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via RiaNovosti.
"The Air Force will start taking delivery [of fifth-generation fighters] in 2015-16. The preliminary number is over 60," Col. Gen. Alexander Zelin said.I always wondered how the Russians would be able to cobble together the pieces of a 5th gen fighter in such a short time.
He also said the first batch of new fighters would be provided with older, "non-fifth" generation engines.
Now we know.
Its not going to be a 5th gen fighter...its going to be a re-skinned SU-30...how about this Sukhoi fans...it'll be a re-skinned SU-35! Better?
If its flying with current engines...how far along can they be when it comes to sensor fusion?
My prediction.
This bad boy will have pods hanging from hardpoints when it makes it into service...if it makes it into service.
I'm just curious; do you know what an engine shall be capable of to be called a "fifth generation engine"?
ReplyDeleteTo make it possible to super cruise without afterburner?
That’s the Olympus engine, from ca 1970…
TVC? That would rule out the F-135…
Or is it just a marketing plot?
I'm lost, best regards
/RAF
A fifth generation engine is yes an engine able to 'supercruise'. The Olympus engines were , a.) turbojets thus of a different category, and b.) the Concorde did not supercruise, they had full power on with afterburn for the mach 2.5 run across the atlantic hence the ridiculous (albeit glorious) noise and biblical fuel consumption.
ReplyDeleteTrue Supercruise is categorized as sustained supersonic without afterburn, ie at full military power. To achieve this first of all the engine must be mega powerful, hence the 35,000pd thrust rating on the F-119, since traditionally pilots needed the extra thrust of afterburn to break the sound barrier in level flight. Most importantly however is the material used to make the engine components, especially the high tension main stage compressor blades and low pressure compression units. Standard turbofans begin to lose efficiency at high speeds and high power settings as the fan blades go supersonic. This causes them to lose power the faster you go. Sustained high power settings also cause heavy mechanical wear on traditional turbofans. Fifth generation engines thus have innovative compression settings (such as GE's awesome Variable Cycle F120) and/or exotic material fan blades (Eurojet/Rolls Royce with their Single Crystal comes to mind). Other things such as variable intakes and higher temperature cores (as found on the F119) achieve the same effect but not as well in the long term, since they come with side effects.
The inventors of the Potemkin village give us the first Potemkin fighter jet. Awesome! This is more about domestic politics than anything. Having a plane that "looks" next-gen will help get support from the Russia Strong!!11! crowd.
ReplyDeleteIt's like Obama suing Arizona and dismissing charges against the New Black Panthers (New! Improved! With double the "Kill Cracker Babies" racism!) --- politicos got to keep their base happy. Putin's base is "Russia Strong!!11!!", Obama's base is "America Sucks! Gimme money!"
It's up to the Indians to get this program rolling...whenever that's going to be.
ReplyDeletei think it will be in production and not too many hard points if any, they will try internal bombbays and missiles but i highly doubt it will be capable, i think it will be a showpiece more than anything. if it was to truly get into a fight it would lose horribly, but they know most likely it will never get into a dog fight with a US or NATO 5-gen. I have been wondering why Chinese haven't been rushing to the Russians for this but they are trying their own fighter but if their past is any indication, it wont be very good either.
ReplyDeleteIt's just usual smoke and mirrors, a very sound and somewhat inspired tactic from Russia. There are many out there who wish the F-35 to fail and if not, to be challenged by someone else. The Russians, as the traditional rivals and the only ones capable of pulling out such a task, have speculated this and presented a plane which can be a 5th gen but not so quickly. They need to prove that they can overcome the problems that made the F-35 such a criticised program.
ReplyDelete