Russia's AESA Radar for T-50: The way to Success

The key feature of the PAK FA Future Tactical Fighter, as the T-50 fifth-generation fighter being developed by Sukhoi is known, is its integrated multifunction radar system wrapped around active electronically scanned arrays (AESA). The radar system is designed for a wide range of tasks, such as seeking for and acquiring aerial and ground targets, supporting the use of weapons, navigating, mapping, jamming, etc.

The AESA radar is being developed by V. Tikhomirov Scientific-Research Institute of Instrument Design (Tikhomirov-NIIP), the Russian leader in the development of phased-array radar systems for aircraft and army air defence systems. The developer has demonstrated prototype AESAs developed for the PAK FA at previous MAKS air shows. The work on them has made considerable progress since then. Take-off met with Tikhomirov-NIIP Director General Yuri Bely and asked him to describe the trials of the AESA radar on Russian fifth-generation fighter and the results.

Mr. Bely, would you comment on what you displayed at the MAKS 2015 air show, please?

We have demonstrated experimental and prototype AESAs design for Sukhoi T-50 fighter during previous MAKS airshows. We unveiled the X-band forward-looking AESA in 2009, the side-looking one in 2013 and the wing-mounted L-band AESA before that. Until recently, we have showed them separately, and now we have demonstrated the whole of the PAK FA's AESA system in an animated presentation - the way it will fit the aircraft. Firstly, we are not sitting on our hands, and our AESA programme has made considerable progress. We have released the updated design documentation, the forward- and side-looking AESAs have lost weight by far, their hardware has become smaller and their performance higher. These improved AESAs based on a more advanced technology have been displayed this time around at MAKS 2015.

The refined technology resulted from the bench and flight tests we have run for several years. Our AESAs have been flying on the T-50 prototypes for as long as three years. Mind you, there has been no significant failures of our equipment during the flight trials, the characteristics of AESAs have not degraded. When we have an opportunity during the tests to dismount the equipment from the plane, we bench-test it, compare it with its initial condition and see that its parameters remain normal. Therefore, we are certain that we follow the right way and that the fifth-generation fighter carrying our AESA will meet all requirements after it has entered service with the Russian Air Force.

What are the preliminary results of the tests?

The first flight of the T-50 prototype (the third flying example) with the activation of the forward-looking AESA radar took place in Zhukovsky on 26 April 2012. We started the intensive flight tests of the AESA radar in the summer of the same year. To date, the AESA radar has passed its preliminary tests, and we submitted the forward-looking radar for its official trials onboard an aircraft.

Russian Air Force Fielding Su-35S Fighters

 The common day of materiel acceptance by the Russian Defence Ministry, the Sukhoi company delivered two Su-35S supermanoeuvrable multirole fighters to the Russian Air Force at the Komsomolsk-on-Amur Aircraft Plant - the first two of 14 to be delivered this year.В Thus, as many as 36 out of the 48 aircraft of type stipulated by the contract landed in 2009 have been fielded with combat units since 2011. Two squadrons of the Fighter Air Regiment stationed at Dzyomgi AFB in the Khabarovsk Territory converted to the type in 2014 with four Su-35S fighters were ferried to the Air Force Training and Operational Evaluation Centre in the city of Lipetsk in late May 2014. Here they are used by the centre's personnel to test new tactics being developed for the advanced fighter and for the training of the flying and ground crews of RusAF combat units converting to the type.

 Su-35S Fighters

The Su-35S single-seat supermanoeuvrable multirole fighter is the summit of the evolution of the Su-27 fourth-generation aircraft family. The Su-35S's development involved a wide range of solutions and technologies used under the PAK FA (T-50) fifth-generation fighter development programme. Therefore, despite its outward similarity to the ubiquitous Su-27 and Su-30, the Su-35S is rightfully regarded as an aircraft featuring radically advanced capabilities, which attributes it to Generation 4++.

The advanced fighter's features setting it apart from the rest of the Su-27 family are the latest avionics suite that is based on a digital information management system and the advanced Tikhomirov-NIIP Irbis electronically scanned radar. The latter enjoys the unique aerial target acquisition range and a beefed-up simultaneous multiple-target tracking and engagement capability (tracking 30 and engaging eight aerial targets or tracking four and engaging two ground targets).

The flight tests have proven the basic characteristics of the latest electronically scanned radar, with most of the latter's operating modes having been tested. In particular, test sorties have proven the unique ability of the Irbis to acquire threats at a range of more than 400 km.В

Russia to Get Newly Developed Mi-38

At the HeliRussia 2016 show on 19-21 May 2016, Russian Helicopters holding company announced that the Russian Defence Ministry would be launch customer for the Mil Mi-38 advanced multirole helicopter. "The Russian Defence Ministry, in conjunction with Russian Helicopters, has decided on the procedure for and schedule of the acquisition of Mi-38 helicopters for the Russian Air Force. The feasibility of including the aircraft into the next armament programme's draft is being considered," the manufacturer said in a press release. "The decision provides for the joint flight tests of the new version of the Mi-38 medium multirole helicopter equipped to meet the requirements of the Defence Ministry and made of Russian-manufactured parts and components only. The advanced helicopter will take a number of flight tests for compliance with the military's requirement. Its acquisition will be planned based on the results it produces in the trials."

Mil Mi-38

Kazan Helicopters is expected to build the first two Mi-38s for the Defence Ministry in 2017.

As is known, the Mi-38-2 transport version powered by Russian-made Klimov TV7-117V engines and equipped with the Russian-made VR-382 main gearbox, TA14-038 auxiliary power unit and IBKO-38 avionics suite was certificated by Russian aviation authorities late last year, with its type certificate issued on 30 December 2015. According to the Mil Helicopter Plant's 2015 annual report, so far the transport version of the Mi-38-2 is certificated for flight at a maximum speed of 250 km/h with a maximum takeoff weight of 14,200 kg and with a maximum lifting capacity of 4,200 kg. The helicopter's operational envelope is to be expanded, the restrictions are to be lifted gradually and it is to be certificated in line with its design characteristics (maximum takeoff weight 15,600 kg, that with underslung cargo - 16,200 kg, lifting capacity 6,000 kg in the cabin and 7,000 kg underslung, maximum cruising speed 285 km/h), including its passenger version, in 2016 through 2018.

Russian Salut Continues To Upgrade AL-31F

According to the Salut Gas Turbine Research and Production Centre’s Director General Vladislav Masalov, the company manufactured about a hundred AL-31F turbofans in several variants in 2011. Over 75% of them, in the AL-31FN version in the first place, were exported. The rest were made for the Russian Defence Ministry. To fit the aircraft in service with the Russian Air Force, the company has for several years supplied AL-31F Series 42 engines upgraded by the in-house design bureau and known as AL-31F-M1.

The AL-31F-M1 passed its official trials in 2006 and has been ordered by the Defence Ministry since 2007 to equip Sukhoi Su-27SM fighters. Last year, Salut shipped another batch of engines of the type, which were used for fitting the Su-27SM(3) fighters delivered to RusAF under the contract signed in 2009. A decision in principle was taken to fit the RusAF-ordered Sukhoi Su-34 bombers with Salut-built AL-31F Series 42s. Unlike the baseline AL-31F, the upgraded engine has an advanced enlarged-diameter fan (924 mm) and an automatic control system with a digital integrated governor, which has increased the thrust up to 13,500 kgf and extended the service life.

AL-31FN for J-10

The next stage of the Salut-conducted upgrade is to become the AL-31F-M2 engine, which thrust in special mode will increase to 14,500 kgf and the service life to 3,000 h or more.

Early this year, Salut hosted a meeting of the scientific and technical board attended by personnel of the Sukhoi design bureau, Lyulka scientific and technical centre (an affiliate of NPO Saturn JSC), United Aircraft Corporation and United Engine Corporation. The board met to consider the results produced by the development work on upgrade the second-stage AL-31F (AL-31F-M2). All work pertinent to the second stage of the engine’s upgrade is on schedule. To date, the engine has completed its special bench tests in Central Institute of Aviation Motors thermal vacuum chamber, which have proven the feasibility of a static thrust of 14,500 kgf and the manufacturer’s performance ratings. The upgraded engine has a 9% increase in thrust in flight modes over the AL-31F-M1.

“The upgrade of the AL-31F engine does not involve modifying its dimensions and is aimed at retaining the feasibility of re-engining the whole of the Su-27 aircraft fleet without extra modifications to the airframe or engine nacelles”, Salut General Designer Gennady Skirdov said.

Su-34 Fullback: Russia's Hottest Bomber

               Su-34 Fullback

The Su-34 is a state-of-the-art Russian fighter bomber, developed by the Sukhoi Design Bureau in the mid-1980s.

The two-seat Su-34 is primarily designed to destroy a variety of ground and naval targets. It is capable of performing solo and group missions in daytime and at night, under favorable and adverse weather conditions and in a hostile environment.

S-350 Next Generation Mobile Mid-Range Missiles Air Defense Systems

Russian air defense is getting ready to deploy S-350 Vityaz mobile SAMs to replace outgoing versions of S-300 anti-aircraft systems. The core of the new system features missiles with state-of-the-art active radar-homing warheads.
Everything is ready for the production of Russia’s brand-new medium to short range mobile S-350 Vityaz anti-aircraft missile complex. The system will replace S-300ps SAMs, which are armed with outdated V55R missiles due for decommissioning by the end of the year.

“The next generation S-350 systems will be operational in the nearest possible future,” General-Major Sergey Babakov, the Commander of Russia’s anti-aircraft missile troops, told journalists in early July. “Deployment is expected to comply with the schedule, no failures on delivery are expected,” the general added.

The S-350 Vityaz system consists of a launcher vehicle, all-aspect radar for scanning airspace and a command vehicle. The maximum number of launchers operating with one radar and command center is classified, as well as the maximum quantity of simultaneously tracked targets.

The S-350 Vityaz is armed with two types of missiles. One is medium range also employed by anti-aircraft S-400 Triumph systems. The other interceptor missile is a brand-new modern projectile with an active homing head, which means it has its own radar station.
The technical characteristics of this new missile “outperform missiles of previous generation systems,” Colonel Igor Klimov, Russian Defense Ministry spokesman, told journalists.

S-350 Vityaz launcher 

S-350 Vityaz launcher 

The new missile is smaller, lighter and more maneuverable, General Babakov said last weekend in an interview with Igor Korotchenko, editor-in-chief of the National Defense magazine.

“Though it is smaller, its characteristics are better than that of S-300ps. It is agile, does better at ultra-low and maximum heights and has longer range,” the general said.
“I believe the new system is going to be die-hard,” Babakov said in an interview with the Russian News Service radio station.

The S-350 Vityaz was unveiled to the public at the MAKS-2013 International Aviation and Space Show.
Initially, the complex was expected to enter production in 2014, but the final tests of the new missile took more time than was expected.
The S-400 Triumph and S-350 Vityaz complexes are replacing those of the outdated S-300 family systems.

Russia’s New Buk-M3 ‘Kill-All’ Missile to Enter Service in 2016

Russia’s air defense forces will get a new boost this fall with the arrival of the third generation of the legendary Buk antiaircraft missile system.

The Buk-M3 medium-range surface-to-air missile system, a modernized version of the Buk-M2 system, features advanced electronic components and a deadly new missile and could be regarded as a completely new system.


Developed by the Tikhomirov Design Bureau outside Moscow, the Buk-M3 is widely viewed as the world’s best means of intercepting low-flying cruise missiles.

The system will be made operational before the end of this year and will enter active service in 2016.

The previous modification — Buk-M2, is currently regarded as one of the most efficient in its class.

Buk-3M

The Buk-M3 system boasts a new digital computer, high-speed data exchange system and a telethermal imaging target designator instead of the teleoptical trackers used in previous models.

The Buk-3M’s target-destruction probability has reached 0.9999 and its maximum destruction range has been increased by 25 kilometers and now stands at 70 kilometers.

A battery of Buk-M3 missiles can track and engage up to 36 targets simultaneously, while its advanced 9R31M missile is capable of knocking down all existing flying objects, including highly maneuverable ones, even during active electronic jamming.

Russia to Renew Production of Tu-160 'Blackjack' Strategic Bomber

 Russia will renew the production of its Tu-160 (Blackjack) supersonic strategic bomber and missile carrier, Russian Defense Minister Gen. Sergei Shoigu said Wednesday.

"Today it is already necessary to solve the task of not only maintaining and modernizing long-range aviation, we must also produce the Tu-160 missile carrier," Shoigu said during a visit at the Kazan Aviation Plant.

Shoigu said that the Tu-160 is "a unique machine, ahead of its time for many years and even until now has not been exploited to its full potential."

Soviet and Russian pilots in the past nicknamed the aircraft the White Swan.

Tu-160 'Blackjack' Strategic Bomber  

According to the manufacturer of the Tu-160, Tupolev JSC, the aircraft is the world's largest supersonic bomber jet, as well as the heaviest combat aircraft in the world. About 35 Tu-160 aircraft have been built.

Russia May Start Mass Production of Fifth Generation T-50 fighter (PAK-FA) Jets in 2016

Russia may start mass production of fifth-generation T-50 fighter (PAK FA) jets in 2016, Russian Deputy Defence Minister Yuri Borisov said Monday.
“We have plans to deliver the first series of fifth-generation fighter jets next year,” Sputnik News quotes Borisov. Deputy Defence Minister is currently visiting to the Komsomolsk-on-Amur aviation plant in the country’s Far East, where Russia is developing the PAK-FA fighter jet.Four more prototypes will be available for tests this year, Borisov added.

T-50 PAK- FA Stealth Fighter

The Russian Armed Forces began to accept into service the first T-50 jets in February.
The T-50 differs from the 4 and 4++ generation of jet fighters, with the presence of modern radar stations (RLS), which can detect “stealth” technology aircraft. In addition, there is the Himalaya electronic warfare complex and an arsenal of precision weapons, which are also undergoing a series of tests together with the airplane. The new aircraft is invisible to enemy radar: the aircraft manufacturers at Sukhoi succeeded in significantly reducing the PAK FA’s radar cross section – the basic characteristic that makes aircraft visible to radars.

Russia’s Su-30 Fighters Upgraded To Carry Supersonic Cruise Missiles

Russian Sukhoi Su-30 (Flanker-C) multirole fighter jets are getting an upgrade to carry supersonic cruise missiles. The planes will be modernized both for the Russian Air Force and the Indian military aviation.

India has started flight tests of the first Su-30MKI multirole fighter modified by Russian and Indian specialists to carry BrahMos-A supersonic cruise missiles, BrahMos Aerospace Russian-Indian Joint Venture Head Sudhir Mishra told TASS on Thursday at the Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace Exhibition (LIMA’2015) in Malaysia.

The work on the second Su-30MKI fighter jet is continuing and the aircraft "will be ready this year," Mishra said.

The BrahMos Aerospace head said the flight tests for the Su-30 fighter jets would be over this year.

India has allocated $1.1 billion to purchase 200 BrahMos-A missiles to be installed on Indian Air Force Su-30MKI fighter jets. A total of 42 Su-30 fighters will be modernized at the production facilities of India’s HAL corporation to carry supersonic cruise missiles.

In Russia, military aircraft, including Su-30SM fighters, will be modernized at the Irkut aircraft corporation to carry supersonic cruise missiles, Irkut CEO Oleg Demchenko said at the LIMA’2015 air show.

India, Russia Sort Out Differences On Fighter Jet Project

India and Russia have generally agreed upon the amount and division of work during the research and development (R&D) stage of the fifth generation fighter aircraft (FGFA) project. 

A contract for the R&D phase is being prepared and expected to be signed this year, said Yuli Slyusar, president and chairman of Russia’s United Aircraft Corporation (UAC) at Aero India 2015 in Bengaluru.

“The Russian and Indian parties have generally agreed on the work share of each,” said company officials but refused to divulge specific details at this stage.

The work share of Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) has been a contentious issue as the project will have equal investment between India and Russia and is likely to cost over $30 billion for about 400 aircraft. India plans to induct 144 of them.

PAKFA T-50_ shark_camouflage

But HAL’s share in the work has been limited to a meagre 13 per cent so far which will not build any critical technological gains. Both sides have been holding discussions to sort this out before the final agreement.

FGFA is crucial for Indian Air Force’s evolving structure as was recently acknowledged by the air chief recently. The final announcement could come later this year with President Pranab Mukherjee visiting Moscow in June, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi expected to visit Russia twice.

Russian Air Force Awaits Cutting-Edge Transport Planes

The Russian military plans to buy an additional number of Ilyushin IL-76 MD-90A transport planes as part of its modernization program.

The IL-76 MD-90A is an updated version of the IL-76MD, which itself is based on the IL-76 aircraft platform.

"By 2020 we expect to have all 39 such aircraft lined up as part of the contract we signed with the Defense Ministry in 2012,” said  Sergei Artyukhov, deputy head of the new plane’s maker, the Ilyushin Aviation Complex, a subsidiary of the United Aviation Corporation (UAC).

Il-76MD-90A

“The new program for 2020-2025 provides for the delivery of more IL-76 MD-90A planes for our Air Force,” he added. 

Artyukhov earlier said the Ilyushin Aviation Complex was also eyeing India and China as potential buyers of the new aircraft.

The IL-76MD-90A was developed to transport a range of military equipment, armed personnel, heavy and long size vehicles and cargoes.
It will also be used in parachuting cargo/troops and other airborne cargo missions.

New Delhi Gets Full Access to Russian New Fighter Jet Technology

According to Indian ambassador in Moscow, defense companies involved in a joint project with Russia to build a Fifth-Generation Fighter Aircraft (FGFA) are satisfied with their access to Russian technologies.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) – Indian defense companies involved in a joint project with Russia to build a Fifth-Generation Fighter Aircraft (FGFA) are satisfied with their access to Russian technologies, the Indian ambassador in Moscow said, denying media reports that Moscow withheld information from New Delhi. 

 "We have had excellent results in our bilateral cooperation and are fully satisfied with the access to technologies that our defense enterprises get. We proceed with the same level of cooperation in the development of the FGFA," Ambassador Pundi Srinivasan Raghavan told RIA Novosti.

This remark came after IHS Jane's Defence Weekly magazine claimed last September that India had expressed concerns to Russia over the progress on the FGFA program. According to the defense news weekly, New Delhi was annoyed about Russia's reluctance to share design data on its T-50 PAK-FA jet, which is the base model for the FGFA aircraft.

Raghavan refuted these reports, saying they "may have been supplied by competitors," and accused the media of biased reporting.

 

PAK-FA Fighter Jet

The ambassador lauded the progress in military technical cooperation between Russia and India, who are working on a raft of bilateral projects.

"The new tendency in the relationship is the joint development of advanced technology weapon systems. FGFA, MTA and Brahmos Missile are examples of the joint development of weapon systems incorporating sophisticated technology," he noted.

MTA stands for the Multirole Transport Aircraft, which is a twin-engine light transport plane with a maximum take-off weight of 65 tons. It is designed to replace the BAe 748 and Antonov An-26 craft, currently in Indian service.

Raghavan told RIA Novosti the countries have agreed to fast-track the project, with a timetable to be laid out by the year-end.

Russia Exercises With Il-76 Bombers

The Russian Air Force  has performed bomb-carrying trials with its Ilyushin Il-76 'Candid' strategic transport aircraft, the company announced on 30 January.

In the exercise, which took place in the Tver region of the country north of Moscow, an Il-76MD was fitted with P-50T practice bombs on four underwing hardpoints.

 

Il-76 'Bombers

 

The modification is geared at enabling the aircraft to operate on unprepared and unfamiliar airfields behind enemy lines. The crews will first visually inspect the airfield using flares, before dropping bombs ahead of landing with troops on board. "Bombing is performed at a speed of 500 km / h at altitudes of 500 to 1,000 m (1,650 ft to 3,280 ft)," a company statement said.

Russia Plan to Induct 55 PAK-FAs by 2020

The Russian Air Force (VVS) will have received 55 Sukhoi PAK-FA (T-50) fighter aircraft by 2020, according to Vladislav Goncharenko, the deputy director of the United Aircraft Corporation's (UAC's) combat aircraft department.

The first PAK-FA deliveries are scheduled for 2016.

 

 

Sukhoi PAK-FA (T-50) fighter aircraft

 

Russia’s New Military Doctrine Lists NATO As Key Threat

Russia has approved an updated version of the country’s military doctrine which considers NATO military buildup as a major foreign threat against its national security.
The new doctrine, which was signed by Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday, also lists the American Prompt Global Strike (PGS) concept among the top security threats to the country, Russia Today reported.
The PGS is an effort by the US military to develop a system which would allow the Pentagon to deliver precision strikes with conventional weapons at any target in the world in one hour.
The core of the new military doctrine remains unchanged as the Russian army is still a defensive tool, which Moscow has vowed to use only as a last resort.
The principles of the use of nuclear weapons have not changed since their primary goal is to deter potential attacks on Russia. However, the country would use them to protect itself in the face of the military assaults that could threaten its existence.
The new sections of the doctrine outline the threats that Russia sees in NATO’s expansion and the fact that the Western military alliance is taking upon itself “global functions realized with violation of international law.”

China Moves Ahead To Develop Sixth-Generation Strike Stealth Fighter

China is moving ahead to develop a sixth-generation stealth fighter after it finishes the fifth-generation J-20 and J-31, Igor Korotchenko, head of the Centre for Analysis of World Arms Trade, has told Voice of Russia.

The United States is the first nation to forge plans for the design of a sixth-generation fighter. Several artist renditions have already been revealed by Lockheed Martin and Boeing. In an official statement, the US Navy claimed that a sixth-generation fighter — called FAXX — will replace the F/A-18E/F Super Hornets and EA-18G Growler by 2030. A source from the US military said that the Department of Defense has already prepared a budget for the development of FAXX in 2015.

Russia has recently gotten on board with its own next generation fighter program, said Andrei Grigoryev, the head of the Foundation for Advanced Military Research. The real "secondnd place," however, has to go to China in the race, said Korotchenko. A research team was established in northeastern China's Shenyang much earlier than Russia for the country's 6th-gen program. 

Russian Air Force Su-35 in Zhuhai Airshow 2014

Russian Su-35 in Zhuhai Airshow 2014

Russian Su-35 in Zhuhai Airshow 2014

Russian Su-35 in Zhuhai Airshow 2014

India's Delayed FGFA Deal May Get The Focus During Putin’s India Visit

India and Russia may finally settle on a number of delayed defense deals including the Fifth Generational Fighter Aircraft (FGFA) program during Russian President Vladimir Putin’s visit to India this December.Putin met with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the BRICS summit in July where both leaders reportedly agreed that the $30 billion program to build 200 jets should move forward.In 2010, a preliminary design agreement was signed between India’s Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd. (HAL) and Russia’s Sukhoi Design Bureau to jointly produce the FGFA for use by both countries.
However, a final agreement is still pending because the Indian Air Force hasn’t approved the design and workload between both companies is still under debate.
Sukhoi and India plan to sign another contract in the framework of the joint project for the construction of a fifth generation multipurpose combat jet, Alexander Klementyev, a Sukhoi deputy director general said.
“We hope the contract [for experimental design works] will be signed soon,” he was quoted as saying.

Russian Air Forces Took Delivery OF New Su-30SM Fighter Jets

 Three multi-role Su-30SM fighters performed ferry flight to their home base – Domna airfield located in Eastern Military District (Zabaykalsky Krai), press-service of Russian Ministry of Defense reports.

Su-30SM Fighter Jets

The jets were ferried from the plant of Irkut Corporation by the pilots of Russian air forces, who have already passed a retraining course. The first Su-30SM aircraft was delivered to Domna air base in November 2013. During the 2012-2014 period Russian air forces took delivery of 18 new Su-30SM jets. In 2014 more aircraft of the type will join the fleet of Russian air forces - the ministry of defense noted.

The two-seat super-maneuverable Su-30SM fighter is fitted with radar with the phased antenna array, engines with a thrust-vectoring nozzle and canard surfaces. The jet is capable of using the advanced high-precision “air-to-air” and “air-to-surface” weapons.