partly speculative (calculated), since there is no exact data in the public domain.

So, the main characteristics of the Su-57:

1. Length - 19.7 m.
2. Height - 4.8 m.
3. Wing span - 14 m.
4. Chassis track - 5 m.
5. Chassis base - 6 m.
6. The empty weight of the aircraft is 18.5 tons.
7. Normal take-off weight with a full fuel tank is 30.61 tons.
8. Maximum take-off weight - 37 tons.
9. Motor weight - 1.35 tons.
10. Maximum thrust - 880 (on Type 30 - about 11,000) kgf.
11. Thrust in afterburner - 15,000 (on Type 30 - about 18,000) kgf.

Flight characteristics of the Su-57:

1. The maximum speed is 2600 km/h.
2. The maximum non-afterburning cruising speed is 2100 km/h.
3. Practical range with a full fuel tank: at subsonic speed - 4300 km; at supersonic non-afterburning speed - 2000 km.
4. The practical ceiling is 20 km.
5. Run/run length - 350 m.

Export version

For delivery to India, and in the future possibly to other countries, an export modification of the Su-57 aircraft, called FGFA, was created. UAC and the Indian company HAL signed an agreement on the joint development and production of a 5th generation fighter. Under the terms of the agreement, the Indian side will develop an on-board PC, navigation system, self-defense system and information displays. All other work is undertaken by the Sukhoi company. HAL's share in the project is estimated to be at least 25%. Presumably, the version of the fighter, created jointly by the Russian Federation and India, will be exported. Of course, the technical characteristics of the Su-57 fighter created for sale will differ from the models entering service with the Russian Federation. The estimated price of such an aircraft will be 100 million US dollars.

Comparison with F-22

So far, there is only one fifth-generation fighter in the world - the American F-22. The prospect of Russia soon adopting its 5th generation aircraft could not but cause a resonance in expert circles. The National Interest (USA) published a detailed comparison of the technical characteristics of the Su-57 and F-22. According to the results of the study, a number of advantages were discovered. In short, the Su-47 is stronger in close combat, and the F-22 is stronger in long-range combat.

In addition, the expert commission made the following conclusions:

1. An L-band radar is installed in the wings of the Su-57. The stealth capabilities of the American fighter are powerless against it. At the same time, this radar needs improvement, since it is not accurate enough to guide missiles solely based on its data. There are no plans to create such a radar for the F-22 in the near future.
2. The Su-57 will be equipped with an infrared detection radar from the first copies, and the F-22 will receive a similar system only by 2020.
3. Both aircraft are equipped with far from the most modern electronics, so the traditional superiority of American aviation in avionics is not fully realized in this case. The Americans do not hide the fact that many of their fighter systems are already considered obsolete.
4. The F-22 can carry six heavy long-range missiles, while the Su-57 can only carry four. At the same time, the launch range of Russian missiles is twice as long.
5. The stealth equipment of both fighters calls into question the advisability of using long-range missiles - there is a high probability of a miss when firing from a long range, as well as the probability of rapid approach, which leads to maneuverable combat.
6. Due to the change in the thrust vector in 3 dimensions, the Su-57 has the best maneuverability indicators. The American fighter is capable of changing the thrust vector only in two dimensions, which in close combat conditions can bring it defeat.
7. The Russian military-industrial complex has been surpassing the American one for many years through the use of a system for controlling the launch of close-in missiles through a special helmet. The latter can launch the R-73 missile at the pilot's glance. A similar system for the US Air Force will be created only by 2020.

Separately, experts note the cost of 5th generation fighters. Regardless of the country of origin, it is too big. It turns out that performance characteristics The Su-57 and F-22 are not important due to the ultra-low production volumes of these same aircraft. In other words, it can take a long time to discuss which vehicle is better, but the number of copies that Russia and America can afford to produce is unlikely to have a significant impact on the outcome of a major battle.

Conclusion

Having examined the production history and characteristics of the Su-57, the first Russian 5th generation fighter, we can conclude that the machine turned out to be very worthy. Due to the collapse of the USSR, its creation was greatly delayed (the American F-22 was put into production in 2005), but the result was worth it. Today, in terms of its characteristics, the Su-57 aircraft has no analogues in the world.

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

New engine of the Russian fighter

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

Accumulated huge potential in the aircraft manufacturing field was successfully in demand when creating a second-stage engine for and this once again proved that the groundwork that the Russian aviation industry received in Soviet times has not been lost and is being 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 stealth technology and maintaining high maneuvering capabilities.

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

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

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

Su-57 was equipped with the latest weapons

Testing of a new generation of aviation weapons has begun in Russia. Tactical Missile Weapons Corporation has developed and created the newest complex high-precision weapons for a fifth-generation fighter, which are 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 not yet known what exactly these weapons will be. These design bureaus propose to equip a new generation supersonic aircraft with medium- and long-range air-to-air missiles RVV-SD and RVV-BD.

The latest missile weapons 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, they tested it on a mock-up of the front part combat aircraft the NNPU-50 cannon mount, the bomb and missile load inside the fuselage alone will be 4.2 tons, and eight suspension points will be used for aircraft weapons on the external surface. Testing of weapons for the fighter is the final cycle; delivery to combat units is expected in 2018, but for now with a first-stage engine.

Conclusion

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

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

In his opinion, the Su-57 is superior in its flight characteristics to the Chinese J-20. Even with the AL-41F1 stage 1 engine, it has good speed and excellent maneuverability, including at high angles of attack. The afterburner thrust of the AL-41F1 reaches 14.5 thousand kgf, which gives decent performance at supersonic speed.

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 be on par with the American F-22 and will also be able to maintain cruising speed at supersonic speed. It is believed that this is one of the main indicators of a fifth-generation fighter.

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

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

The engines in the Su-57 are not camouflaged in the best way; in the same F-22, the nozzles are slightly recessed into the body. The Chinese J-20 also has a more advanced stealth design. It has electro-optical and infrared sensors hidden. The J-20 has better aerodynamics, and the aircraft itself is more streamlined. Its 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 with a thrust of up to 18 thousand kgf is being developed, but it is unclear when it will be installed on the aircraft.

As for the sensors, there is no exact data yet on which aircraft they are more effective on. The fact is that they were developed for different tasks. Su-57 pilots will try to detect enemy 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 unknown whether it will be possible to capture the target and lead it.

The Chinese took a different route and tried to make a plane 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, it has a system similar to the American AN/ASQ-239, but not as advanced.

It is obvious that the Su-57 and J-20 were conceived for different missions. 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 only needs to detect the enemy first and strike.

What is the Sukhoi Su-57 aircraft? What does a fifth generation fighter mean? When was it produced and for what purpose is it used? What are its features? Read about the Su-57 and other developments with similar characteristics in our material.

Sukhoi Su-57 is a fifth generation fighter. This is a jet fighter aircraft developed and produced by Sukhoi for the Russian Air Force. This single-seat fighter is a type of stealth aircraft. The Su-57 is called a fifth-generation fighter because it has the most advanced avionics in the world. These types of aircraft are fighters with low radar signature. They are highly maneuverable, and all the weapons they carry can be hidden in internal compartments. They feature much more advanced technological equipment compared to fourth-generation aircraft.

Features of the Su-57

The fighter was named "Sukhoi Su-57" because it is produced by the same name. Russian enterprise. Sukhoi is a company in the space and defense industry, created in 1939 by Pavel Sukhoi. It produces mostly military fighters. The Su-57 is a stealth aircraft whose performance is noticeably superior to that of typical fighters.

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Powerful and accurate: Su-57 checked the latest rocket

Russia sent Su-57 to Syria

The crew of the Su-57 is one person. The aircraft is capable of reaching a top speed of 2.6 thousand kilometers per hour. Rate of climb - 330 meters per second. With maximum fueling, it is capable of flying with a range of 5.5 thousand kilometers. Can remain in the air for up to 5.8 hours. Capable of rising to a height of 20 kilometers above the ground. Can carry a combat load weighing ten thousand kilograms. The wingspan is 15 meters, the length of the aircraft is 20 meters. The Sukhoi Su-57 twin-engine fighter is stealth to radar due to the equipment it is equipped with and has integrated weapons systems. Having an advanced radar system, it is capable of detecting up to 60 targets within a radius of more than 400 kilometers and simultaneously hitting up to 16 targets.

Analogs of Su-57

Some fifth-generation fighters similar to the Su-57 have already been put into service, and some of them continue to be developed.

The US has two operational aircraft called the F-22 Raptor and the F-35 Lightning II. Chinese fighters - Chengdu J-20 and Shenyang J-31. The Japanese are developing the Mitsubishi F-3. Sweden is implementing the FS 2020 program, South Korea- ADD C103, India - HAL.

The Russians are developing another similar aircraft of this type of fighter - the LFMS Mikoyan MiG.

Turkey continues to develop a fifth-generation aircraft, which was given the name TF-X.

The fifth-generation fighter Sukhoi Su-57 is one of the newest stealth aircraft of the modern air force. In terms of armament, engine features, and fuel consumption, this aircraft is among the favorites.

InoSMI materials contain assessments exclusively of foreign media and do not reflect the position of the InoSMI editorial staff.

Russian fighter The fifth generation Su-57 has begun the next phase of flight tests using the latest aviation weapons. Experts note that tests of this kind are one of the final stages of aircraft development. It is expected that the Su-57 may enter service as early as 2018.

New stage

The Russian fifth-generation fighter Su-57 (until August 2017 - T-50, PAK-FA) has begun the next phase of testing. Boris Obnosov said this in an interview with the magazine “Military-Technical Cooperation”, CEO Tactical Missile Weapons Corporation (TRV). According to him, the weapon system for the Su-57, developed by the company, is currently undergoing flight testing.

“We have moved on to practical flights. I think that in the near future we will see the result,” says the general director of TRV.

Development of the Su-57 began almost 20 years ago, back in 1999. Then the project was called “Promising aviation complex front-line aviation" (PAK-FA). New aircraft developed by OKB im. Sukhoi should replace the Su-27 fighters and MiG-31 interceptors currently in service with the Russian Aerospace Forces. Among the foreign analogues of the Russian fifth-generation aircraft are the F-22 Raptor fighter and the F-35 universal strike aircraft, which entered service with the US Air Force.

The aircraft under the factory designation T-50, built on aircraft factory them. Yu.A. Gagarin in Komsomolsk-on-Amur, committed in 2010. As of August last year, 11 aircraft were produced. And in December, a new engine designed for the Su-57 with increased thrust and fuel efficiency, known as “product 30,” was tested. Previously, the Su-57 was equipped with a modernized version of the AL-31F engine. It is also used on Su-35S aircraft.

As Colonel-General Viktor Bondarev, Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Aerospace Forces, said in August 2017, the Ministry of Defense will receive new car already in 2018.

“The T-50, or Su-57, will soon, starting next year, begin to enter service with the troops, and pilots will master and operate it,” Bondarev said then.

However, as Konstantin Makienko, deputy director of the Center for Analysis of Strategies and Technologies, noted in an interview with RT, this does not mean that the plane is in this year will go to combat units.

“The plane flew with the second stage engine in December 2017. Tuning an engine, especially with a new gas generator and a new hot part, is a very long process, explains the expert. - Therefore, I think, 12 aircraft will be purchased, and all of them will formally go to the Aerospace Forces, but in fact to the GLITs (929th State Flight Test Center of the Ministry of Defense named after V.P. Chkalov in Akhtubinsk Astrakhan region. - RT), maybe to Lipetsk (State Order of Lenin Red Banner Center for Aviation Personnel Training and Military Testing of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation named after V.P. Chkalov. - RT), where they are no longer practicing the aircraft, but combat tactics.”

According to the expert, the Su-57 will be at the testing stage within the Aerospace Forces structure for several more years. In addition to testing the new engine, the use of new aircraft weapons (AWW) will also be tested.

“The use of ASP is also not an easy thing. We need to practice this in different modes, different situations, strike different targets,” the expert notes.

Speaking about the goals of creating the Su-57, Makienko said that this fighter is designed to “strengthen the Russian Federation’s position in the air.”

“This fighter is needed to maintain air,” the expert concluded.

Impact force

The peculiarity of the Su-57 is a combination of the functions of an attack aircraft and a fighter. This is reflected in weapon systems. The Su-57 can be equipped with a 9-A1-4071K aircraft cannon, air-to-air missiles: R-73/RVV-MD (short range), K-77-1/RVV-AE/SD (medium range), K-37M/RVV-BD (long-range), as well as air-to-surface missiles: Kh-38ME (short-range), Kh-58USHKE (anti-radar), Kh-35UE (tactical anti-ship) - and KAB adjustable aerial bombs -500С. The maximum combat load of the aircraft is 10 tons.

“If we talk about the cannon, then this is, in principle, the well-known automatic 30-mm cannon of the Shipunov Design Bureau (GSh-30-1. - RT),” RT told about the features of the Su-57’s weapons Chief Editor magazine "Arsenal of the Fatherland" Viktor Murakhovsky. - But new ammunition is used, for example with a plastic leading device, which increases its initial speed, and the life of the gun barrel increases several times.”

Aviation cannon GSh-30-1 © Wikipedia

In addition, according to Murakhovsky, it is planned to use projectiles with remote detonation at various parts of their flight path.

Testing of the gun began in 2016 in the Moscow region at the State Government Scientific Testing Site for Aviation Systems in Faustov. The rate of fire of the product, designed to hit all modern armored targets, reaches 30 rounds per minute.

As for guided aircraft weapons, they, as Murakhovsky notes, will form the basis of the Su-57’s ammunition.

“This is a new generation of short-, medium- and long-range air-to-air missiles and a new generation of high-precision air-to-surface weapons. These are both anti-ship and anti-radar,” the expert notes.

Viktor Murakhovsky emphasizes that the aircraft’s adjustable bombs will be guided by a laser beam or use an inertial satellite navigation system for homing. According to the expert, small caliber aerial bombs will also be used - less than 100 kg, the need for which was demonstrated by the operation in Syria.

“Loitering ammunition and a whole range of other products are being developed,” says the expert.

Smart Power

According to Makienko, everything related to missiles or anti-aircraft missiles is a very closed topic. In the very general view improvement of the ASP, the expert notes, consists of increasing noise immunity, increasing the range, and perhaps reducing the dimensions, “since all this must be placed in closed compartments.”

The latter requirement, according to experts, is due to the need to make the aircraft inconspicuous. For this purpose, almost all weapons are hidden inside the side.

“The Su-57, as a fifth-generation complex, can provide sustaining supersonic flight without afterburning the standard aircraft engine,” notes Murakhovsky. “The configuration of the Su-57 airframe is such that it has a smaller effective dispersion area (RCS) than aircraft of previous generations.”

Russian and foreign experts estimate the visibility indicators of the Su-57 aircraft for radars in the range from 0.1 square meters. m up to 0.4 sq. m. For comparison: the EPR of the Su-27 is more than 10 square meters. m.

"Also distinctive feature The Su-57 is using a so-called digital board,” Murakhovsky said.

The plane has an electronic co-pilot - an on-board computer that can take over some of the functions of controlling the plane and conducting combat. Thus, a combat radar with an active phased array antenna allows you to simultaneously recognize up to 60 targets and aim at 16 targets at once. The Himalaya electronic warfare system with the smart skin function, in turn, interferes with the homing heads of enemy missiles.

All radio-electronic equipment, all weapons systems, the Su-57 power plant, according to Murakhovsky, are digitally controlled and “connected to a common digital bus.”

“The units of the unit have a modular design, which makes it possible to implement new modes of flight control, operation of the power plant, use of weapons, and communication systems,” said the military expert.

According to Murakhovsky, the modular design allows fighters to be integrated into unified system aviation and air defense control and use them as part of the so-called reconnaissance and strike contours (reconnaissance and destruction means united under one leadership).

“This reduces the combat control cycle time during combat operations and, accordingly, the reaction time to the appearance of the enemy by approximately three to five times compared to existing options,” the expert notes.

According to Murakhovsky, all Su-57 systems now need to be thoroughly tested.

“The new combat complex, from a cannon to high-precision weapons, requires full testing on this aircraft, not only with regard to the use of the product itself, but also integration with control and weapons systems not only of the Aerospace Forces, but also of other types of troops,” the expert emphasized.

Alexander Bovdunov

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