Classification of military aircraft. Military aviation, modern combat aviation equipment - planes, helicopters and air bases Modern Russian military aviation

Russian supersonic strategic bomber Tu-160. Armed with cruise missiles capable of hitting targets over 5,000 kilometers away

Idea of ​​use aircraft on the battlefields arose long before the first airplanes designed by the Wright brothers took to the air. The subsequent development of military aviation was unusually rapid, and to this day, aircraft and helicopters have become a formidable weapon in the hands of generals, inferior in power only to nuclear missile forces. Without dominance in the sky, it is incredibly difficult, and often impossible, to achieve victory on earth. Aviation is able to detect and destroy any target, it is difficult to hide from it and even more difficult to defend.

What is military aviation

Modern air forces include special troops and services, as well as a rather complex set of technical means that are diverse in their intended purpose, which can be used to solve strike, reconnaissance, transport and some other tasks.

The main part of this complex are the following types of aviation:

1. Strategic;
2. front;
3. sanitary;
4. Transport.

Additional aviation units are also part of the air defense forces, navy and ground forces.

The history of the creation of military aviation

Sikorsky's "Ilya Muromets" aircraft - the world's first four-engine bomber

The first airplanes for a long time used almost exclusively for recreational and sporting purposes. But already in 1911, during the armed conflict between Italy and Turkey, the aircraft were used in the interests of the army. At first, these were reconnaissance flights, the first of which took place on October 23, and already on November 1, the Italian pilot Gavoti used weapons on ground targets, dropping several conventional hand grenades on them.

By the beginning of the First World War, the great powers managed to acquire air fleets. They consisted mainly of reconnaissance aircraft. There were no fighters at all, and only Russia had bombers - these were the famous Ilya Muromets aircraft. Unfortunately, it was not possible to establish a full-fledged serial production of these machines, so their total number did not exceed 80 copies. Meanwhile, Germany in the second half of the war produced hundreds of its own bombers.

In February 1915, the world's first fighter aircraft, created by the French pilot Roland Garros, appeared on the Western Front. The device he invented for firing through a propeller was quite primitive, although it worked, however, already in May of the same year, the Germans commissioned their own fighters equipped with a full-fledged synchronizer. Since then, dogfights have become more and more common.

German fighter Fokker Dr.I. One of these aircraft was used by the best ace of the First World War, Manfred von Richthofen.

After the end of the First World War, aircraft continued to develop rapidly: their speed, flight range and carrying capacity increased. At the same time, the so-called “Douai Doctrine” appeared, named after its author, an Italian general who believed that victory in a war could be achieved only by aerial bombardment, methodically destroying the enemy’s defense and industrial potential, undermining his morale and will. to resistance.

As subsequent events showed, this theory does not always justify itself, but it was it that largely determined the subsequent directions in the development of military aviation throughout the world. The most notable attempt to put the Douai doctrine into practice was the strategic bombing of Germany during World War II. As a result, military aviation made a huge contribution to the subsequent defeat of the "Third Reich", however, it was not possible to do without the active actions of the ground forces.

Armadas of long-range bombers were considered the main percussion instrument and in post-war period. It was during those years that jet aircraft, which largely changed the very idea of ​​​​military aviation. Huge "flying fortresses" became just a convenient target for Soviet high-speed and well-armed MiGs.

B-29 - American strategic bomber of the 40s, the first carrier of nuclear weapons

This meant that the bombers also had to become jet-powered, which soon happened. During these years, aircraft became more and more complex. If during the Second World War only one aircraft technician was engaged in servicing the fighter, then in subsequent years it was necessary to attract a whole team of specialists.

During the Vietnam War, multi-role aircraft capable of strikes against ground targets, as well as air combat, came to the fore. Such was the American F-4 Phantom, which became to some extent a source of inspiration for the Soviet designers who developed the MiG-23. At the same time, the conflict in Vietnam has once again shown that bombing alone, even the most intense, is not enough to win: combat aviation without the help of ground forces, it is capable of forcing to surrender only a morally broken enemy, prepared in advance for defeat.

In the 70-80s of the last century, fighter jets appeared in the sky fourth generation. They differed from their predecessors not only in flight characteristics, but also in the composition of weapons. The use of high-precision weapons once again changed the face of the air war: there was a transition from massive air strikes to "pinpoint" ones.

Su-27 (left) and F-15 - the best fighters of the 80s of the last century

Today, the main direction in the development of military aviation has become the intensive use of drones, both reconnaissance and attack, as well as the creation of stealth multi-purpose aircraft, such as the American F-35, or the Russian Su-57.

The purpose of military aviation

The list of the main tasks that are solved with the help of military aircraft and helicopters:

1. Carrying out all types of aerial reconnaissance;
2. Artillery fire adjustment;
3. Destruction of land, sea, air and space targets, small and large, stationary and mobile, area and point;
4. Mining of areas of the area;
5. Protection of airspace and ground forces;
6. Transportation and landing of troops;
7. Delivery of various military cargoes and equipment;
8. Evacuation of the wounded and sick;
9. Carrying out promotional campaigns;
10. Examination of the area, detection of radiation, chemical and bacteriological contamination.

Thus, military aviation can be of great benefit, of course, if it is used correctly.

Military aviation technology

During the First World War, shock airships ("Zeppelins") were actively used, however, today there is nothing like this in the Air Force. All the equipment used is airplanes (airplanes) and helicopters.

Aircraft

The breadth of the spectrum of tasks solved with the help of aviation makes it necessary to include several machines in the Air Force different types. Each of them has its own purpose.

F-111 - American front-line bomber with variable sweep wing

Combat aircraft

This type of aviation includes:

1. Fighters. Their main purpose is to destroy enemy aircraft and gain air superiority, local or complete. All other tasks are secondary. Armament - guided air-to-air missiles, automatic guns;
2. Bombers. They can be front-line or strategic. They are mainly used for strikes against ground targets. Armament - air-to-surface missiles (including unguided ones), free-fall, glide and guided bombs, as well as torpedoes (for anti-submarine aircraft);
3. Stormtroopers. They are mainly used for direct support of troops on the battlefield;
4. Fighter-bombers are aircraft capable of attacking ground targets and conducting dogfights. All modern fighters to some extent are such.

Strategic bombers differ significantly from other combat aircraft in their weapons complex, which includes cruise missiles long range.

Reconnaissance and air surveillance aircraft

In principle, "ordinary" fighters or bombers equipped with the necessary equipment can be used to solve reconnaissance tasks. An example is the MiG-25R. But there is also specialized equipment. These are, in particular, the American U-2 and SR-71, the Soviet An-30.

Super high-speed reconnaissance aircraft SR-71 Blackbird

This category also includes early warning aircraft - the Russian A-50 (created on the basis of the Il-76), the American E-3 Sentry. Such machines are capable of conducting deep radio reconnaissance, however, they are not distinguished by stealth, since they are a source of powerful electromagnetic radiation. Significantly more "modestly" behave such intelligence officers as the Il-20, which are mainly engaged in radio interception.

Transport aircraft

This type of aircraft is used to transport troops and equipment. Some models of machines included in the transport aviation, adapted for landing - both conventional and parachuteless, carried out from extremely low altitudes.

AT Russian army the most commonly used military transport aircraft are Il-76 and An-26. If it is necessary to deliver cargo of significant weight or volume, heavy An-124s can be used. Of the American military aircraft of a similar purpose, the most famous are the C-5 Galaxy and C-130 Hercules.

Il-76 - the main aircraft of the Russian military transport aviation

training aircraft

Becoming a military pilot is quite difficult. The most difficult thing is to get real skills that cannot be replaced by virtual flights on a simulator or a deep study of theory. Training aviation is used to solve this problem. Such aircraft can be either specialized vehicles or combat aircraft variants.

For example, the Su-27UB, although it is used for pilot training, can be used as a full-fledged fighter. At the same time, the Yak-130 or the British BAE Hawk are specialized training aircraft. In some cases, even such models can be used as a light attack aircraft to strike at ground targets. Usually this happens "out of poverty", in the absence of full-fledged combat aircraft.

Helicopters

Although rotorcraft were used to a limited extent already during the Second World War, after the end of hostilities, interest in "helicopters" decreased markedly. It soon became clear that this was a mistake, and today helicopters are used in the armies of the most different countries peace.

Transport helicopters

Conventional airplanes cannot take off and land vertically, which limits their scope somewhat. Helicopters originally had this property, which made them a very attractive means of delivering goods and transporting people. The first full-fledged "debut" of such machines took place during the war in Korea. The US Army, using helicopters, evacuated the wounded directly from the battlefield, delivered ammunition and equipment to the soldiers, created problems for the enemy by landing small armed detachments in his rear.

V-22 Osprey - one of the most unusual examples of rotorcraft

Today, the most typical transport helicopter in the Russian army is the Mi-8. The huge heavy Mi-26 is also used. The U.S. military operates the UH-60 Blackhawk, the CH-47 Chinook, and the V-22 Osprey tiltrotor.

attack helicopters

The first rotorcraft, designed specifically to engage ground targets and provide direct fire support for own troops, appeared in the United States in the 60s. It was a UH-1 Cobra helicopter, some modifications of which are used by the US military today. The functions of these machines to some extent overlap with the tasks of attack aircraft.

In the 70s attack helicopters considered perhaps the most effective anti-tank weapon. This became possible thanks to new types of controlled aircraft missiles, such as the American TOW and Hellfire, as well as the Soviet "Phalanx", "Attacks" and "Whirlwinds". A little bit later combat helicopters were additionally equipped with air-to-air missiles.

The most "brutal" combat helicopter in the world - the Mi-24 - is capable of not only attacking ground targets, but also transporting paratroopers

The most famous machines of this class are Mi-24, Ka-52, AH-64 Apache.

Reconnaissance helicopters

In the Soviet, and then Russian army aviation, reconnaissance tasks were usually assigned not to specialized, but to conventional combat or transport helicopters. The US took a different path and developed the OH-58 Kiowa. The equipment placed on board this machine allows you to confidently detect and recognize various targets at a great distance. Weak side helicopter is its poor security, which sometimes led to losses.

From Russian models The Ka-52 has the most advanced reconnaissance equipment, which makes it possible to use this machine as a kind of "gunner".

UAV

For recent decades The importance of unmanned aerial vehicles has grown significantly. Drones allow you to conduct reconnaissance and even inflict surprise strikes on targets, while remaining invulnerable. They are not only difficult to shoot down, but even easy to detect.

Drones are likely to become in the foreseeable future priority aviation development. Such machines will, in particular, be used as assistants for the most modern tanks and fifth generation fighters. Over time, they can completely replace manned combat aircraft.

Promising Russian UAV "Hunter"

air defense

To solve air defense tasks, both conventional front-line fighters and specialized interceptors can be involved. Particular attention was paid to such aviation in the USSR, since American strategic bombers were considered the No. 1 threat for a long time.

The most famous air defense aircraft were the Soviet MiG-25 and MiG-31 interceptors. These are relatively low-maneuverable aircraft, but they are capable of quickly accelerating to speeds of more than 3,000 kilometers per hour.

Of the American fighters of a similar purpose, the F-14 Tomcat was the most famous. This carrier-based aircraft was the only carrier of the AIM-54 Phoenix long-range missiles and was used to protect aircraft carrier strike groups from air attacks.

MiG-25 interceptor on takeoff. Using their record speed, such aircraft successfully evaded dozens of air-to-air missiles fired at them.

In recent decades, aviation technology has developed differently rapidly, as it was before. Fighters such as the F-15, F-16, F / A-18 and Su-27 still dominate the air forces of different countries, although these machines first took to the air back in the 70-80s of the last century . Of course, this does not mean that progress has stopped. The composition of weapons is changing, on-board electronics are being updated, the main thing is that the tactics and strategy for the use of aviation are being reviewed, which in the future may become mostly unmanned. One thing is clear - whatever the technical composition of the Air Force, aircraft and helicopters will remain one of the most powerful means of achieving victory in any military conflict.

The importance of the air force in modern warfare is enormous, and the conflicts of recent decades clearly confirm this. The Russian Air Force is second only to the US Air Force in terms of the number of aircraft. Russian military aviation has a long and glorious history; until recently, the Russian Air Force was separate view troops, in August last year, the Russian air force became part of the Aerospace Forces of the Russian Federation.

Russia is undoubtedly a great aviation power. In addition to the glorious history, our country can boast of a significant technological backlog, which allows us to independently produce military aircraft of any kind.

Today, Russian military aviation is going through a difficult period of its development: its structure is changing, new aviation equipment is being put into service, and generations are changing. However, the events of recent months in Syria have shown that the Russian Air Force can successfully carry out its combat missions in any conditions.

History of the Air Force of the Russian Air Force

The history of Russian military aviation began more than a century ago. In 1904, an aerodynamic institute was created in Kuchino, one of the founders of aerodynamics, Zhukovsky, became its head. Within its walls, scientific and theoretical work was carried out aimed at improving aviation technology.

In the same period, the Russian designer Grigorovich worked on the creation of the world's first seaplanes. The first flight schools were opened in the country.

In 1910, the Imperial Air Force was organized, which lasted until 1917.

Russian aviation took an active part in the First World War, although the domestic industry of that time lagged far behind other countries participating in this conflict. Most combat aircraft flown Russian pilots of that time, were manufactured in foreign factories.

But still there were interesting finds among domestic designers. In Russia, the first multi-engine bomber "Ilya Muromets" was created (1915).

The Russian air force was divided into squadrons, which included 6-7 aircraft each. Detachments united in air groups. The army and navy had their own aviation.

At the beginning of the war, aircraft were used for reconnaissance or artillery fire correction, but very quickly they began to be used to bombard the enemy. Soon fighters appeared, and air battles began.

The Russian pilot Nesterov made the first air ram, and a little earlier he performed the famous "dead loop".

The Imperial Air Force was disbanded after the Bolsheviks came to power. Many pilots have participated in civil war on different sides of the conflict.

In 1918, the new government created its own Air Force, which took part in the civil war. After its completion, the country's leadership paid great attention to the development of military aviation. This allowed the USSR in the 30s, after large-scale industrialization, to return to the club of the world's leading aviation powers.

New aircraft factories were built, design bureaus were created, flight schools were opened. A whole galaxy of talented aircraft designers appeared in the country: Polyakov, Tupolev, Ilyushin, Petlyakov, Lavochnikov and others.

In the prewar period, the armed forces received a large number of new models of aviation equipment, which was not inferior to foreign counterparts: MiG-3, Yak-1, LaGG-3 fighters, long-range bomber TB-3.

By the beginning of the war, the Soviet industry managed to produce more than 20 thousand military aircraft of various modifications. In the summer of 1941, the factories of the USSR produced 50 combat vehicles per day, three months later the production of equipment doubled (up to 100 vehicles).

The war for the USSR Air Force began with a series of crushing defeats - great amount aircraft were destroyed at border airfields and in air battles. For almost two years, German aviation had air supremacy. Soviet pilots did not have the proper experience, their tactics were outdated, as well as most of Soviet aviation technology.

The situation began to change only by 1943, when the industry of the USSR mastered the production of modern combat vehicles, and the Germans had to send the best forces to defend Germany from Allied air raids.

By the end of the war, the numerical superiority of the USSR Air Force became overwhelming. During the war years, more than 27 thousand Soviet pilots died.

On July 16, 1997, by the Decree of the President of Russia, the the new kind troops - Air Force of the Russian Federation. Part new structure included the air defense troops and the air force. In 1998, the necessary structural changes were completed, the Main Headquarters of the Russian Air Force was formed, and a new commander-in-chief appeared.

Russian military aviation participated in all conflicts in the North Caucasus, in the Georgian war of 2008, in 2019 Russian videoconferencing were introduced into Syria, where they are at the moment.

Around the middle of the last decade, an active modernization of the Russian air force began.

Modernization of old aircraft is underway, the units receive new technology building new ones and restoring old ones air bases. The development of the fifth generation fighter T-50 is underway, which is at the final stage.

The monetary allowance of military personnel has been significantly increased, today pilots have the opportunity to spend enough time in the air and hone their skills, exercises have become regular.

In 2008, the reform of the air force started. The structure of the Air Force was divided into commands, air bases and brigades. Commands were created territorial principle and replaced the air defense and air force armies.

Structure of the Air Force of the Russian Air Force

Today, the Russian Air Force is part of the military space forces, the decree on the creation of which was published in August 2019. The leadership of the Russian Aerospace Forces is carried out by the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, and the direct command is the High Command of the Aerospace Forces. The Commander-in-Chief of the Russian military space forces is Colonel General Sergei Surovikin.

The Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Air Force is Lieutenant General Yudin, he holds the position of Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Aerospace Forces.

In addition to the air force, the VKS includes space troops, air defense and missile defense units.

The Russian Air Force includes a long-range, military transport and army aviation. In addition, the Air Force includes anti-aircraft, missile and radio engineering troops. The Russian Air Force also has its own special troops, which perform many important functions: provide intelligence and communications, engage in electronic warfare, rescue operations and protection against weapons of mass destruction. The Air Force also includes a meteorological and medical service, engineering units, support units and rear services.

The basis of the structure of the Russian air force are brigades, air bases and commands of the Russian Air Force.

Four commands are located in St. Petersburg, Rostov-on-Don, Khabarovsk and Novosibirsk. In addition, the Russian Air Force includes a separate command that manages long-range and military transport aviation.

As mentioned above, in terms of size, the Russian Air Force is second only to the US Air Force. In 2010, the number of Russian air forces was 148 thousand people, about 3.6 thousand various units of aviation equipment were in operation, and about 1 thousand more were in storage.

After the 2008 reform, the air regiments turned into air bases; in 2010, there were 60-70 such bases.

The following tasks are set for the Russian Air Force:

• reflection of enemy aggression in the air and outer space;
• protection against air strikes of military and government controlled, administrative and industrial centers, other important infrastructure facilities of the state;
• inflicting defeat on enemy troops using various types of ammunition, including nuclear;
• conducting reconnaissance operations;
• direct support of other types and branches of the armed forces of the Russian Federation.

Military aviation of the Russian Air Force

The Russian Air Force includes a strategic and long-range aviation, military transport and army aviation, which, in turn, is divided into fighter, attack, bomber, reconnaissance.

Strategic and long-range aviation is part of the Russian nuclear triad and is capable of carrying different kinds nuclear weapons.

. These machines were designed and built back in the Soviet Union. The impetus for the creation of this aircraft was the development by the Americans of the B-1 strategist. Today, the Russian Air Force is armed with 16 Tu-160 aircraft. These military aircraft can be armed with cruise missiles and free-fall bombs. Will he be able Russian industry to establish serial production of these machines is an open question.

. This is a turboprop aircraft that made its first flight during Stalin's lifetime. This machine has undergone a deep modernization, it can be armed with cruise missiles and free-fall bombs with both conventional and nuclear warheads. Currently, the number of operating machines is about 30.

. This machine is called a long-range supersonic missile-carrying bomber. Tu-22M was developed in the late 60s of the last century. The aircraft has a variable wing geometry. Can carry cruise missiles and nuclear bombs. The total number of combat-ready vehicles is about 50, another 100 are in storage.

Fighter aviation of the Russian Air Force is currently represented by Su-27, MiG-29, Su-30, Su-35, MiG-31, Su-34 (fighter-bomber).

. This machine is the result of a deep modernization of the Su-27, it can be attributed to the 4 ++ generation. The fighter has increased maneuverability and is equipped with a perfect electronic equipment. Start of operation of the Su-35 - 2014. The total number of aircraft - 48 cars.

. The famous attack aircraft, created back in the mid-70s of the last century. One of the best vehicles of its class in the world, the Su-25 has been involved in dozens of conflicts. Today, about 200 Rooks are in service, another 100 are in storage. This aircraft is being upgraded and will be completed in 2020.

. frontline bomber with variable wing geometry, designed to overcome enemy air defenses at low altitude and supersonic speed. The Su-24 is a morally obsolete machine, it is planned to be decommissioned by 2020. 111 units remain in service.

. The latest fighter-bomber. Now the Russian Air Force is armed with 75 such aircraft.

Transport aviation Russian Air Force represented by several hundred different aircraft, the vast majority developed back in the USSR: An-22, An-124 Ruslan, Il-86, An-26, An-72, An-140, An-148 and other models.

Training aircraft include: Yak-130, Czech aircraft L-39 Albatros and Tu-134UBL.

The two strongest powers in the world have the most powerful air force. These are Russia and the United States of America. Both countries are constantly improving them. New military units are issued, if not annually, then every two to three years. Huge funds are allocated for development in this area.

If speak about strategic aviation Russia, then do not expect that you will be able to find somewhere accurate, statistical data on the number of attack aircraft, fighters, etc. in service. Such information is classified as top secret. Therefore, the information provided in this article may be subjective.

General overview of the Russian air fleet

It is included in the Aerospace Forces of our country. One of the important components of the WWF is aviation. It is subdivided to long-range, transport, operational-tactical and army. This includes attack aircraft, bombers, fighters, transport aircraft.

How many military aircraft does Russia have? Approximate number - 1614 units of military air equipment. These are 80 strategic bombers, and 150 long-range bombers, 241 attack aircraft, etc.

For comparison, you can give how many passenger aircraft in Russia. Total 753. Of them 547 — trunk and 206 - regional. Since 2014, the demand for passenger flights began to fall, so the number of operated cars has also decreased. 72% of them are foreign models ( and ).

New aircraft in the Russian Air Force are advanced models military equipment. Among them are Su-57. it 5th generation fighter with a wide range of functions. Until August 2017, it was developed under a different name - Tu-50. It began to be created as a replacement for the Su-27.

The first time he soared into the sky yet in 2010 year. Three years later, it was launched into small-scale production for testing. By 2018 batch deliveries will begin.

Another promising model is MiG-35. This is a light fighter whose characteristics are almost comparable with fifth generation aircraft. It was designed to deliver accurate strikes against targets on land and in water. Winter 2017 year, the first tests began. By 2020 first deliveries are planned.

A-100 Premier- another novelty in the Russian Air Force. Early warning aircraft. It should replace the outdated models - A50 and A50U.

From training machines can be brought Yak-152. It was developed for the selection of pilots at the first stage of training.

Among military transport models, there are IL-112 and IL-214. The first of them is a light aircraft, which should replace the An-26. The second was developed jointly with, but now they continue to design it, as a replacement for the An-12.

Of the helicopters, such new models are under development − Ka-60 and Mi-38. Ka-60 is transport helicopter. It is designed to deliver ammunition and weapons to the zones of military conflicts. Mi-38 is a multifunctional helicopter. Its financing is provided directly by the state.

There is also a novelty among passenger models. This is IL-114. Turboprop aircraft with two engines. It accommodates 64 passengers, and flies to a distance - up to 1500 km. It is being developed to replace An-24.

If we talk about small aviation in Russia, then the situation here is extremely deplorable. There are only 2-4 thousand aircraft and helicopters. And the number of amateur pilots is declining every year. This is due to the fact that two taxes must be paid for any aircraft at once - transport and property.

Air fleets of Russia and the USA - a comparative analysis

The total number of aircraft in the United States - this is 13,513 cars. The researchers note that among them - only 2000- fighters and bombers. The rest - 11,000- these are transport vehicles and those used by NATO, the US Navy and the National Guard.

Transport aircraft are extremely important as they keep the air bases on alert and provide excellent logistics to the American forces. In this comparison, the US Air Force and the Russian Air Force clearly win the first.

The US Air Force has a large amount of equipment.

In terms of the pace of renewal of military air technology, Russia is pulling ahead. By 2020, it is planned to release another 600 units. The real power gap between the two powers will be 10-15 % . It is already noted that Russian S-27s are ahead of American F-25s.

Speaking of comparison armed forces Russia and the United States, the trump card of the first is the presence of particularly powerful air defense systems. They reliably protect the air latitudes of Russia. Modern Russian complexes Air defense S-400 have no analogues anywhere in the world.

Russian air defense is something like an “umbrella” that protects the skies of our country until 2020. By this milestone, it is planned to completely update almost all military equipment, including air.

The air force has long been the backbone of the armed forces of any army. Aircraft are becoming not just a means of delivering bombs and missiles to the enemy camp, modern aviation is multifunctional combat complexes with wings. The latest F-22 and F-35 fighters, as well as their modifications, have already been put into service with the US Army, and here we mean "army" as ground forces. This means that the infantry is now on a par with tanks and infantry fighting vehicles have fighters in their composition. This highlights the role of aviation in modern warfare. This shift towards multifunctionality made possible new developments in the field of aircraft construction and a change in the principles of war. Modern fighter can fight without approaching the target closer than 400 km, launch missiles at 30 targets and turn around and fly to the base at the same second. The case is of course a private one, but it describes the picture more than. Not exactly what we are used to seeing in Hollywood blockbusters in which, no matter how far you look into the future, fighters in the air and in space are fighting the classic "dog fights" of the Great Patriotic War. Some time ago, a couple of news sites were full of news that in the simulation of the battle of "drying" and F-22, domestic car came out victorious due to superiority in maneuverability, of course it was about superiority in close combat. All articles noted that in long-range combat, the Raptor is superior to the Su-35 due to more advanced weapons and guidance systems. What distinguishes 4 ++ and 5 generations.

At the moment, the Russian Air Force is armed with combat aircraft of the so-called 4 ++ generation, the same Su-35s. This is a product of a deep modernization of the Su-27, MiG-29, which have been available since the 80s, it is planned to begin a similar modernization of the Tu-160 soon. 4 ++ means as close as possible to the fifth generation, in general, modern "drying" differs from PAK FA in the absence of "stealth" and AFAR. Nevertheless, the possibilities for modernizing this design have been exhausted in principle, so the issue of creating a new generation of fighters has been standing for a long time.

Fifth generation

Fifth generation of fighters. We often hear this term in the news about modern weapons and at aviation shows. What is it? "Generation" is, in general terms, a list of requirements that modern military doctrine imposes on a combat vehicle. The 5th generation vehicle should be stealthy, have supersonic cruising speed, advanced target detection systems and electronic warfare, but the most important thing is versatility. No wonder the projects have the word "complex" in their name. The ability to fight equally well in the air and hit ground targets largely determines the appearance of the fifth generation. These are the tasks that were set before the future designers of the new symbol of domestic aviation.

The development of a new generation began in the USSR and the USA almost simultaneously, back in the 80s, and in the States in the 90s they already chose a prototype. Due to world-famous events, the Soviet program found itself in stagnation for long years, this is the reason for the lag in our days. As you know, the 5th generation fighter F-22 Raptor and F-35 Lightning are already in service with the United States and a number of other countries. Remarkably, the Raptors have not yet been supplied even to the allies, having noticeable advantages over the Lightnings, the exclusive presence of the Raptors in the US Army makes their Air Force the most advanced in the world.

Our response to the Raptors is still being prepared, the deadlines have been repeatedly postponed, from 2016 to 2017 2019, now it's 2020, but experts say that another postponement is possible, although they note that the new Russian fighter every day more and more takes the form of a product ready for serial production.

Su-47 Berkut

In Russia, the fifth generation has a long-suffering history. As you know, PAK FA, aka T-50, but with a completely recently The Su-57 is not the first attempt to get an ultra-modern multi-role fighter into service. One of these attempts was the Su-47, also known as the Berkut. The test of a new aircraft with reverse swept wings took place back in the 90s. The car is very memorable and has been in sight and heard for a long time. "Reverse" wings partly played a cruel joke with him. This design brought the aircraft to new level maneuverability, however, to solve all the problems of a similar design of forces was not found, either in Russia or in the States, where in the 80s there was a project X-29, a fighter with a similar wing sweep. Also, this prototype did not meet all the requirements of the fifth generation, for example, it could overcome supersonic sound only in afterburner.

Only one fighter was built and now it is used only as prototype. Perhaps the Su-47 will be the last attempt to create an aircraft with a reverse swept wing.

Su-57 (PAK FA)

PAK FA (Perspective Aviation Complex Frontal Aviation) is a new Russian aircraft. Became the first good luck bring to life the fifth generation of aircraft. At the moment, there is little information about its characteristics in the public domain. From the obvious, it has all the characteristics of the fifth generation, namely supersonic cruising speed, "stealth" technologies, active phased array antenna (AFAR) and so on. Outwardly, it looks like the F-22 Raptor. And now everyone who is not too lazy is already starting to compare these machines, no wonder, because the Su-57 will become the main “protagonist” in the fight against the Raptors and Lightnings. It should be noted that in the new realities special place the improvement of missiles will also occupy, as already mentioned, the engagement takes place at gigantic distances, so how much the fighter will be maneuverable and how well it feels in close combat is the tenth thing.

In Russia, the “arrows” for the latest aviation technology are the R-73 rocket and its modifications, which rightfully bear the glory of a formidable weapon. But the designers, according to the good Russian tradition, "just in case" provided for the installation of a 30-mm air gun on the Su-57.

In developing

Another transition to the "five" is planned for another 4 ++ aircraft - MiG-35. Sketches of the "face" of the future interceptor have already been shown, but it is not yet clear whether there will be a need for it or whether the Su-57 will cope with its functions. Not only would a light fighter meet all the requirements of a new generation, it is necessary to develop a fundamentally new engine and solve the problem with the installation of "stealth". Which is impossible for machines of this class in modern realities. As mentioned earlier, the fifth generation implies multifunctionality, which, in theory, the Su-57 should have, so what tasks will be assigned to the MiG is still not clear.

Another promising machine for the aviation forces of the Russian Federation is the PAK DA, which is being developed within the walls of the Tupolev design bureau. From the abbreviation it is clear that we are talking about long-range aviation. According to the plan in 2025 - the first flight, but given the craving for postponing the release of anything, you can immediately throw on a couple of three, or even five years. Therefore, most likely we will not soon see how the new "Tupolev" takes off into the sky, obviously long-range aviation will get by with the Tu-160 and in the near future its modification.

sixth generation

On the Internet, no, no, yes, a yellow article about the sixth generation of fighter jets slips through. That development is already in full swing somewhere. This is certainly not the case, because we recall that the latest fifth generation is in service only with the United States. Therefore, it is too early to talk about “development in full swing”. Here we would finish with the fifth. As for the speculation about what the weapons of the future will look like, there is room for discussion. What will be the new generation of aircraft?

From the sixth generation, we should expect that all standard characteristics will increase. Speed, agility. Most likely, the weight will decrease, thanks to new materials of the future, electronics will reach a new level. In the coming decades, we can expect breakthroughs in the creation of quantum computers, this will allow us to move to an unprecedented level of computing speed, which in turn will allow us to seriously upgrade modern aircraft AI, which in the future may rightfully be called a “co-pilot”. Presumably, there will be a complete rejection of the vertical tail, which is absolutely useless already in modern realities, since fighters operate mainly at the limiting and prohibitive angles of attack. From this, interesting forms of the airframe may follow, perhaps again an attempt to change the sweep of the wing.

Most main question which will be decided by the designers of the future - is a pilot needed at all? That is, whether the fighter will be controlled by AI or by a pilot, and if by a pilot, whether the pilot will control the aircraft remotely or still in the old fashioned way from the cockpit. Imagine an airplane without a pilot. This is a huge “relief” for the car, because in addition to the weight of the pilot himself and his equipment, a decent load is created by the pilot’s seat, which should save lives, which makes it difficult for a car stuffed with electronics and mechanisms for pilot ejection. Not to mention changing the design of the airframe, which does not have to allocate a huge space for a person and puzzle over the ergonomic design of the cockpit to make it easier to control the machine in the air. The absence of a pilot leads to the fact that you no longer need to worry about overloads, which means that the car can be accelerated to any speed that the structure will pull, the same goes for maneuvers in the sky. It will also facilitate the training of pilots. And this is not only about reducing the requirements for the health of the pilot. Now the pilot is the most valuable thing in fighters. Colossal amounts of time and resources are spent on preparation, the loss of a pilot is irreparable. If the pilot controls the fighter from a comfortable seat deep in a bunker at a military base, then this will change the face of the war no less than a "transplant" from horses to tanks and infantry fighting vehicles.

The prospect of completely abandoning the pilot still looks like a task for the more distant future. Scientists warn about the consequences of using AI, and the very philosophical and ethical component of replacing a person with a robot in war is still being studied. Still, we do not yet have the computing power to create a full-fledged replacement for the pilot, but a technological revolution in this area is possible in the coming decades. On the other hand, the flair and military ingenuity of the pilot cannot be recreated by zeros and ones. So far, all these are hypotheses, so the appearance of modern aviation and the air force of the near future will still have a human face.

The air force is one of the most important components of the defense capability of each country. Every day, scientists around the world are working to create faster and more efficient combat aircraft. Our review today presents 19 of the most best models fighters who have already proven themselves in combat.

1. American attack fighter - Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet

This model is a modernized version of a military aircraft. F/A-18. The sample weighs 14.5 tons, while one full tank will be enough to fly 3300 kilometers. The aircraft is equipped with a powerful F404 engine, thanks to which maximum speed can reach 1915 km / h. The Super Hornet costs about US$67 million.

2. German monoplane fighter - Focke-Wulf Fw 190 Wurger

The presented model proved to be excellent in the Luftwaffe during the Second World War. Kurt Tank is the developer of a fighter called the Focke-Wulf Fw 190 Wurger, which was created specifically for the German Air Force. The aircraft made its first flight back in 1939.

3. American light fighter - Lockheed Martin F-16 Fighting Falcon

This model was developed back in 1974, but was put into operation at the end of 1979. The length of the sample is 15 meters. The sample is equipped with a powerful General Electric F110 engine. Price General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon is about 19 million US dollars.

4. Swedish multirole fighter - Saab JAS 39 Gripen

The presented model has been in service with the Swedish Air Force since 1997. The weight of this sample is 6622 kilograms, while the flight range from one full tank reaches 3250 kilometers. The creator of the aircraft is Saab AB. Costs Saab JAS 39 Gripen approximately 60 million US dollars.

5. Fighter - Su-30MKI (Flanker-H)

The upgraded aircraft model weighs 18,400 kilograms, while its flight range from one full tank reaches 3,000 kilometers. This model made its first flight in 2000. The fighter is equipped with a powerful AL-31F engine. Price Su-30MKI is 25 million US dollars.

6. Double fighter - McDonnell Douglas F-15E Strike Eagle

This model was created on the basis of the F-15D combat training fighter. This aircraft can be used to patrol and provide cover for ground forces. The sample is equipped with a powerful Pratt & Whitney F100 engine, thanks to which the maximum flight speed can reach 2655 kilometers per hour. Price McDonnell Douglas F-15E Strike Eagle is approximately US$31 million.

7. French multirole fighter - Dassault Rafale

French company Dassault Aviation is the creator of a 15 meter fighter called - Dassault Rafale. The maximum speed of this model reaches 2130 km / h, and the flight range from one fully filled tank is 3700 kilometers.

8. Experimental aircraft - Sukhoi Su-35

This fighter weighs 18,400 kilograms, while its flight range from one fully filled tank is 3,600 kilometers. The model is equipped with a powerful AL-31F engine, thanks to which the maximum speed of the aircraft reaches 2500 km/h. Costs Su-27M about 65 million US dollars.

9. Multirole fighter - Eurofighter Typhoon

This model was created by Eurofighter GmbH in 1986. The aircraft weighs 11 tons, while its flight range from one fully filled tank is 3790 kilometers. The maximum allowable speed of the aircraft is 1838 km/h.

10. Fighter-bomber - Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II

American company Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company is the creator of a stealth fighter called - Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II. This model is equipped with a powerful Pratt & Whitney F135 engine, thanks to which the maximum speed can reach 1930 km / h, and the flight range is 2220 kilometers. The sample made its first flight in 2006.

11. American strike aircraft - Lockheed F-117 Nighthawk

This model is the development of the company lockheed martin. This sample is designed to quietly penetrate the enemy's air defense system and destroy strategically important targets. The aircraft is equipped with a powerful General Electric F404 engine, thanks to which the maximum speed of the aircraft can reach 993 kilometers per hour. Price Lockheed F-117 Nighthawk is about 100 million US dollars.

12. Multirole fighter - MiG 21

This model is equipped turbojet engine, thanks to which the maximum speed of the aircraft can reach 2175 kilometers per hour. The model made its first flight back in 1955. MiG-21 is one of the most common supersonic aircraft in the world.

13. English fighter - Supermarine Spitfire

This model is one of best fighters Second World War. This sample is equipped with powerful engines such as: Rolls-Royce Merlin, Rolls-Royce Griffon, thanks to which the maximum speed of the aircraft can be 584 kilometers per hour. The aircraft made its first flight back in 1936.

14. Russian fighter - MiG-35

This model is equipped with a powerful RD-33 engine, thanks to which the maximum speed of the aircraft can reach 2600 km/h. The sample made its first flight in 2007. One full tank of aircraft is enough for 2,000 kilometers.

15. Multirole fighter - Chengdu J-10

This model is the development of a Chinese company Chengdu Aircraft Industry Group.
The presented sample is equipped with a turbofan engine, thanks to which the maximum flight speed of the aircraft can reach 2327 kilometers per hour. The aircraft made its first flight in 1998. Price Chengdu J-10 is 28 million US dollars.

16. British fighter - Hawker Siddeley Harrier

This model is the development of Hawker Siddeley, which in 1960 created a fighter called Hawker Siddeley Harrier. The maximum allowable flight speed of this sample is 1175 kilometers per hour.

17. American fighter - North American P-51 Mustang

This model was created by designer Edgar Schmüd together with the company North American Aviation. This model is equipped with a powerful twelve-cylinder engine, thanks to which the maximum speed of the aircraft can reach 703 kilometers per hour.

18. Russian fighter - Su-47 Berkut

This model is equipped with powerful engines such as AL-31F, D-30, thanks to which the maximum speed of the aircraft can reach 2650 km/h. The sample weighs 16,380 kilograms, while the flight range from one fully filled tank is 3,300 kilometers. The Su-47 Berkut costs about 70 million US dollars.

19. Multirole fighter - Su-27

This model is equipped with a powerful AL-31F engine, thanks to which the maximum flight speed can reach 2500 km/h. The sample weighs 16380 kilograms, while the flight range from one fully filled tank is 3530 kilometers. Costs Su-27 approximately US$30 million.

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