"The Russian Air Force's Super Weapon: Beware ..." Topic

…the PAK-FA Stealth Fighter.

"The Russian Sukhoi T-50 PAK-FA stealth fighter could prove to be a formidable competitor to American fifth-generation combat aircraft such as the Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor and F-35 Joint Strike Fighter. Indeed, in some measures, the new Russian warplane will exceed both U.S.-built jets, but the PAK-FA is not without its flaws.

"The analysis that I have seen on the PAK-FA indicates a pretty sophisticated design that is at least equal to, and some have said even superior to U.S. fifth-generation aircraft," former U.S. Air Force intelligence chief Lt. Gen. Dave Deptula told the National Interest. "It certainly has greater agility with its combination of thrust vectoring, all moving tail surfaces, and excellent aerodynamic design, than does the F-35."…"
Full article here
link

Amicalement
Armand

It is a very nice looking jet.

Not as nice as the Su-27 series, but still quite attractive.

Wish someone would produce it, and a few other US and Chinese stealth jets in metal, in 1/600th scale.

Nice looking but I don't think it's going to be as much of a threat to F-22/-35 as a Su-27 is to an F-15/-16/-18.

Glad the article puts the jet in it's place – 4th generation with some stealthy bits.

There's a couple of things the article doesn't go into but which should be mentioned.

1. The engines – Russia has been proving ever more incompetent in bringing any project to any level of completion even with increases in funding. They have proven to be unable to design new airlifters, tanks and warships. Even the new Su-34 is actually an old Soviet design (1st flight 1990). Ka-50 and Mi-28 are also Soviet designs.

Hence T-50s will already be probably powered by those unreliable modified Saturn AL31s.

2. Analysis based on mere aircraft dimensions indicate frontal stealth is poorer than F-22.

Rear area stealth is non-existent.

3. The aircraft is already spiralling out of control in terms of cost. Whilst Russian estimates are unknown, the Indians have already slashed their proposed buy of 210 T-50 based FGFA to 144 due to cost overruns.

4. Potential design flaws – according to Indian deputy chief of air staff (DCAS), not only is the engine unreliable but the radar is inadequate and the stealth features are apparently badly engineered.

defenseworld.net/news/9876/Russia_Offers_Joint_Productions_On_All_Future_Defense_Deals_With_India__As_IAF_Reportedly_Criticizes_FGFA_Deal

5. Current problems in Ukraine stimy Russian military manufacturing due to some key Soviet era factories still being in Ukraine especially for such things as A2A missiles. This coupled with manufacturing problems mentioned in article means the Russians will struggle to build actual production machines.

rferl.org/content/russia-ukraine-military-equipment/25312911.html

IMO the T-50 is a stillborn dud.

Is it me or do all these new planes look alike?

All I ever see are "jets", ubiquitous in every detail….