PAK FA (T-50) | |
---|---|
A T-50 prototype flies at the MAKS 2011 air show | |
Role | Stealth air superiority fighter |
National origin | Russia |
Design group | Sukhoi |
Built by | KnAAPO, NAPO |
First flight | 29 January 2010 |
Introduction | 2019 (planned) |
Status | Final flight testing/pre-production |
Primary users |
Russian Air Force Russian Navy |
Produced | 2009–present |
Number built | 9 flyable prototypes |
Program cost | US$8–10 billion (est.) |
Unit cost |
T-50: US$50 million
|
Variants | Sukhoi/HAL FGFA |
The Sukhoi PAK FA (Russian: Сухой ПАК ФА, Russian: Перспективный авиационный комплекс фронтовой авиации, Perspektivny Aviatsionny Kompleks Frontovoy Aviatsii, literally "Prospective Airborne Complex of Frontline Aviation") is a fifth-generation fighter aircraft programme of the Russian Air Force. T-50 is the name of the prototype aircraft designed by Sukhoi for the PAK FA programme. It is a stealth, single-seat, twin-engine jet fighter aircraft. It is a multirole fighter designed for air superiority and attack roles. The PAK FA will be the first aircraft in Russian military service to use stealth technology. The fighter is planned to have supercruise, stealth, supermaneuverability, and advanced avionics to overcome the prior generation of fighter aircraft as well as ground and maritime defences.
The PAK FA is intended to be the successor to the MiG-29 and Su-27 in the Russian Air Force and serve as the basis for the Fifth Generation Fighter Aircraft (FGFA) being co-developed by Sukhoi and Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) for the Indian Air Force. The T-50 prototype first flew on 29 January 2010 and deliveries of production aircraft to the Russian Air Force are to begin in 2018. The prototypes and initial production batch will be delivered with a highly upgraded variant of the AL-31F used by the Su-27 family as interim engines while a new clean-sheet design powerplant is currently under development. The aircraft is expected to have a service life of up to 35 years.