You may recall that when the PAK-FA first took flight earlier this year a quick analysis was run on these pages and those over at USNI with a note that more granular analyses would surely be forthcoming. One of the first out of the box was over at the Air Power Australia site, and was…
The average age of aircraft in the Russian Air Force is about 25 years, so the defense ministry is working up an ambitious plan to replace a major portion while eliminating some inventory by retirement, all by 2020. Fifteen hundred aircraft of which 350 are to be new production combat aircraft over the next ten…
ПерÑпективный Ðвиационный ÐšÐ¾Ð¼Ð¿Ð»ÐµÐºÑ Ð¤Ñ€Ð¾Ð½Ñ‚Ð¾Ð²Ð¾Ð¹ Ðвиации, Perspektivnyi Aviatsionnyi Kompleks Frontovoi Aviatsy, literally “Future Front-line Aircraft System” As more video and still footage becomes available, some thoughts are emerging. First observation is that clearly this is just a flying prototype that focuses on the airframe and not much else for a 5th gen fighter: Alexander Golts, an…
UPDATE: Lots of comparisons to the F-22 based on the front end shots and planform, but I’m also thinking that Sukhoi took some cues from this bad boy: based on a comparison from the tailfeather POV: for comparison, here is an in-flight of the YF-22 and YF-23: Things that make you go hmmm…. In this…
“The federal opposition has dismissed new doubts about the capacity of the multi-billion dollar Joint Strike Fighter to perform against jets used by Russia and China. The JSF jets, for which Australia is likely to pay $16 billion, were comprehensively beaten in highly classified simulated dogfights against Russian-built Sukhoi fighter aircraft, it has been reported….
Red Flag has always been a varsity exercise and in recent years, it has seen increased participation from allies and friends. This year has been no exception with Brazil (F-5s), Sweden (JAS-39 Grippens), France (Rafales) and Turkey F-16s) among the many participants. This was in addition to the usual USAF, USN and USMC participants. Notable…
Seems all isn’t skittles ‘n’ beer over in Sukhoi land these days… Funding for the new engine for Russia’s next-generation fighter, the Sukhoi T-50, is in big financial trouble, and will force the aircraft’s firsts flight in 2009 to be undertaken with AI-31 engines now used on the Su-27. NPO Saturn, which led the engine…
Revealed at the Russian engine manufacturer’s site (NPO Saturn) is this image of Sukhoi’s 5th generation fighter, the T-50. More here. Kinda has a familiar look, eh? (h/t DEW Line)
