Russian Aviation News - Part Deux

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New news thread.

MOSCOW, February 19 (RIA Novosti) - Russia's Sukhoi aircraft maker confirmed on Thursday that the advanced Su-35 Flanker multi-role fighter would enter service with the Russian Air Force in 2011.

"The current progress of the Su-35 testing program confirms the earlier announced timeframe for the deliveries of the aircraft to Russian and foreign customers in 2011," the company said in a statement.

The first two Su-35 prototypes have successfully conducted 87 flights since July 2008, demonstrating the aircraft's superior technical and combat characteristics.

Sukhoi is planning to add a Russia's Su-35 fighter to the testing program in 2009, and boost the current number of test flights to 150-160.

The Su-35 fighter, powered by two 117S engines with thrust vectoring, combines high maneuverability and the capability to effectively engage several air targets simultaneously using both guided and unguided missiles and weapon systems.

The aircraft features the new Irbis-E radar with a phased antenna array, which allows the pilot to detect and track up to 30 air targets, while simultaneously engaging up to eight targets.

It is equipped with a 30-mm cannon with 150 rounds and can carry up to eight tons of combat payload on 12 external mounts.

The company earlier said it planned to produce the new aircraft, billed as "4++ generation using fifth-generation technology," over a period of 10 years up to 2020.

The company is expecting to export at least 160 Su-35 fighters in the future to a number of countries, including India, Malaysia and Algeria.

Now, this isn't exactly hot-off-the-press news but its a good starting point for a discussion on the future of the Russian Air Force and Russian aviation in general.

Original post

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What is the effective range of the Gsh 30 mm cannon to engage a target in close combat ? Does 150 round suffice ?

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Didnt they have some sort of gunnery autopilot that made either the plane fly such that the gun would be superhumanly accurate, or fire the gun only when the computer says there will be hits? What are the details of this system? The source of this si IIRC a 90's game manual, so not very reliable i know lol. :D

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The Su-34 has been declared fully operational, with a grand total of 3 (series prod.) delivered. The (LRP?) production contract is for 5 years.

Elsewhere, it has been reported that the PAK-FA individual weapons' weight limit is 270kg, after static testing @ Zhukovsky.

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I think that weight limit of 270kg for PAK-FA is only for lightweight launcher (numbers are similar) but no for whole aircraft. In fact, big launcher is stated for 700kg, the weight of Kh-35 and Kh-58 ;)

Vympel plans to develop air-to-air missiles for Russia's PAK FA fighter

19-May-2006 Jane’s Missiles and Rockets

Russia's Vympel (Toropov) State Engineering Design Bureau Joint Stock Company (JSC) is developing advanced air-to-air missiles of short, medium and long range for use on the planned fifth-generation fighter (PAK FA), writes Yevgeniy Letunovsky. According to Vympel chief designer Gennady Sokolovsky, the new missiles are being designed for carriage within an internal weapons bay. Stowing the missiles in an internal bay helps to reduce a fighter's radar cross-section (RCS). The F-22 and F-35 incorporate weapons bays, and the PAK FA will be the first Russian fighter with this feature.

Sokolovsky said that the new missiles will incorporate advanced concepts in areas such as configuration, propulsion, guidance and warhead technology, and are intended to allow the PAK FA to win air superiority over Western aircraft such as the Lockheed Martin F-22 and F-35, and the Eurofighter Typhoon.

Under a reorganisation of the Vympel design bureau, Gennady Sokolovsky (who formerly had the dual role of both General Designer and General Director) now serves as General Designer. The General Director of the Vympel is Victor Rats, while Peter Vasilev is chief of the design department.

Another goal of the programme is to create missiles of all-Russian manufacture. Many current air-to-air missiles carried by Russian aircraft incorporate subsystems provided by manufacturers in countries such as Ukraine. For example, both current versions of the R-73 - the R-73K (fitted with the Krechet radar proximity fuze) and the R-73L (with the Yantar laser proximity fuze) - are based on the Mayak-80 series of infrared (IR) seekers produced by the Arsenal State Kiev Enterprise in Ukraine, an autopilot produced by the Moscow-based AVIONIKA MNPK, and the RDTT-295 solid-propellant rocket motor developed by the ISKRA State Unitary Enterprise in Moscow.

For many years following the break-up of the former Soviet Union, political factors slowed work on creating improved R-73 variants. However, two interim models were produced - the K-74 (probably begun as izdeliye 740), with an improved Mayak-80M IR seeker operating at angles of +/-60ⅹ off boresight, and the K-74M (izdeliye 750) with an angle of +/-75ⅹ.

For the PAK FA, Vympel is developing two new missiles based on R-73/R-74 technology. The first of these is izdeliye 760. Based on the K-74M, this is intended to match the performance of the MBDA Advanced Short-Range Air-to-Air Missile (ASRAAM) and the Raytheon AIM-9X Sidewinder. It will have an improved IR seeker, an inertial control system, a datalink receiver for target updates and an advanced rocket motor with a longer burn time. To make the missile suitable for internal carriage, its cross-section will be reduced to 320x320 mm.

To maximise the weapon's coverage, it can be fired in lock-on-after-launch (LOAL) mode, starting under inertial control before achieving in-flight lock-on. It will be able to engage targets up to 160ⅹ from the aircraft's heading.

According to a Vympel representative, izdeliye 760 is about to begin flight tests. Development is due to be completed in 2010.

The follow-on K-MD (izdeliye 300) is intended to outperform the ASRAAM and AIM-9X. Although it will draw on the experience gained with the R-73/R-74 series, for most practical purposes it will be an all-new missile.

Its guidance system will be based on a new IR seeker incorporating a focal-plane array (FPA). This will have more than twice the lock-on range of the izdeliye 760 seeker, a high resistance to countermeasures and a target-recognition capability.

Russian air-to-air missile programmes have been slow to adopt FPA technology, which is already used in 'dogfight' missiles such as the AIM-9X, ASRAAM, the Diehl BGT Defence IRIS-T and Rafael's Python-4 and Python-5. Russian work in this field is still at an early stage.

The reason for this time lag is essentially historical - until now, the IR seekers for the R-73/74 series and other Russian short-range air-to-air missiles were developed by Arsenal in Kiev.

According to Peter Vasilev, chief of the Vympel design department, several Russian companies are candidates for the task of creating a state-of-the-art FPA-based seeker. Obvious candidates are the Geophizika JSC or GNPP Impulse companies, but the Azovskii Optiko-Mekhanicheskii Zavod (AOMZ) recently announced that it planned to work on advanced seeker technology.

Geophizika was responsible for the 36T IR seeker for the R-27T air-to-air missile, and for semi-active laser seekers such as the 24N1 used on the KH-29L and KH-25L air-to-surface missiles, and the 27N for KAB-500L and-1500L laser-guided bombs, while AOMZ manufactured all three. GNPP Impulse (formerly known as NII-504) has developed various types of semi-active laser and TV seekers.

The new missile will have an improved aerodynamic configuration of minimal drag, and will be powered by a dual-mode solid-rocket engine with a high specific impulse and a total burn time of about 100 seconds. The R-73 used a system of four moving thrust-vector control vanes mounted around the motor nozzle. For the K-MD, Vympel has developed what it described as 'a three-channel gas-dynamic control unit (gas control vanes)'. An adaptive warhead will provide optimised lethal effects to suit the final interception conditions.

Development of the K-MD is expected to end in 2013, giving the PAK FA a 'dogfight' weapon of much-increased range, all-round coverage and the ability to engage aircraft or missile targets.

To provide the aircraft with a medium-range and long-range armament, new missiles will be developed based on the current R-77 and R-73 respectively. As with the short-range weapon, this will be an evolutionary process, starting with improved variants and moving towards what will eventually become an all-new missile.

The use of internal carriage for all three classes of missile, and for the aircraft's air-to-surface weapons, will require the use of a new pattern of launcher able to catapult the round out of the aircraft's weapons bay. Two versions are planned. The UVKU-50L lightweight launcher is intended to carry missiles weighing up to 300 kg. Heavier weapons weighing up to 700 kg will be carried on the UVKU-50U universal launcher.

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I think that weight limit of 270kg for PAK-FA is only for lightweight launcher (numbers are similar) but no for whole aircraft. In fact, big launcher is stated for 700kg, the weight of Kh-35 and Kh-58 ;)

Apologies :o, I should have elaborated. The 'grouping/cluster' arrangement for the launcher is limited to 270kg per weapon, with some military officials expressing concern that this is too low.

Of course, the one-off Kh-35 & 58 could be carried alone on it's own launcher.

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Yemenis eye MiG-35?

http://en.rian.ru/world/20090226/120314551.html

MOSCOW, February 26 (RIA Novosti) - The president of Yemen said his country plans to buy a number of MiG-29 Fulcrum fighters and other military equipment from Russia, a newspaper reported on Thursday.

Ali Abdullah Salah, who is currently on a visit to Russia, met on Wednesday with President Dmitry Medvedev to discuss military and trade cooperation, as well as tackling piracy and terrorism.

"These [the MiG-29] are excellent aircraft. We have had them for a long time and several years ago we brought them to Russia and carried out their modernization program," the Yemeni president said in an interview published by Russia's Vremya Novostei newspaper.

"Suffice it to say that we are planning to acquire more of these aircraft and probably MiG-35 fighters as well. We are also in talks on the purchase of Russian helicopters and patrol boats," he added.

About 90% of the military hardware and aircraft used by the Yemeni Armed Forces were made in the Soviet Union. Yemeni Air Force currently has 44 MiG-29SMT and MiG-29UBT fighters in service.

Yemen and Russia are currently holding talks to reach an agreement on the maintenance of military hardware, component supplies and training of Yemeni military personnel in Russia.

According to Salah, he and his Russian counterpart discussed measures to counteract terrorism and anti-piracy efforts in the Gulf of Aden. The UN said Somali pirates carried out at least 120 attacks on ships in 2008, resulting in combined ransom payouts of around $150 million.

The Yemeni leader has proposed to set up a regional anti-piracy center in the port of Aden to coordinate the international efforts in fighting sea piracy off the Somali coast.

He also said Yemen will render all necessary assistance to Russian warships involved in the current anti-piracy operation in the Gulf of Aden.

Russia has already rotated a number of combat vessels among some 20 warships from the navies of 16 countries that are operating in the area.

At present, the Admiral Vinogradov destroyer from Russia's Pacific Fleet escorts commercial ships through the dangerous waters around the Horn of Africa.

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The Su-34 has been declared fully operational, with a grand total of 3 (series prod.) delivered. The (LRP?) production contract is for 5 years.

Elsewhere, it has been reported that the PAK-FA individual weapons' weight limit is 270kg, after static testing @ Zhukovsky.

Otaku do you have reliable information about the first protoype sent to the Zukovsky for static tests?

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It may have involved a separate static test airframe rather than the first prototype. That way they can test it until it breaks to find out the limits without totalling a flight article.

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That doesn't quite make sense......

If the airframe is being built at KnAAPO, then surely they would also built - and test- the static test airframe :confused:

Why would they build a static test airframe - then ship it to Zhukovsky ??

Zhukovsky is a flight test centre - I doubt there are facilities there for such a task.

Ken

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Otaku do you have reliable information about the first protoype sent to the Zukovsky for static tests?

No I do not. The interview was given by Sergei Hripoonov, a senior engineer based at the Military Aviation Dept. @ Zhukovsky. The tests were most likely done @ TsAGI- as Ivanov had recently stated they had commenced.

Sorry if it was misleading, I mean it's not as if I misidentified a triconderoga cruiser or anything. Apologies to all :o.

http://lenta.ru/news/2009/02/25/robots/

That doesn't quite make sense......

If the airframe is being built at KnAAPO, then surely they would also built - and test- the static test airframe :confused:

Why would they build a static test airframe - then ship it to Zhukovsky ??

Zhukovsky is a flight test centre - I doubt there are facilities there for such a task.

Ken

They did so with the Superjet as well, although I've wondered about this too. I mean, Zhukovsky is a flight test centre and TsAGI is a hydro-/aero-/gasdynamics establishment - why would they do structural testing? That's something you'd more commonly expect to be done at SibNIA...

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Thanks Otaku!I have a special interest to the yak-130.I think yak-130 is the most beautiful and most advanced trainer-fighter in the world!!In my opinion it's more advanced than most of the the old fighters!!!

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Thanks Otaku!I have a special interest to the yak-130.I think yak-130 is the most beautiful and most advanced trainer-fighter in the world!!In my opinion it's more advanced than most of the the old fighters!!!

... I don't think that the Yak-130 is more advanced than the (now only) Italian M-346 !

But You are correct with "more advanced than most of the the old fighters!!!" ... in Russian AF service.

Deino

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Can you compare these aircrafts Deino please!Maybe I can learn something from you.But in my opinion no Italian aircraft can be better than a Russian original one.The original design of the aircraft did by the yakovlev design beureau as known!

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Can you compare these aircrafts Deino please!Maybe I can learn something from you.But in my opinion no Italian aircraft can be better than a Russian original one.The original design of the aircraft did by the yakovlev design beureau as known!

Maybe because You still think it's only the design and the origin, which makes an aircraft good or worse.
I have to admit that I'm not too familiar with both types esp. how they evolved after their cooperative beginnings, but just if I'm not completely wrong all they now still share is the overall configuration ... so when both have the same or at least same configurations (like You say ... the Italian one is a "copy" of the Russian original, but You have to remind that the Yak-130D has not much in common with the current versions !), and compare the differences within ...

General characteristics M-346 - Yak-130

Crew: two - both
Length: 11.49 m (37 ft 7 in) - both
Wingspan: 9.72 m (31 ft 9 in) - both
Height: 4.76 m (15 ft 6 in) - both
Wing area: 23.52 m² (253.2 ft²) - both
Empty weight: 4,610 kg (10,165 lb) - 4,600 kg (10,141 lb)
Loaded weight: 6,700 kg (14,770 lb) - 6,350 kg (14,000 lb)
Max takeoff weight: 9,500 kg (20,945 lb) - 6,500 kg (14,330 lb)
Powerplant: 2× Honeywell F124-GA-200 , 27.8 kN (6,250 lbf) each - 2× Klimov RD-35 turbofan, 21.58 kN (4,852 lbf) each

Performance

Never exceed speed: Mach 1.2 (1,460 km/h, 915 mph) - 1,037 km/h (644 mph)
Maximum speed: 1,092 km/h (679 mph) - 887 km/h (551 mph)
Stall speed: 166 km/h (104 mph) - 165 km/h (103 mph)
Range: 1,890 km (1,181 miles) - 2,546 km (1,582 miles)
Service ceiling: 13,715 m (45,000 ft) - 13,000 m (42,660 ft)
Rate of climb: 6,401 m/min (21,000 ft/min) - 50 m/s (10,000 ft/min)
Wing loading: 285 kg/m² (58.3 lb/ft²) - 276.4 kg/m² (56.60 lb/sq ft)
Thrust/weight: 0.84 - 0.68

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aermacchi_M-346
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yakovlev_Yak-130

You are correct, Your Yak-130 is way better .... :diablo:

Deino

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It's apparently got more fuel-efficient engines, or did Italy toss part of the internal fuel tankage?

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Probably the first one.. The Garrett F124 has a reputation of being a real gas guzzler, at least that is what Czechs told me about their L-159.

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Can you compare these aircrafts Deino please!Maybe I can learn something from you.But in my opinion no Italian aircraft can be better than a Russian original one.The original design of the aircraft did by the yakovlev design beureau as known!

metal69,

well if you believe what Alenia says.. the M-346 has more thrust, a longer life air frame, and cheaper to operate than the Yak-130.

the general stereotype is.. Russian engines are still lagging behind an equivelent western engine.

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You are correct, Your Yak-130 is way better ....

The M-346 is a clone pure and simple. A mish-mash of everything....it's a Russian aircraft with american engines, flight control from BAE and god knows what else...

But the Chinese L-15 leaves them both for dead :D

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hongdu_L-15