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| Russian Stealth Aircraft to Appear in 2007 | |
| 2006-06-15 | |
| Russia will launch its first fifth-generation aircraft, which would be invisible to air-defense systems, in 2007, the commander of the country’s air force said Thursday. “Several experimental models will take to the skies as early as 2007, but for now they will be equipped with intermediary engines,” Vladimir Mikhailov is quoted by RIA Novosti news agency as saying. “In the future they will get fifth-generation engines, development of which is ongoing.” He said fifth-generation engines would be created by 2010, but that: “If everything goes well, we will be able to complete work earlier.” Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov said June 14 that Russia’s first fifth-generation plane could make its maiden flight in 2009. He said the air force’s financing would be increased in 2007, but did not name the exact figure.
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| Posted by:Steve |
| #11 The Russians are going to field a multi-billion dollar new stealth fighter at a time when they cannot even afford to buy the pre-existing planes that they have in service and need to replace? Bull!!! This is propaganda to pump export sales! If the Russian aviation industry is so strong and capable, and the Russians are pumping in the R&D rubles, why is it a known fact that only the foreign sales to China WITH technology transfer is allowing the Russian military plane makers to not shutter their plants? Besides which, the French fielded a "stealthy" plane in the Rafael, which blows goats. We can make the F-15, F-16, and F-18 "stealthy" too, with the proper paints/coatings and some structural component material changes - they still would not be a stealth fighter like the F-22. |
| Posted by: Shieldwolf 2006-06-15 16:50 |
| #10 The russians have great aerospace designers and they also have overly optimistic press statements on anything relating to tech. Fact is the US is unlikely to be flying against Russian pilots and even the best plane in the world flown by third world pilots is going to go down before the highly trained pilots of the west. Having said that I don't know where the Chinese will fit into that equation by 2010 but if our pilots are dogfighting with the Chinese we've got big problems. |
| Posted by: rjschwarz 2006-06-15 16:47 |
| #9 and here i clicked on the link hoping for a picture, or at least artist's conception Well, there's Vlad looking up in the sky, seemingly very interested by what he sees. I guess it's better than nothing. |
| Posted by: anonymous5089 2006-06-15 14:28 |
| #8 and here i clicked on the link hoping for a picture, or at least artist's conception, but then again i believed everything my UNS recruiter told me..... |
| Posted by: USN, ret. 2006-06-15 14:25 |
| #7 Look out for that pitot tube....you'll put your eye out! |
| Posted by: OyVey1 2006-06-15 12:14 |
| #6 See? You CAN'T see it! |
| Posted by: Bobby 2006-06-15 11:41 |
| #5 Where? WHERE? |
| Posted by: Steve White 2006-06-15 11:20 |
| #4 Look, over there, it's our new invisible airplane! |
| Posted by: Mike 2006-06-15 11:08 |
| #3 One of the things people forget is that the F117 is 1970's vintage technology...well, technically late 60's. Even with that in mind, there was never much worry that even if the Russians could capture one that they could reverse engineer it. The big problem they had was materials engineering...they wouldn't have been able to manufacture what it is made out of. Another interesting thing of note, we've ALWAYS had the ability to track the F117. Now the F-22 is a totally different beast. A modern F15-E won't pick up a '22 until it's already well within it's attack window. And there's no way the Russian stuff will be as good as a F22, they just don't have the money or materials tech to build something like that. And neither does China by the way. |
| Posted by: AllahHateMe 2006-06-15 09:39 |
| #2 Soo... If it is a stealth aircraft, it wouldn't really appear if it was stealthy. ;) Seriously, I'm not too worried about a new Russian stealth aircraft. They don't have the tech to make something as stealthy as the B-2. F-117, maybe they could make, but our radar is also much, much, much, much better than theirs. Steve, that would be kinda cool, wouldn't it? |
| Posted by: DarthVader 2006-06-15 09:36 |
| #1 That's why the F-22 is also the highest thrust, most maneuverable fighter available. |
| Posted by: ed 2006-06-15 09:34 |