Posted on 05/21/2002 10:57:55 AM PDT by green team 1999
Aerospace Daily: Sukhoi Wins Russia's Fifth-Generation
Fighter Tender
By Dmitry Pieson/Special to Aerospace Daily
29-Apr-2002 10:26 AM U.S. EDT
MOSCOW - Sukhoi Design Bureau won the tender for Russia's fifth-generation fighter April 26 after its bid was approved by the government's commission on military industry.
The decision came in a closed meeting chaired by Prime Minister Mikhail Kasianov, and the result was announced by Iliya Klebanov, the minister of industry, science and technology.
Sukhoi's team on the program will include MiG and the Yakovlev Design Bureau. MiG had presented its own design for the fighter.
According to a Sukhoi statement quoted by the Novosti news agency, "the new fighter's main advantages are the supersonic cruising speed, small radar visibility, superb maneuverability and ability for short takeoff and landing."
The fighter will be ready for production in 2008 or 2009, a Sukhoi representative said. The program reportedly will cost $1.5 billion.
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related item-
The MFI is a 'heavy' single-seat fighter, employing an integral aerodynamic layout with all-moving canard foreplanes, a mid-fuselage mounted delta wing and an outwardly canted twin vertical stabiliser assembly. This is the first time that such an aerodynamic layout for a combat aircraft project has been used by Russian designers. The leading edge of the wing is straight, without root extensions (LERX) and can be partially deflected in flight whilst the leading edge of the canard surfaces has a characteristic 'dog-tooth' at the root. To increase stability in flight an additional vertical fin of comparatively large area is mounted underneath each vertical stabiliser (there is no so-called 'camber' between the lower fins). The rear portion of these lower fins can move partially left and right. Thus, for the first time on any combat aircraft in the world, the ANPK MiG designers have used additional control surfaces mounted under the fuselage. Between the fins and the engines there are small control surfaces which act as additional elevators.
There is a narrow upper fuselage spine which could be enlarged in the future to house additional fuel tanks or avionics equipment. The powerplant consists of two AL-41F engines with thrust vectoring control, producing a thrust level of the order of 40,500lb st (180.2kN) each, which will guarantee the fighter super manoeuvrability in air combat throughout the entire speed range and sustained flight at supersonic speeds without the use of afterburner (supercruise). The inner faces of the engine exhaust nozzles are covered with a heat-resistant ceramic coating and have an unusually light colour. The variable geometry engine air inlets have radar-dissipating coatings feeding into S-shaped inlet ducts which help to screen the compressor faces. A large internal weapons bay is located in the lower part of the central fuselage area. Additional ordnance, (missiles and bombs), and also external fuel tanks, can be carried on pylons under the wings. The aircraft has a built-in 30mm cannon.
The MFI uses a comparatively simple undercarriage design with a twin nose-wheel unit and single main wheel assembly. The design team confirms that the aircraft will have excellent take-off and landing performance.
Composites are widely used in the construction of the fuselage, wings and canard foreplanes. The designers also confirm that to a large extent the MFI has been conceived with 'stealth' technology in mind. This is borne out by the overall appearance of the aircraft, which has a characteristically pronounced nose shape offering low radar reflection. According to Russian specialists, the use of radar absorbent coatings, low thermal signature and the housing of missile armament in internal bays, will together enable the MFI to achieve practically the same values of effective radar dispersion as those of the F22 Raptor.
for information and discusion only,not for profit etc,etc.
Sounds like it has the right stuff.
Still waiting for the X-wing fighter?
And, of course, has but one engine...
It's sort of like saying that a cow and a racehorse are pretty much alike- after all both have a head, a tail and four legs on the ground, most of the time at least.
E-8 experimental conversion of MiG-21, flown in 1962.
What is rather remarkable is how Sukhoi took over the Russian fighter business. Twenty years ago, Sukhoi was known as a designer of fighter-bombers (SU-17/22 FITTER, SU-24 FENCER), while Mikoyan dominated the rest of Russia's fighter production. Now, Mikoyan is facing bankruptcy or (more likely) consolidation as an arm of Sukoi..
They're still the best airframes in the world.
I've also read another article which states, niether the Mig 1.42/1.14 MFI or the S-37 meet the Russian Airforce's requirements for a new Multirole Fighter... Link........
Some interseting stuff on Supermaneuverability, Su-27 and the new fighers
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