Su-57 - a 5th generation fighter, developed in the Design Bureau. Sukhoi as part of the PAK FA project. Until the end of the summer of 2017, the car was better known under the T-50 index, until it received its serial name. This machine was developed as a more modern replacement for the Su-27 fighter and a counterweight to the American F-22. The design and characteristics of the Su-57 is fully consistent with the fifth generation. In 2010, he first flew into the sky. In 2013, small-scale production of trial versions necessary for testing was launched. In 2016, official information appeared that serial deliveries of the aircraft would begin in 2018. Let's get acquainted with the technical and tactical characteristics of the Su-57 and the history of this aircraft.
Development
Before starting a review of the characteristics of the Su-57 and its features, we will get acquainted with the history of the creation of the first fifth-generation aircraft built in the Russian Federation. Back in the late 1990s, the USSR Air Force decided on the requirements put forward for a new generation fighter, which was supposed to change the Su-27 and MiG-29 models. Based on these requirements, KB them. Sukhoi created a prototype of the Su-47 aircraft, and RSK Mig - 1.44. The collapse of the Soviet Union led to an economic downturn and a halt to the creation of a new fighter. Soon, project 1.44 was no longer financed and closed, and the Su-47s began to be used as a flying laboratory.
Only in 2002, work on the design of a fundamentally new machine was restored. Thus began the history of the Su-57, the characteristics of which we will consider today. The development of the aircraft was entrusted to the Sukhoi Design Bureau. In its brainchild, it had to rely on the design decisions of the Su-47 and Mig 1.44 projects, as well as modern technologies, which, of course, have taken a decisive step forward from the late 90s. In 2004, Russian President Vladimir Putin got acquainted with the layout of the aircraft, and a year later the development began to be actively funded.
Test
In January 2010, the plane first flew into the sky. Sergei Bogdan, Honored Test Pilot of the Russian Federation, kept the car in the air for about 45 minutes. On March 14 of the following year, during the next tests, the new fighter crossed the sound barrier. This achievement was preceded by about 40 test flights, after each of which the characteristics of the Su-57 improved.
In July 2012, the third model of the car, equipped with an airborne radar system, flew into the sky. By the fall of 2013, prototypes of the Su-57 made more than 400 flights. In September 2015, the start of the final testing phase was announced. In November 2016, the 7th prototype fighter flew into the sky. In the last quarter of 2017, the first Su-57 aircraft with a new model engine should fly into the sky.
In July 2017, Yuri Slyusar, President of PJSC UAC (United Aircraft Building Company), said that the start of the transfer of the installation batch of Su-57 fighters (12 copies) was planned for 2019. In addition, all aircraft except two will be equipped with engines of the first stage. A month later, Colonel-General Bondarev, Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Aerospace Forces, said that the first serial copies of the new aircraft would be handed over to the Air Force in 2018.
Design: General
With the advent of the first mention of the Su-57, the characteristics and photos of this aircraft began to interest everyone. But if the photos are available to anyone, then the technical parameters have not been disclosed. The lion's share of information about the technical characteristics of the Su-57 is classified. Only approximate data are available to the masses, which, in principle, is more than enough for ordinary people.
It is assumed that the wingspan and hull length of the Su-57 is slightly larger than that of the American F-22, but less than the previous Su-27. By mass, the new fighter, like the Su-27, most likely refers to heavy fighters. What exactly is known is his belonging to that same 5th generation, the hallmarks of which are stealth, supersonic cruising speed, maneuverability with high overload, multifunctionality and the availability of advanced electronics. Now we will analyze the characteristics of the Su-57 aircraft in more detail.
Cabin
Due to the special characteristics and type of the Su-57, the width of its single cabin is larger than that of the Su-27. The equipment is largely unified with the Su-35S fighter, which belongs to the 4 ++ generation. The cockpit is equipped with an oxygen generator.
Information is displayed through 2 15-inch multifunctional indicators MFI-35, one smaller MFI (bottom right), one backup indicator that displays current flight information (top right), ShKS-5 collimation system and voice informant. In addition, part of the data is displayed directly on the glass of the pilot's helmet.
The lantern of the cabin consists of a front (visor) and rear parts. To open it, you need to move the back part back, similar to how it is done in the T-10 model. The 1st and 3rd versions of the T-50 had a longitudinal binding on the back, in other models it is not. A radio-absorbing coating is applied on the inside of the lamp, which reduces the visibility of the aircraft by 30%. It is known that in the not too distant future, a fighter’s flashlight may receive significant changes.
According to Sergey Pozdnyakov, the general director and chief designer of the Zvezda design enterprise, the Su-57 will receive a completely new ejection seat. It will surpass previous versions of seats used in the Russian Air Force in all respects.
The main feature of the new catapult is the use of a small-sized electronic seat movement control system, which can interact with the fighter’s information system. The system is able to automatically analyze the speed of the aircraft, flight altitude, roll angles and other parameters. Among other things, it takes into account the weight and height of the pilot. The new seat was tested in parallel with the aircraft. The life support system , oxygen system and other equipment were also developed from scratch.
Glider
The integrated glider of the Su-57 fighter is made according to the normal aerodynamic scheme and has a mid-position trapezoidal wing, which smoothly mates with the fuselage. The wide fuselage is about 45% of the wing span. The sweep angle is 48 degrees at the leading edge and 14 degrees at the rear. The mechanization of the wing is represented by ailerons, flaperons and socks of the wing. Aileron and flaperon drives are located under the wing and hide under oblong fairings, slightly protruding from the main plane. There are bevels at the ends of the wings.
The wing is equipped with a developed influx, the front of which is swivel. When the aircraft’s engines are shut off, the swivel parts of the influx are in suspension. In the event of a failure during the flight, they assume a rejected non-working position. On previous fighters of the Su family (30th, 33rd, and 34th models) PGO (front horizontal tail) was used to increase maneuverability due to the lack of engines with high-voltage gear (thrust vector control). The presence of PGO allows you to increase the maneuverability of the aircraft in a vertical plane, especially at the front angles of attack. Thanks to it, the range of critical regimes increases until the flow stalls from the control and bearing planes. In general, the effectiveness of PGO in comparison with motors equipped with UVT is lower.
The tail unit of the Su-57 fighter, the characteristics of which we are considering today, is represented by all-turning trapezoidal stabilizers and keels, the collapse of which to reduce visibility is approximately 26 °. At the base of the keels are small air intakes necessary for cooling various aircraft systems. Aerodynamic drag is achieved by deflecting the keels, which increases drag.
Motors also have additional air intakes located under the fuselage. Motor nacelles are placed on both sides of the flat bottom of the fuselage at a distance of about 1.3-1.4 meters from each other. Similarly, there are two pairs of flaps of compartments with weapons. Under the junction of the fuselage and wing consoles, two ridges with a triangular section are installed. Arms of the arms compartments are also installed on their outer surface.
At the rear of the aircraft, between the nozzles of the engines, speaking behind them (like the Su-27), there is a tail boom in which a container of the parachute-brake system is mounted. On the bow on the right is an air gun, and on the left is a retractable bar, with which the fighter can refuel in the air.
The Su-57 aircraft has a three-post landing gear, similar in design to a similar element of the Su-27 model. All racks fold in the direction opposite to the direction of movement. Thanks to the wide fuselage, the track of the chassis was as much as 5.5 m. The two-wheeled nose strut has a pair of landing lights and a dirt trap. The main racks have one wheel with a diameter of 1 m. When cleaning in niches located near the outer sides of the air intakes, they rotate in two axes.
The shape of the airframe was chosen for reasons of stealth - the most important characteristic for the Su-57 and all modern fighters. As for the mass of the airframe, it was significantly reduced (compared to its predecessors) due to the widespread use of composite materials (CM). According to A. Davidenko, the chief designer of the aircraft, KM accounts for 25% of the mass of an empty aircraft and 70% of the area. Davidenko also noted that the Su-57 airframe has 4 times less elements compared to the Su-27. The latter feature allows you to make the assembly process faster and less time-consuming, which significantly affects the price of the aircraft. Considering the characteristics of the Su-57, it should be noted that the carbon-fiber parts of the case received a special lightning-resistant coating.
Motors
The prototype Su-57 and the first production samples were equipped with engines of the AL-41F1 model, which received the working name "Object 117". This turbojet dual-circuit motor has an afterburner and a controlled thrust vector. It was created at NPO Saturn. The power plant allows you to develop supersonic speed without the use of afterburner. It is equipped with a fully digital control system and a plasma ignition system. Unlike the engines of the F-22 aircraft, the Russian engine is equipped with round rather than rectangular nozzles. It is distinguished from the engine used in the Su-35S aircraft by increased thrust, a sophisticated automation system, a new turbine, reduced fuel consumption and a digital control system.
"Type 30"
As part of the PAK FA program, a power plant of the 2nd stage is also being developed, which received the working name “Type / Product 30”. In September 2016, prototypes of this motor were built and entered the first tests. This engine was created from scratch. According to the creators, it introduced many innovations and some of them have no analogues. The first flight of the Su-57 with new engines, the characteristics of which have not yet been disclosed, is scheduled for the fourth quarter of 2017.
Armament
The fighter will be armed with a 30-mm model 9-A1-4071K aviation gun, which is an improved version of the GSh-30-1 gun, manufactured for the Mig-29 and Su-27 aircraft. This gun is able to work out the entire ammunition in any fire mode. New air-to-air guided missiles of different ranges will be laid in the internal bomb bay. They differ from their predecessors in increased sensitivity, noise immunity and the ability to detect and capture an enemy target during an autonomous flight. It is also likely that KS-172 model air-to-air missiles will be used on the external nodes of the suspension. In total, the fifth generation fighter received 14 types of weapons.
Electronic systems
The fighter radar system is fundamentally different from the aviation radar in the traditional sense. Together with the main radar with an active phased array antenna (AFAR), a number of auxiliary stations, both active and passive, are installed on board the aircraft. Being spaced across the entire surface of the fuselage, they represent the so-called "smart skin". The integrated multifunctional radar will receive 5 built-in antennas.
Stealth
For fighters of the 5th generation, such an indicator as stealth is one of the principal ones and includes a number of measures that reduce the likelihood of a fighter being detected in the infrared, visible light and radio ranges, as well as acoustically.
Reducing the visibility of the Su-57 aircraft in the radio range is achieved not only due to its shape and the use of special materials (absorbing and reflecting), but also due to electronic warfare (electronic warfare). The edges of the individual elements of the airframe are oriented in strictly limited directions, and the angles between the surfaces have a certain range. In order to avoid the effect of a corner reflector, engineers excluded the location of structural parts at an angle of 90 ° to each other. In addition, to reduce the radio frequency, the bulk of the weapons were hidden in the internal compartments of the aircraft.
Thanks to the successful camouflage (camouflage) painting of the hull, it was possible to reduce the fighter's visibility in the visible range. Reducing the infrared (thermal) visibility of the aircraft is achieved due to the special design of the engines.
An important role in the stealth of a modern fighter is played by the ability to obtain data about enemy targets without giving out itself. For this purpose, the aircraft is equipped with a system of passive sensors and sensors, as well as a reliable channel for the exchange of information.
Technical characteristics of the Su-57 fighter
The parameters below are partly hypothetical (estimated), as there are no exact data in the public domain.
So, the main characteristics of the Su-57:
- Length - 19.7 m.
- Height - 4.8 m.
- Wingspan - 14 m.
- Track track - 5 m.
- Base chassis - 6 m.
- Empty weight is 18.5 tons.
- Normal take-off weight with a full fuel tank is 30.61 tons.
- Maximum take-off weight - 37 tons.
- The mass of the engine is 1.35 tons.
- The maximum thrust is 880 (on the “Type 30” - about 11000) kgf.
- Thrust on afterburner - 15000 (on “Type 30” - about 18000) kgf.
Flight characteristics of the Su-57:
- The maximum speed is 2600 km / h.
- Maximum cruising speed - 2100 km / h.
- Practical range with a full fuel tank: at subsonic speed - 4300 km; at supersonic non-boost speed - 2000 km.
- The practical ceiling is 20 km.
- The length of the run / run is 350 m.
Export version
For delivery to India, and in the future it is possible to other countries, an export modification of the Su-57 aircraft, called FGFA, was created. UAC and Indian company HAL signed an agreement on the joint creation and production of a 5th generation fighter. Under the agreement, the Indian side will develop on-board PCs, navigation systems, self-defense systems and information displays. All other work is undertaken by Sukhoi. The share of HAL in the project is estimated at least 25%. Presumably, the version of the fighter created by the joint efforts of the Russian Federation and India will be exported. Of course, the technical characteristics of the Su-57 fighter, created for sale, will differ from the models coming into service of the Russian Federation. The estimated price of such an aircraft will be 100 million US dollars.
Comparison with F-22
So far, there is only one fifth generation fighter in the world - the American F-22. The prospect of Russia soon adopting its 5th generation aircraft could not but resonate in expert circles. National Interest (USA) published a detailed comparison of the technical characteristics of the Su-57 and F-22. According to the results of the study, a number of advantages of the Russian fighter were discovered . In short, the Su-47 is stronger in close combat, and the F-22 is stronger.
In addition, the expert commission made the following conclusions:
- In the wings of the Su-57 installed L-band radar. The stealth means of the American fighter against him are powerless. At the same time, this radar needs to be improved, since it has insufficient accuracy for guiding missiles solely according to its data. For the F-22 in the near future it is not planned to create such a radar.
- The Su-57 will be equipped with an infrared detection radar from the first copies, and the F-22 will receive a similar system only by 2020.
- Both aircraft are equipped with far from the most modern electronics, so the traditional superiority of American aviation in avionics in this case is not fully realized. The Americans do not hide the fact that many of their fighter systems are already considered obsolete.
- F-22 can take on board six heavy long-range missiles, while the Su-57 only four. At the same time, the launch range of Russian missiles is twice as large.
- The stealth equipment of both fighters casts doubt on the feasibility of using long-range missiles - there is a high probability of miss when firing from a long range, as well as the likelihood of a quick approach, which leads to maneuvering combat.
- By changing the thrust vector in 3 dimensions, the Su-57 has the best maneuverability indicators. The American fighter is capable of changing the thrust vector in only two dimensions, which in close combat conditions can bring him defeat.
- For many years, the Russian military-industrial complex has surpassed the American one by using a control system for launching melee missiles using a special helmet. The latter can launch the R-73 rocket according to the pilot. A similar system for the US Air Force will not be created until 2020.
Separately, experts note the cost of 5th generation fighters. Regardless of the country of manufacture, it is too large. It turns out that the tactical and technical characteristics of the Su-57 and F-22 do not matter due to the extremely small production volumes of these same aircraft. In other words, to discuss which machine is better for a long time, but the number of copies that Russia and America can afford to produce is unlikely to have a significant impact on the outcome of a major battle.
Conclusion
Having examined the production history and characteristics of the Su-57 - the first Russian fifth-generation fighter, we can conclude that the car turned out to be very worthy. Due to the collapse of the USSR, its creation was greatly delayed (the American F-22 was put into production in 2005), but the result was worth it. Today, by its characteristics, the Su-57 aircraft has no analogues in the world.