Russia’s fifth-generation fighter jet completes first stage of tests

Russia’s fifth-generation fighter aircraft Sukhoi T-50 made its 16th test flight at the Central Aerohydrodynamic Institute (TSAGI) in Zhukovsky near Moscow, thus completing the first stage of air and ground tests.

The aircraft took off for the first time on January 29, 2010. It will be mass-produced between 2010 and 2015, and the first fifth-generation fighters should enter service in 2013.

The aircraft was designed to replace the MiG-29 Fulcrum and the Su-27 Flanker in the Russian Air Force. The Russian Defense Ministry plans to buy at least 50 of the fifth-generation fighter jets starting in 2016.

The first stage of the government tests of the fifth-generation fighter will be complete in 2012.

The second stage will focus on testing the aircraft’s system for radio countermeasures, its surveillance capabilities in optical and infrared ranges and its weapons.

The Russian Defense Ministry has set higher demands for this new aircraft than those for the U.S. fifth-generation aircraft.

The Sukhoi T-50 will be superior to its main rival – the American F-22 Raptor fifth-generation fighter – in maneuverability, weapons and range.

The fifth-generation fighter aircraft is distinguished by its multifunctional performance, including the ability to engage airborne and ground targets in any weather and at any time of day. It is also distinguished by its super maneuverability, which implies an ability to operate at low speeds and wide angles of attack. It also has low visibility in the optical, infrared and radio wavelengths as well as the ability to land on and take off from short runways of 300 to 400 meters.

This fifth-generation aircraft is equipped with a completely new set of avionics, which includes an “electronic pilot” function, as well as an advanced phased array radar. This reduces the burden on the pilot, allowing him to focus on the tactical mission. The new aircraft’s onboard equipment enables real-time data exchange both with ground-based control systems and with other aircraft in the air.