PAK DA news

Russian source reports PAK DA is developed by Sukhoi, 120 t class, and will be equipped with 4 Al-41 engines. It means Sukhoi has finally won competition with Tupolev for PAK DA program. The new prospective bomber will have the same range like Tu-160 (14+ thousand kms) and will gradually replace Tu-95 (60+ units), Tu-160 (15 units) and partially Tu-22M3. The technical-economic reasons played important role in the decision, the better shape of Sukhoi design house too. To make an adequate replacement  for such high number of planes  by Tu-160 size bombers (a new kind or refurbished)  is impossible, they said.

Su-34 crew work and other video

From 'Zvezda-TV'

Mi-28N in hi-res pics

Since it can be difficult for non-Russian speaking people to find hi-res pics of Mi-28N from here, I put some of them in my blog separatly.

Serial Ka-52 helos pics

Excellent video and pics were recently published by a Russian blogger from Torzhok Airbase. There is also an interesting discussion with the explanation for all details of Ka-52 cabin. Although the cabin still has a number analog devices, as used to be on Russian aircraft from different reasons, the MFD are rather informative and comfortable (the pilots opinion). However, some problems with the radar Arbalet still remain. Since Ka-52 doesn't contest in Indian attack helicopter tender, the high resolution pics of Mi-28N in the same Russian blog may be even more interesting for my Indian friends...

Havy pictures:

New UAC chief interview

Russian UAC's chief Pogosyan interview in SPIEF-2011 video. Many interesting words about PAKFA, cooperation with India etc. Highly recommended for view! The video for downloading.
Summary:

Light 5th gen program remark

About the recent news: 'Besides the common heavier platform, Russia has also agreed to jointly develop a lighter fifth generation fighter tailored to meet specific requirements of the Indian Air Force (IAF).' I must add some words:

1) Surviving of a fighter project is depending of an alive and progressing engine program, which it is built around. Respectively the 5th gen fighter project has to be built around a 5th gen engine already exist or in active developing.
2) Light class 5th gen fighter  can be built around a 10-12 t thrust engine (if two) or a 15-18 t thrust engine (if single).
3) Only one true 5th gen engine program in the world is valid in 10-12 t thrust category: it's EJ200, but it cannot be ToTed to India for many reasons. The indigenous Kaveri engine is a promising program but it's unrealistic to expect from it 5th gen level in visible future.

Then, I think the only option to push the Indian medium 5th gen fighter program ahead and to avoid LCA-type delays is to build it around 117/type30 engine, which should be ToTed and produced in India like  Al-31FN for Su-30MKI and RD-33 ser 3 for MiG-29. Time will say if they indeed discussed such possibility in Moscow.

New interview with Al-41F chief designer

In Russian Parliament sponsored 'Russia Today' journal (May, 2011) a new interview with Victor Chepkin was published. He first time reported about the difference between 'izdelie-117S' and 'izdelie-117' engines for new fighters. Then he didnt give interviews almost 3 years.

Chepkin Victor M. - is the doctor of technical sciences, professor, General Designer, the first deputy general director of NPO Saturn, on research and development projects, advisor to the Director of Lulka design buraue.

After graduating the Moscow Aviation Institute   in 1957, he was sent to the   Perm Motors   design Bureau  , where he worked as a design engineer and latter - the chief designer. He was the chief designer of the outstanding improvement on their engine, "D-30F6" for the world's fastest fighter-interceptor MiG-31 ". In 1980 Viktor Mikhailovich worked as Deputy Minister of Aviation Industry of the USSR.

Under his leadership,  design , finishing work and conducted official testing of turbojet engine "AL-31F was  successfully completed . Victor M. spearheaded the creation of a turbojet engine of the fifth generation, AL 41F and modernization of the AL-31F.

I have translated only those parts of the interview which are relevant  to PAK FA issue.

Q -  Since United Engine Corporation  been formed ,   5 th generation Fighter T-50 "  climbed into the sky and is undergoing flight tests , the first Superjet already been transferred to commercial airlines ... What in your opinion the most important changes occurred in the Russian aviation industry during this period (3 years) that we acquired, and what can be lost?

A - The main thing in my opinion, is that joint efforts succeeded in stopping the fall of the industry. This required the efforts of many, first and foremost, I would note Mikhail Pogosyan  and Eugene  Marchukov - the General Designer of the engine for the T-50.

For military aircraft, we have created two engines - one for the aircraft, like Su-35 ", the second - for the Russian aircraft 5 th generation of T-50". The first - is "117C" - is mainly intended for export. He is more simple in terms of aerodynamics, and most importantly - targeted for aircraft with conventional arms, suspended on pylons outside the fuselage, with no strong constraints on dimensions. Such schemes fro example are used on  4-th generation  aircrafts  , exported to India and Malaysia. 

The second engine - is "117" - though only differ by one letter in the title, much more advanced engine - this is a real engine of the 5-th generation. From the rivals can sometimes be heard  the  5-th generation   engine  should be with such a blade, such and such materials, high-speed rotors, and you do not have this ... None of this is all just ways of achieving the goal. A single goal - increasing specific thrust, ie the ratio of thrust to its weight. For example, the first jet engine Arkhip Mikhailovich Lulka weighed 1350 kg and had the same thrust, that is, its specific thrust is equal to 1. The 4 th generation engine  , "AL-31F, has already managed to achieve specific thrust of 8.7, and on a 5 th generation, the figure is 10.

The new engine delivers a supersonic speed without afterburner   mode. What it gives? If before the fighter was flying to the target with the speed of 700 km / h,  now - it is twice as fast.

Our "117" today is already flying on two T-50s. For the company it is quite a major achievement, a large move forward. Although it never was easy. We also have new ideas, we can boast some good groundwork. What is needed in the field of military aviation - the beginning of this mass production? To protect such a large country like ours, from a serious attack the number as 500-1000   aircrafts is needed  . For this needed orders, money, production infrastructure. 

Q - What are the new challenges encountered when creating the plane 5 th generation?

A -   There are thousand  problems   to solve  . Say, for reducing the radar visibility "T-50 has a scheme with an internal arrangement of weapons, so is becoming increasingly important problem of reducing its size. And that means    new weaponry  has to be developed and put into service , but since it has low volume, it must be highly accurate. It is therefore necessarily need a fully functional GLONASS. The American GPS, for obvious reasons is not suitable, since in times of crisis they will disable it, like during the Ossetian-Georgian war, would impose an artificial shift in the coordinates of 300 km. Also is needed to be known exactly,   how do you shoot, so should be a modern mapping system. The missile itself should be stealthy . Such weapons are now manufactured, and all this affects the design of the engine. The work is proceeding according to plans ... In general, in my opinion, the plane turns out good, no worse than the American "F-22". 

Q - By the way, if we compare the T-50 "with the" F-22 ", Western sources say that the T-50" is much behind in  infrared engine visibility in the rear hemisphere.

A - We're working very intensely,   to reduce the infrared and radar visibility, and were twice as better performance in comparison with the "F-22" (at least for those data that are published and which I have). 

Q - In the difficult years for the Russian aircraft industry, aircraft building companies that produced military aircraft survived by exports, especially in China and India. Today, the Chinese have copied our Su-27 "and are ready to sell it on world markets at dumping prices. Not whether as a result we lose  our traditional markets of combat aircraft?

A - We dont, because such an aircraft as we have, the Chinese have no and will have no in  visible prospective. They say that they have made a 5-th generation plane, but one can say anything ... Their best engine was copied from our "AL-31F. And we produce  5-th generation   engines  , and they are in all of their parameters of thrust,   specific fuel consumption correspond to the 5-th generation. I opened the secret and say that we actually already have two   5-th generation engines. The second, which is now conventionally called the "Type 30", has already been tested in flight on the fighter T-50 ". In the future it probably will give the name of "AL-...." According to its parameters it a 15-25 percent better than "117 th". 

Q - You can hear that the 5 th generation engine of a plane is not as important as its electronic filling ...

A - If you compare the share of the motor and electronics to provide the functionality of combat fighter, then I, as you know, though being a minder and a patriot of the industry, yet I must admit that electronics "weighs" is  much higher. Without a doubt. That's why a little better, or slightly worse engine - has no special meaning. But, if the engine parameters are much better, as we have done on the "117"  (25 percent), the performance characteristics can be seriously improved, even due to increasing the allowed weight of the aircraft.

MiG-29UPG detailes

The characteristics of Indian MiG-29 upgrade was confirmed by TsAMTO analytic center in Russia.

Engines RD-33 ser 3 with BARK-88 FADEC and KSU-941UB removed control system.

Radar Zhuk-ME

FLIR KOLS

Sh-3UM-1 Helmet Mounted Integrated Targeting system

Displays’ number - 4

K-36D-3.5 – ejecting chair

BTsVM-90/BTsVM-486-2 – onboard computer

BKTsO Digital signal processor

L-150NU – passive guiding missiles station

A new EW station (not elaborated)

SVR video recording system, KARAT-B whole recording system

BINS-SP navigation system with GPS

A-053 radio-altmeter

MS-2 voice warning system

The weapon: RVV-AE, R-73E, R-27R1/R-27T1, R-27ER1/R-27ET1, Kh-29T/L, Kh-31A/P, Kh-35, KAB-500KR/OD/L, unguided bombs 50-500 kg, S-24B, S-8 unguided rockets.

1500 and 1900 liters dropped fuel tanks

The contract for 63 Indian MiG-29 modernization was signed 2008, March 7 for $964 mil.

Some third part partners are involved in the contract, like Thales with NSM cryptographic system and CIT identification systems (the contract was signed in 2010, March).

Meanwhile, the Russian government committee of mil-tech cooperation vice-president Dzirkaln said Russia won 75% of Indian (finished) tenders during last 3 years.

The first fly of MiG-29UPG was occured February 4, 2011 in LII Gromov center, Moscow region. 

Indo-Russian air forces exercises

It seems to me that despite all voices of ill wishers the prospects of cooperation between Russia and India are sound as usually and the joint military exercises are planned again. This time it will be the air forces exercises. 'The common exercises will certainly be hold during next years' - said Ru AF chief Alexander Zelin after his visit in India, RIAN new agency reported 10.09.11.

The proposal has already been submitted for consideration to the governments of the two states. The joint exercises, if approved, may take place in 2011 or 2012.

- First time Russian pilots will be able to compare their skill with the famous Indian aces. Till now it took years for Ru AF to recovery the level of training after 90th/early 00 fall in financing. It's the most logical cause why such exercises were not occurred till now.

Indo-Russian JV for MRTA was signed

As Russian RIAN and ITAR-TASS news agencies reported, the Indo-Russian agreement for prospective medium transport aircraft development and building was signed in Moscow.
Under the deal, each party will pay $300.35 million to the JV's charter capital. Unfortunately the official English translation did not include some details, then worth to add some points.

Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) and United Aircraft Building Company expected to sign a deal in March during Prime Minister Vladimir Putin's visit to New Delhi, but India failed to get the paperwork ready and the signing was delayed.


- HAL will have 50% of the shares, UAC - 25% and RosOboronExport - 25%.
 
Manufacturing facilities will be set up both in Russia and in India. A total of 205 planes are to be made, 30% of which may be exported to third countries.
 
- As the MRTA Russian aircraft design house 'Ilushin' chief Victor Livanov said at the briefing, the Russian AF plan to purchase 100 planes and India - 45. It will allow to gain the manufacturing without losses. If taking the  into consideration the World civil market the prospective level of sells can gain 390 aircrafts. 'The niche of 20 t payload is the most essential on the market. MTA will become the An-12 successor' -  he add: 'First time the countries will develop, sell, give service and utilization for a transport plan'. On the first step the common engineering center will be organized in Moscow, and the Indo-Russian team will start the sketch projecting. After that on the stage of work project the aircraft will be divided to compartments, each of which will be designed by different teams composed with UAC and HAL engineers. 

Status of Brahmos program, update

Great news IMHO! The submarine version of 'Brahmos' will start testing soon from a semi-drown launch platform, said Mr. S. Pillai to ARMS-TASS on the 'Space-EXPO 2010'. Also he has confirmed at 2012 the testing of air-based version will start, and 2013 - is the planned year of MKI-based 'Brahmos' induction in IAF.

How to win in the missiles race. Part 2

 This is the second part of the interview with KTRV chief, taken by 'Expert' journal.

Q - Besides the missiles and the aircraft bombs your corporation develops   the sufficiently wide spectrum of sea weapons    . How is developed the cooperation of [KTRV] with our Navies?

A - We have proposed to the Navy commander Vladimir Vysotskiy to develop the whole     program of sea weapons creation. In it the phase of     new ships production and weapons for them must be clearly connected. There before was frequently that there are new torpedoes, but the submarine still stands in the dock. We presented our operating times, I think, this question will succeed in solving in the working order soon.

Q - What new armaments for the Navies does now develop [KTRV]?

A - First of all, this are the torpedoes, including of the large diameter (more than 500 millimeters). They are made by Moscow enterprise “Region”, which forms a part of our corporation. This is chief implementing agency on the sea underwater weapon. It's part is approximately 60 percent of all experimental design works, carried out on this thematic along with Navy, and about 48 percent of the series production. We now complete the tests of the system of antisubmarine complex “Packet- E/NK', which includes new torpedoes and anti-torpedoes for the protection of ship from the submarines. This system allows to counter the attack of enemy and to secure ship, and other hand - to deliver effective retaliatory attack. Furthermore, we continue works on the torpedoes “Squall”, which are capable of under water move at a rate of 100 meters per second. This is the most terrible naval weapons, which was created in the USSR. And I am glad, that it was possible to follow this thematics.

How to win in the missiles race. Part 1.

This is an interview with the chief of Russian 'Tactical Missiles Weapon Corporation' Boris Obnosov about the latest development. Initially it was published in 'Expert' journal.

The tendency toward the total liquidation of strategic carriers and warheads, fixed in the new Russian- American agreement  , unavoidably will lead to the fact that the role and the significance of conventional weapons    will sharply grow   in the very near future. But if with our arsenal of strategic weapon we actually can on the equal talk with the Americans,   in the sphere of conventional armaments there is no basis for parity. For example, the number of our contemporary combat aircraft   is approximately 15 times less than in the USA, the disparity in the number of 'blue water' combat ships between USA and Russia is as 20 times. This means that in   “global nuclear zero” situation Russia has no enough against its potential enemies.

The problem here is not in the quality of our tactical armaments, but in their quantity. While the Americans during the last ten years stocked up more than hundred thousands   aircraft bombs alone,   our army within the same period purchased the air based weapons for only   one day of war. This is so despite the fact that the new Russian missiles,   are not worse than American, but even they are better in a number of characteristics. The main developer of them is "Tactical missile weapon corporation' (KTRV in Russian abbreviation). This is one of most secret corporation in whole Russian  military-industrial complex [VPK in Russian abbreviation]. It was created about eight years ago during the consolidation process of Russian MIC, now it includes almost two ten different enterprises, plants and design houses, dealing in the sphere of air, ground-based and naval weapons. The general director of KTRV Boris Obnosov said us  about the development of new missiles and torpedoes and how they differ from the American analogs, why we should fear China and in what direction   it is necessary Russia to develop its air-based weapon .

Jai hind!

Before I finish the long promissed translation of an article about new Russian AAMs development, some important news: the new issue 2, 2010 of new 'AirIndustry' journal  is mainly dedicated to Russo-Indian ties in this sphere. Most important facts from the issue:

1) An-148 - the negotiations with 2 Indian companies for 8 (+ optionally 11) for passenger and 10 - for cargo version. THe suppositional start of the supply is expected in the first 2011 quarter . The   partner of UAC in India in this program promotion is HindAvia Aeronautical Services Pvt Ltd.

2) India has a half of whole current Russian military export contracts ($16 bil from $32 bil).

3) Till 2007 India preferred the light PAK FA variant of RAC MiG, but then changed its position.

4)  IAF has already contracted 45 MTA with option for 45 more.

5) Il-38SD contract is fully realized. There is information about negotiation for 5-8 more planes, independently of P-8I purchasing progress.

6) They are sure that after 16 + 29 MiG-29K\KUB India will buy more 20 planes. Together with RuAF contract (24-26 units) it will be  as 90 MiG-29K\KUBs, so this plane becomes the world second after F\A-18 SH carrier based fighter.

7) RD-33MK on MiG-29K\KUB and F414 on SH have just the  same specific characteristics
RD-33MK:         980 kg,      5500\9000 kgf dry\wet thrust, 0.11 kg\kgf.
F414-GE-400:    1107 kg,    6690\9990 kgf dry\ wet thrust, 0.11 kg\kgf
but MiG-35 (Mig-29K too) is as 30% lighter, so its thrust\weight characteristics are much better, than on SH : 1.03 vs 0.92
By its weight and range the characteristics of MiG-35 and MiG-29K are most close to EF.

8) Zhuk-AE  with 680 MMICs, its TWS\attack number is 30\6.
however, the 688 mm 1064 MMICs variant is ALREADY INSTALLED on MiG-35 and went to Indian tender tests!

MiG-35's new pics, interpretation

Since a number of new important articles were published in Russia at last I come back for posting  most interesting of them. The strange lack of information about MiG-35 participation in MMRCA competition was solved by the publication in 'Take-Off' journal. They informed that two new MiG-35 prototypes were built in 2009: №961 and №967. The last was built on the base of MiG-29KUB №947 . It's in addition to the first prototype (MiG-35 №154). It  confirmed too, that both new planes took participation in flying tests in India in October, 2009. Then, they turned to Russia where Zhuk-AE radar was installed on MiG-35D (№967). This spring both planes followed the testing in Zhukovsky. Different loads and flying systems were tested during these program.

Interestingly, both plane was made in Lukhovitsy, where MiG-29K\KUB program successefully started early. Other potential MiG-35 manufacturer - Sokol' plant - was not involved in the building. The pictures show regular nozzles without TVS. All these facts push to conclusion that MiG company stakes on maximal unification of the offered MiG-35 with the serial MiG-29K\KUB for Indian Navy. Probably it reflexes the wish of the Indian side too. If MiG-35 wins the tender, the total Indian fleet of last gen MiGs will reach 126+45=171 units. In such case the logistic burden would be significantly reduced, and the investment in RD-33 engine manufacturing in India would be justified. Also it allows to limit the manufacturing base to Lukhovitsy and not ti wait three years when 'Sokol' plant will be ready to MiG-35 production, if needed. Indeed the Indian tender conditions suppose production of only 18 planes abroad and the remained will be produced in India anyway.

PAK FA from technological POV

An interesting video about T-50 program was published by Russian 'Roscosmos TV'. The follow text is my translation to English:

Short acceleration – 200 m only – and the take-off is done! Other aircrafts can do this only from carriers. However, the Russian 5^th gen fighter has a number of features allow it to take-off from a short horizontal airstrip. The 5^th gen engine effectively provides it.

Ilia Fedorov, the Supervising Director of NPO 'Saturn', deputy general director of the Russian 'United Engine-building Corporation' (UEBC) tells about the difference of  t-50's engine: 

-         "It has different thrust, naturally different tuning control. The number of constructive differences allow better thrust with lower fuel consumption. And the most important – it has totally different system of control".

PAK-FA: the first flight

The new 5^th  generation fighter prototype T-50-1 ('izdelie 701'), developed within the framework of the Indo-Russian PAKFA/FGFA program, has made its first flight at Jan. 29 in Komsomolsk-on-Amur. It was 47 min on the air. Despite the wrap of secrecy, the look of the fighter appeared very close to that, previously described in the most reliable Russian publications. So, everybody can now compare what was said about the PAK FA specs before, and what exists actually. 

Unofficial specs:

- wings 14.2 m
- square 78.8 m2
- length 22 m
- height 6.05 m
Weight:
- max 37000 kg
- normal 26000
 - void 18500

 Now it is clear, that in its airframe design the fighter is closer related to American F-23 prototype, than F-22 or JSF, but with bigger internal payload bay. However, it has unrepeatable impress of Sukhoi design house, clearly looking as a thoroughbred Su-linage. According to the most reliable estimations, T-50 has 10 internal and 2 additional external hardpoints on the wings (the 'mystery' triangle thickening under the wings). With this great payload capability and much space for the fuel T-50 can became a true military 'workhorse' of the future battlefield! 

Yak-130. The status of program.

In answer to a question. Yak-130 - is a program of high-subsonic trainer and light ground attack plane. Has started in 90th independently and became the first non-soviet military plane program. Further they have cooperated with Italian 'Aermacchi' while 'Yakovlev' intellectual property rights was merged with 'Aermacchi' financing. Then the problem for Italians was that they needed urgently a subsonic trainer which could fly with controllability on 40 degree angle of attack for 4th-5th gen fighter simulating. No early generation jet trainers can do it. After some years of joint venture they splitted and followed their (successful) project independently (M-346 trainer).

The first Yak-130D variant was purely trainer, without even radar being put in nose cone (specifically shaped). Two Slovakian made DV-2S x2200 kgf engines (soviet licensing AI-25TL derivative) were used. In 2002 the Russian Air Forces asked for a combat-trainer variant with a radar (in addition for currently tested trainer). Thus the Ukraine-made AI-222-25 engine with 2516 kgf without afterburner was chosen for both. It allowed to rise the max mass from 8500 to 9000 kg. The newborn 'Saturn's Al-55 is remained a reliable reservoir engine for the program in case if the cooperation with Ukraine is broken down.

'Bars' upgrade potential

Because repeating questions about possibly 'Bars' ESA radar upgrade for Su-30MKI, I put the NIIP's chief engineer Tamerlan Bakirbayev's article again in my blog. This article was published in Russian 'Army & Navy Review' magazine, issue 4, 2009.
The OCRed text is below.

AIRBORNE RADARS

BARS RADAR SYSTEM TANGIBLE ADVANTAGES

Tamerlan BEKIRBAYEV

Currently, an increased interest has been shown in the Su-30MKI fighter performance. The international Red Flag exercise held in July-August 2008 in the United States, the outcomes of virtual duels between Russian Su-series aircraft and an American advanced F-35 fighter conducted in Hawaii in the presence of the Australian Air Force representatives, as well as the results of polls taken by the British Flight magazine in November 2008 suggest that the Su-30MKl is superior to the US F-15 fighter and comparable to the newest F-22 Raptor.

The Su-30MKI lias become the world's first series-produced aircraft featuring supermaneuverability and the first export fighter fitted with the BARS electronically scanned radar.

Su-35 MULTIROLE FIGHTER

This article is from Russian 'National Defence' English-speaking journal. The author is a well known military and air-space technology journalist and the Editor-on-Chief of the 'Take-off' magazine.