A second prototype of the Russian fifth-generation T-50 fighter successfully conducted its maiden flight on Thursday, the Sukhoi aircraft manufacturer said. The T-50
fighter is being developed by the Sukhoi design bureau and built at a
plant in Komsomolsk-on-Amur, in Russia's Far East.
The first prototype
made its maiden flight in January 2010 and has so far conducted over 40
tests. "The second prototype of the fifth- generation fighter conducted
today [Thursday] its first flight. The aircraft spent 44 minutes in the
air...It was a successful flight which met all set parameters," Sukhoi
said in a statement. Russia has been developing its own
fifth-generation fighter since the 1990s. It is designed to compete
with the U.S. F-22 Raptor, so far the world's only fifth-generation
fighter, and the F-35 Lightning II. Although T-50 specifications remain
classified, fragmentary data indicates that the design incorporates the
latest developments in a military fighter,including advanced stealth
capability,supersonic cruising speed, and highly integrated control
systems. Russian officials have already hailed the fighter as "a unique
warplane"that combines the capabilities of an air superiority fighter
and attack aircraft. The Russian Air Force plans to acquire over 60
T-50s after 2015.
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