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PAK FA
Type	Fifth-generation fighter
Manufacturer	Consortia lead by Sukhoi
Maiden flight	late 2007
Status	In Development

The PAK FA (or PAK-FA) is a Russian fifth-generation fighter jet which is being developed by a consortium of companies, including Mikoyan, Yakovlev and spearheaded by Sukhoi. It stands for Perspektivnyi Aviatsionnyi Kompleks Frontovoi Aviatsyi (Перспективный авиационный комплекс фронтовой авиации in Russian) which means Future Air Complex for Tactical Air Forces. It is intended to replace the MiG-29 and Su-27 in the Russian Air Force. It is scheduled to have its first flight in 2007, and enter service with the Russian Air Force sometime between 2012 and 2015 and might also be exported to other countries.

Contents 1 History 2 Specifications 3 Stealth 4 Latest News 5 External links and references 6 References

In the late 1980s, the Soviet Union outlined a need for a next-generation aircraft to replace its MiG-29 and Su-27 in frontline service. Two projects were proposed to meet this need, the Sukhoi Su-47 and the Mikoyan Project 1.44. In 2002, Sukhoi was chosen to lead the design for the new combat aircraft. The PAK-FA will incorporate technology from the Su-47 and the MiG 1.44.

Although there is no reliable information about the PAK-FA's specifications yet, it is known from interviews with people in the Russian Air Force that it will be stealthy, have the ability to supercruise, be outfitted with the next generation of air-to-air, air-to-surface, and air-to-ship missiles, and incorporate an AESA radar. It will be powered by the AL-41F engine or an advanced derivative of it. Reports indicate that it will be slightly larger than the MiG-29 but not as large as the Su-27.

There is no certainty for now what United States aircraft will be the competitor for the PAK-FA. While some believe it will be the F-35, the information so far seems to indicate it will be the F-22. Without further official information, it is not viable to reach a final conclusion in this matter. Therefore, analysts will be waiting until the specifications of the aircraft come out; these will most likely be defined in 2007. Analysts are predicting a maximum speed close to Mach 2.83 (3,255 km/h); they will see how this will come up.

It is uncertain how low the Radar Cross Section (RCS) of the PAK-FA will be. This will be Russia's first attempt at making a "stealth" aircraft, though all latest production variants of Mikoyan, Sukhoi and Tupolev military aircraft use radioabsorbing materials that lower RCS to that of less than 1 m² objects. And it is natural to assume, the stealthier the aircraft, the higher its development costs and purchase price will be.

It is also unclear whether the PAK-FA will use conventional stealth, which is used by the USA and demonstrated in Mikoyan Project 1.42 / 1.44, or plasma stealth reported by developers to have been successfully developed and used.

The Novosibirsk Chkalov Aviation Production Association (NAPO) has begun construction of the fifth generation multirole fighter. This work is being performed at Komsomol’sk-on-Amur together with the aircraft plant at Komsomol’sk-on-Amur, the enterprise’s general director, Fedor Zhdanov, reported today during a visit to NAPO by Novosibirsk Oblast’ governor Viktor Tolokonskiy.

“Final assembly will take place at Komsomol’sk-on-Amur, and we will be carrying out assembly of the fore body of this airplane,” Zhdanov specified. The fifth generation fighter which will replace the MiG-29 and Su-27 airplanes of the previous generation, was developed by the Sukhoy design bureau.

NAPO Chkalov also has been realizing series construction of the newest Su-34 multirole bomber since last year. According to the governor, the oblast’s government will adopt a complex of measures for supplemental governmental support to NAPO in the very near future. As of today, the most severe problem at the enterprise is personnel. In the ‘90s, many highly qualified workers were let go under the conditions of a slump and now time is needed for training new ones. “Our assistance will be in the resolution of personnel questions, and also in the provision of lodging for the enterprise’s specialists,” Tolokonskiy said in this connection.

NAPO Chkalov is one of the country’s largest airplane building enterprises and is included in the Sukhoy Holding Company, ITAR-TASS notes.^[1]

• Sukhoi Company — Primary contrator
• Genealogy of Fifth Generation Fighters - Article from Mosnews.com
• Article From Flight International
• Recent news story (in Russian)
• PAK FA - Global Security.org
• PAK FA - Russian Military Analysis

1. ^ izvestiya.ru 6 March 2007