VVS Russian Air Force: News #1

GarryB wrote:

And that the Pak Fa isn't actually far off the size of the Mig-31.

The Mig-31 at 50 tons is twice the weight of the PAK FA.

Would you be able to estimate how far a T-50 interceptor could be tuned up to, in terms of top speed?

Top speed is a fight between installed thrust, and drag. Weight is not so important... a heavier aircraft just takes longer to accelerate.

PAK FA is a very low drag design to allow supercruising, so speed should really be restricted by installed thrust and material resistance to friction heat.

Is there anything that could tweak it to Mach3 or more? Would a 3rd engine - ram/scramjet addon be feasible to boost it?

A thinner lower drag wing would allow higher speed, but going faster is always very expensive.

Modifying the engines with bypass chambers that at high speed can be used as scramjets could expand the flight performance to enormous speeds but the shape of the wing and nose would need to be modified for the higher speed and of course new materials would need to be used.

My suspicion is that the RuAF think that the "next gen" of hgh speed will be hypersonics. And that its too early to be building a h-sonic interceptor just yet. ie best to solve the missile issues 1st.

I agree, but I also think that a high speed interceptor can cover more territory more efficiently.

Perhaps the VKKO will spend money where the VVS wont...

-And on interceptors, the question is how far the Pak Fa could be modified to be a super Mig-31 replacement.

And that becomes another question... will they bother making a cheaper less stealthy PAK FA with increased fuel capacity and increased long range weapon load including conformal and external missiles, or will they just allocate PAK FA to VKKO duty when needed...

Austin wrote:No point in wasting money on building a dedicated new interceptor to replace Mig-31 , Just modify the PAK-FA as interceptor and give it long range missile of new type to deal with high flying high speed targets.

George1 wrote:MOSCOW, November 20 (RIA Novosti) – The Russian military is getting a total of 67 new combat aircraft this year, an official from the United Aircraft Corporation said Wednesday.

“Sixty-seven new aircraft were slated to be delivered in 2013, and they will all be delivered,” Vladimir Mikhailov, director of military aviation programs at the UAC, said at a roundtable conference on state defense contracts hosted by RIA Novosti.

“The remaining 16 planes will be supplied in December,” Mikhailov said.

The official said the UAC had signed contracts for the purchase of more than 400 combat aircraft for the Russian armed forces under the state rearmament program until the year 2020.

“The annual deliveries will significantly increase year-on-year,” he said.

Russia is currently implementing an ambitious 20 trillion ruble ($640 billion) rearmament program planned to run until 2020.

The program will see the share of modern weaponry in Russia’s armed forces reach 30 percent by 2015 and 70 percent by 2020.

The UAC consolidates Russian private and state-owned aircraft-manufacturing companies engaged in the development, production and sales of military, civilian, transport aircraft.

The Russian government owns a majority stake in the company.

Today we will continue what we started yesterday, namely a discussion about carrying out state defence procurement orders, this time in reference to aviation, military aviation.

Professionals are well aware that the role and importance of aviation has been constantly increasing since the First World War. Today aviation – especially in the light of modern technology – accomplishes military, transport and intelligence tasks. And in this regard we have a large programme to develop our military aviation.

This year 86 new aircraft and over 100 new helicopters were commissioned into our Air Force. Next year we expect a further 120 aircraft and about 90 helicopters, and by 2020 our troops should receive about 1,600 – or more precisely 1,591 – samples of the newest aircraft technology. This is how we plan to equip 70 percent of our fleet with the newest technology.

I want to emphasise once again that we have drawn up the plans and allocated the funds; now we need to work. We need to comply strictly with the production, testing and acceptance deadlines, and monitor the quality. Our main producer in Russia is the United Aircraft Corporation. Today we shall see how harmoniously financing is being allocated, and how synchronously businesses are operating.

What are the things I would like to draw attention to? First, it’s strengthening strategic nuclear airborne forces. We need to step up work on the new prospective air complex for long-range aviation, PAK DA. Our work on the Sukhoi PAK FA, the prospective airborne complex of frontline aviation, is well underway. Several aircraft are being tested, fine-tuned and refined. We are actively working on next-generation propulsion systems. Naturally, some issues remain open, but I have virtually no doubt that our plans will be completed. But we must start working on the PAK DA and do that actively.

Naturally, we have to continue modernising the Tu-160 and Tu-95MS. You know what we have to work on: electronics and other things too. The potential of these systems is far from exhausted. And with regards to long-range aviation, much can be done to modernise and bring this technology to a higher level.

The second issue is increasing supplies of tactical fighter aircraft, I mean the Su-25SM and Su-34, fifth-generation fighters that I have already mentioned.

And the third thing is developing and expanding promising unmanned systems. They are used increasingly often throughout the world. We will not be doing it like some other countries do. This is no game, it is not computer games, but rather serious military aircraft designed for both strikes and intelligence. And it is quite clear that they have good prospects. We must not only think about this, but also make all these plans a reality.

Let’s talk about all these topics.

Under this plan , said the source , "Vedomosti" , it is planned that the KLA in 2013 put 67 new aircraft : 14 Sukhoi Su-34 ( the last 2 on the contract ends on 32 cars and 14 - on the contract in 2012 to 92 cars) , 12 Su-35S (contracted in 2009 ), 14 Su-30SM (seven units under contracts for 30 cars from March and December 2012 ) , four Su-30M2 (contracted in 2012 ) four deck MiG-29K/KUB 18 trainer aircraft Yak-130 passenger aircraft and one AN-148 .

In addition, companies will be upgraded KLA 10 MiG- 31BM , decked four Su- 33, two strategic bombers Tu-95MS and two Su-27 Su-27SM3 option , the source told "Vedomosti".

But this is not all new and upgraded aircraft that the Air Force plans to deliver . At least two An-140 transport supply is not included in the KLA Samara " Aviacor " LET Czech plant will supply some light transport aircraft L- 410 , and repair aircraft factory in Kubinka put several modernized Su-25 , sources say.

According to a source in the Defense Ministry plans KLA in general feasible , except for deliveries of Su-35S , who can not complete the test.