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USA has messed around with this forward-swept-wing design, based on the F-5/T-38 airframe. I think the Germans also messed with it during the WW II era. If I remember right, it had triple-redundant computer systems to keep it stable, because it is literally "flying backwards", which makes it extremely maneuverable, due to its inherent instability. The problem is, if the computers were to fail, it's instant death for the pilot. Try throwing a dart backwards some time, then imagine a plane acting like that at 500 knots or better.

Didn't our experiments with this design have problems with the wings wanting to twist off of the airframe under high-speed manuevering? Thought I read that was another reason we stopped pursuing it. It would then make sense that the Russians, to make it work would have to build such a beefy airframe to handle heavy-duty wing roots. The cutaway diagram seems to suggest this. Any thoughts?