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RUSSIA ORDERS FIRST Su-57 SQUADRON

‘THE FIRST CONTRACT for 12

aircraft is concluded and the

deliveries will begin soon,’ said

Russia’s deputy minister of

defense Alexey Krivoruchko on

June 30 during his visit to the

Komsomolsk-on-Amur aircraft

factory. Krivoruchko had earlier

been appointed deputy minister

for armament procurement and he

ordered the development of the

Su-57 fighter without delay.

More than eight years have

passed since the T-50’s first flight

on January 29, 2010, at the plant.

Ten flying prototypes are now

undergoing testing. The newest

examples, built since 2016, differ

from the first five aircraft in

having a reinforced inner airframe

structure. The aft fuselage section

(housing the electronic warfare

equipment) is now longer; the

circumference of the aft lower

fuselage, some doors and

hatches, as well as wingtips, have

been modified.

According to Sukhoi, ‘2,050 test

flights were made under the PAK

FA program’ by December 31,

2017. The company also says, ‘test
      flights in the necessary scope to
      obtain the certificate of the first
      stage of the state evaluation were
      completed in late 2017.’ The first
      stage of state testing is in fact not

The first 12 Su-57 ‘Frazors’ now

appear to be on contract, and

will be deployed with tactics and

development units. Piotr Butowski

overly advanced. Only completion

of the second stage, when mission

systems and armament are

evaluated, will enable the Su-

to enter service. Sukhoi says this

should be completed in 2019.

The 12 initial-production Su-57s

mentioned by Krivoruchko will

be deployed to the Akhtubinsk

and Lipetsk evaluation centers

rather than to operational units.

Full-scale production will launch

when the new-generation izdeliye

(product) 30 engine is ready. On

December 5, 2017, the T50-2LL

flying testbed with its port engine

replaced by a prototype of the

new powerplant performed its

maiden flight.

Sukhoi says the Su-57 will be

the company’s primary product

on the market from 2020. The

Komsomolsk-on-Amur factory is

expected to reach an output rate

of two squadrons (24 fighters) a

year by 2025. Piotr Butowski

Right: The impressive 22-aircraft

Typhoon formation included elements

led by Nos 1(F), XI(F) and 29 Squadrons.

Crown Copyright/Cpl Steve Buckley

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06 September 2018 //^ http://www.combataircraft.net

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