Military aviation, modern combat aviation equipment - planes, helicopters and air bases. Russian Air Force Russian military aircraft names

MILITARY AVIATION
The history of military aviation can be traced back to the first successful flight of a balloon in France in 1783. The decision of the French government in 1794 to organize an aeronautical service was recognized as the military significance of this flight. It was the world's first aviation military unit. In 1909, the US Army Signal Corps for the first time in history adopted a military aircraft. Like its prototype, the Wright brothers' machine, this craft was powered by a piston engine (located behind the pilot, in front of the pusher propellers). Engine power was 25 kW. The aircraft was also equipped with skis for landing, and its cockpit could accommodate a crew of two. The plane took off from a monorail catapult. Its maximum speed was equal to 68 km / h, and the flight duration did not exceed an hour. The cost of manufacturing the aircraft amounted to 25 thousand dollars. Military aviation progressed rapidly on the eve of the First World War. So, in the period 1908-1913, Germany spent 22 million dollars on research and development in the field of aviation, France - approx. 20 million dollars, Russia - 12 million dollars. Over the same period, the United States spent only 430 thousand dollars on military aviation.
World War I (1914-1918). Some of the military aircraft built during these years are quite famous today. The most famous, probably, should be recognized as the French fighter "Spud" with two machine guns and the German single-seat fighter "Fokker". It is known that in just one month of 1918 Fokker fighters destroyed 565 aircraft of the Entente countries. In the UK, a two-seat reconnaissance fighter-bomber "Bristol" was created; British aviation was also armed with a Camel single-seat front-line fighter. The French single-seat fighters Nieuport and Moran are quite well known.

The MOST FAMOUS German fighter aircraft in World War I was the Fokker. It was equipped with a Mercedes engine with a power of 118 kW and two machine guns with synchronized firing through the propeller.

R-47 "THUNDERBOLT" - the famous US fighter during the Second World War. This single-seat aircraft had a 1545 kW engine.

US Air Force Aircraft

US Air Force F-117 "Stealth" ATTACK AIRCRAFT.

U.S. Army Aircraft

US Navy AIRCRAFT

SH-3 "SEA KING" is an anti-submarine helicopter with a watertight hull that allows landing on the surface of the water (NASA modification is shown in the picture).

DEVELOPMENT TRENDS

RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT

ACHIEVEMENTS IN OTHER COUNTRIES

WESTERN EUROPEAN FIGHTER "TORNADO"

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

The idea of ​​using aircraft on the battlefield 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, the navy and the 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 were used for a long time 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 best ace World War I by 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 shown further developments, this theory does not always justify itself, but it was she who largely determined the subsequent directions in the development of military aviation around 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 the post-war period. It was in those years that jet aircraft appeared, which in many ways changed the very idea of ​​\u200b\u200bmilitary 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 bombardments alone, even the most intense ones, are not enough to win: combat aircraft without the help of ground forces can only force the surrender of 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 strike, 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 different types of aircraft in the Air Force. 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 vehicles that are part of transport aviation are adapted for landing - both conventional and non-parachute, 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 were 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 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 purposes at a great distance. The weak side of the 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

Over the past 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 latest best military aircraft of the Air Force of Russia and the world photos, pictures, videos about the value of a fighter aircraft as a combat weapon capable of providing "air supremacy" was recognized by the military circles of all states by the spring of 1916. This required the creation of a special combat aircraft that surpasses all others in terms of speed, maneuverability, altitude and the use of offensive small arms. In November 1915, Nieuport II Webe biplanes arrived at the front. This is the first aircraft built in France, which was intended for air combat.

The most modern domestic military aircraft in Russia and the world owe their appearance to the popularization and development of aviation in Russia, which was facilitated by the flights of Russian pilots M. Efimov, N. Popov, G. Alekhnovich, A. Shiukov, B. Rossiysky, S. Utochkin. The first began to appear domestic cars designers J. Gakkel, I. Sikorsky, D. Grigorovich, V. Slesarev, I. Steglau. In 1913, the heavy aircraft "Russian Knight" made its first flight. But one cannot fail to recall the first aircraft creator in the world - Captain 1st Rank Alexander Fedorovich Mozhaisky.

Soviet military aircraft of the Great USSR Patriotic War sought to hit the enemy troops, his communications and other objects in the rear with air strikes, which led to the creation of bomber aircraft capable of carrying a large bomb load over considerable distances. The variety of combat missions for bombing enemy forces in the tactical and operational depth of the fronts led to the understanding of the fact that their performance should be commensurate with the tactical and technical capabilities of a particular aircraft. Therefore, the design teams had to resolve the issue of specialization of bomber aircraft, which led to the emergence of several classes of these machines.

Types and classification, the latest models of military aircraft in Russia and the world. It was obvious that it would take time to create a specialized fighter aircraft, so the first step in this direction was to try to equip existing aircraft with small arms offensive weapons. Mobile machine-gun mounts, which began to equip the aircraft, required excessive efforts from the pilots, since the control of the machine in a maneuverable battle and the simultaneous firing of an unstable weapon reduced the effectiveness of firing. The use of a two-seat aircraft as a fighter, where one of the crew members played the role of a gunner, also created certain problems, because an increase in the weight and drag of the machine led to a decrease in its flight qualities.

What are the planes. In our years, aviation has made a big qualitative leap, expressed in a significant increase in flight speed. This was facilitated by progress in the field of aerodynamics, the creation of new more powerful engines, structural materials, and electronic equipment. computerization of calculation methods, etc. Supersonic speeds have become the main modes of fighter flight. However, the race for speed had its negative sides- takeoff and landing characteristics and aircraft maneuverability have sharply deteriorated. During these years, the level of aircraft construction reached such a level that it was possible to start creating aircraft with a variable sweep wing.

In order to further increase the flight speeds of jet fighters exceeding the speed of sound, Russian combat aircraft required an increase in their power-to-weight ratio, an increase in the specific characteristics of turbojet engines, and also an improvement in the aerodynamic shape of the aircraft. For this purpose, engines with an axial compressor were developed, which had smaller frontal dimensions, higher efficiency and better weight characteristics. For a significant increase in thrust, and hence the flight speed, afterburners were introduced into the engine design. The improvement of the aerodynamic forms of the aircraft consisted in the use of wings and empennage with large sweep angles (in the transition to thin delta wings), as well as supersonic air intakes.

The Russian military-industrial complex is one of the most modern in the world, so the Russian military aviation is also one of the most modern on the planet.

The Russian military-industrial complex is capable of producing almost any type of modern military aircraft, including fifth-generation fighters.

Russian military aviation consists of:

• Bombers of Russia
• Russian fighters
• Stormtroopers of Russia
• AWACS aircraft of Russia
• Flying tankers (refuelers) of Russia
• Military transport aircraft of Russia
• Russian military transport helicopters
• Russian attack helicopters

The main manufacturers of military aircraft in Russia are PJSC Sukhoi Company, JSC RAC MiG, the Moscow Helicopter Plant named after M. L. Mil, OJSC Kamov and others.

You can see photos and descriptions of the products of some companies at the links:

Let's look at each class of military aircraft with descriptions and photographs.

Bombers of Russia

Wikipedia will explain what a bomber is to us very accurately: A bomber is a military aircraft designed to destroy ground, underground, surface, underwater objects with bomb and / or missile weapons. .

Russian long-range bombers

Long-range bombers in Russia are developed and produced by the Tupolev Design Bureau.

Long-range bomber Tu-160

The Tu-160, unofficially called the White Swan, is the fastest and heaviest long-range bomber in the world. Tu-160 "White Swan" is capable of developing supersonic speed, not every fighter is able to keep up with him.

Long-range bomber Tu-95

Tu-95 is a veteran long-range aviation Russia. Developed back in 1955, having gone through many upgrades, the Tu-95 is still Russia's main long-range bomber.

Long-range bomber Tu-22M

Tu-22M is another long-range bomber of the Russian Aerospace Forces. It has variable sweep wings, like the Tu-160, but its dimensions are smaller.

Front-line bombers of Russia

Front-line bombers in Russia are developed and produced by PJSC Sukhoi Company.

Front-line bomber Su-34

The Su-34 is a 4++ generation combat aircraft, a fighter-bomber, although it would be more accurate to call it a front-line bomber.

Front-line bomber Su-24

Su-24 is a front-line bomber, the development of which began in the USSR in the early 60s of the last century. Currently, he is being replaced by the Su-34.

Russian fighters

Fighters in Russia are developed and manufactured by two companies: PJSC Sukhoi Company and JSC RAC MiG.

Su Fighters

PJSC "Company" Sukhoi "delivers to the troops such modern combat vehicles as the fifth generation fighter Su-50 (PAK FA), Su-35, front-line bomber Su-34, carrier-based fighter Su-33, Su-30, heavy fighter Su- 27, Su-25 attack aircraft, Su-24M3 front-line bomber.

Fighter of the fifth generation PAK FA (T-50)

PAK FA (T-50 or Su-50) is a fifth-generation fighter developed by Sukhoi Company PJSC for the Russian Aerospace Forces since 2002. As of the end of 2016, tests are being completed and the aircraft is being prepared for transfer to regular units.

Photo by PAK FA (T-50).

Su-35 is a 4++ generation fighter.

Photo Su-35.

Su-33 carrier-based fighter

Su-33 is a 4++ generation carrier-based fighter. Several of these aircraft are in service with the aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov.

Fighter Su-27

Su-27 is the main combat fighter of the Russian Aerospace Forces. Based on it, the Su-34, Su-35, Su-33 and several other fighters were developed.

Su-27 in flight

MiG fighters

JSC "RSK" MiG "" today supplies the troops with the MiG-31 fighter-interceptor and the MiG-29 fighter.

Fighter-interceptor MiG-31

The MiG-31 is a fighter-interceptor designed to perform tasks at any time of the day and in any weather. The MiG-31 is a very fast aircraft.

Fighter MiG-29

MiG-29 - is one of the main combat fighters of the Russian Aerospace Forces. There is a deck version - MiG-29K.

Stormtroopers

The only attack aircraft in service with the Russian Aerospace Forces is the Su-25 attack aircraft.

Attack aircraft Su-25

Su-25 - armored subsonic attack aircraft. The machine made its first flight in 1975 since then, having undergone many upgrades, it has been reliably fulfilling its tasks.

Russian military helicopters

Helicopters for the army are produced by the Moscow Helicopter Plant named after M.L. Mil and OJSC Kamov.

Kamov helicopters

JSC "Kamov" specializes in the production of coaxial helicopters.

Helicopter Ka-52

The Ka-52 "Alligator" is a two-seat helicopter capable of performing both attack and reconnaissance functions.

Deck helicopter Ka-31

The Ka-31 is a carrier-based helicopter equipped with a long-range radio detection and guidance system, which is in service with the Admiral Kuznetsov aircraft carrier.

Deck helicopter Ka-27

Ka-27 is a multi-purpose carrier-based helicopter. The main modifications are anti-submarine and rescue.

Photo Ka-27PL Russian Navy

Mil helicopters

Mi helicopters are being developed by the Moscow Mil Helicopter Plant.

Mi-28 helicopter

The Mi-28 is a Soviet-designed attack helicopter used by the Russian army.

Mi-24 helicopter

Mi-24 is a world-famous attack helicopter, created in the 1970s in the USSR.

Mi-26 helicopter

The Mi-24 is a heavy transport helicopter, also developed back in Soviet times. On the this moment is the largest helicopter in the world.

Since the first use of aircraft on the battlefield, their role in military conflicts has been constantly growing. The role of aviation has become especially significant over the past thirty to fifty years. Warplanes year by year receive more and more advanced electronics, more and more powerful means of combat, their speed increases, their visibility on the radar screens decreases. At present, aviation, even alone, can play a key role in today's regional conflict. This has never happened before in the history of mankind.

During the aggression in Yugoslavia, the aviation of the NATO countries practically without resistance from the ground forces decided the course of the conflict. The same can be said about the first American company in Iraq. It was aviation that then played a decisive role in the defeat of the large army of Saddam Hussein. The US Air Force and its allies hunted Iraqi armored vehicles with impunity, having previously destroyed Iraqi combat aircraft.

There is important nuance. Modern aircraft are so expensive (the cost of an Americanfifth generation aircraftF-22 is about $ 350 million) that only very rich countries can afford to build or buy them. The rest can only hope for a miracle or prepare for a guerrilla war.

With the advent of new high-precision munitions, communication systems and satellite navigation and target designation, the role and power of the air force has increased many times over. Modern and advanced aircraft are also changing rapidly. The use of modern materials, engines of new designs, the most sophisticated electronics - makes a modern combat aircraft the crowning achievement of scientific and technological progress.

At present, the leading aviation powers are engaged in the creation of a fifth generation fighter. The United States already has such fighters in service - the F-22 "Raptor" and the F-35 "Lightning". These aircraft have long passed the testing stage, launched into series and put into service. The Russian Air Force, China and Japan, in practice, are still lagging behind in this respect.

At the end of the 20th century, the USSR could compete on equal terms with the United States in the sky due to the excellent fourth-generation MiG-29 and Su-27 machines. They roughly corresponded in their performance characteristics to the American F-15, F / A-18 and F-16 aircraft. But after the collapse of the Soviet Union, the development of new machines in Russia was suspended for several years. The work was practically not funded, and new developments were often created on the initiative of the aircraft manufacturers themselves and did not find support from the state. In the meantime, the United States did not waste time: in the 90s, the development of the fifth generation aircraft was actively carried out, and in 1997 a prototype was tested, which in the future received the designation F-22 "Raptor".

The United States is so far the only country that has a fifth-generation aircraft in service. Moreover, the F-22 is forbidden to sell even to allies. For deliveries abroad, the Americans created another F-35 Lightning aircraft (Lightning) - but, according to experts, it has weaker characteristics than the F-22. But what about Russia? What are the plans of the Russian aviation industry? Whether there is a promising developments, which will replace fourth-generation aircraft in the future?

"Our answer to Chamberlain" - the latest Russian military aircraft

If you look at what the Russian aviation industry can now offer to the domestic air force, then we will mainly see modifications of the fourth generation Su-27 and MiG-29 aircraft. They even came up with new classification, MiG-35 and belong to the 4 ++ generation, thereby indicating that this is almost the fifth generation. There is no doubt, and the MiG-29 and Su-27 are really wonderful machines that were among the best in the world. But that was in the late eighties. The latest versions of these machines, of course, have been seriously modified, engines have been improved, new electronics and navigation systems have been installed, but will they be able to withstand the Raptor in battle?

A new generation aircraft has already been created in Russia - this is PAK-FA (a promising front-line aviation complex), aka T-50. With its futuristic shape, the new Russian aircraft is very reminiscent of the F-22. The aircraft first took to the air in 2010, and in 2011 it was shown to the general public for the first time at the MAKS air show. We have very little reliable information about this latest machine. Currently, the aircraft is being finalized, but in the near future it should go into series.

In order to try to compare the PAK-FA with its American counterpart F-22, you need to clearly understand what the fifth generation aircraft is and how it differs from previous machines. The military put forward clear requirements for the new generation car. Such an aircraft must have low visibility in all wavelength ranges, primarily in radar and infrared, it must be multifunctional, extremely maneuverable, maintain supersonic cruising speed (go to supersonic speed without afterburner), be able to conduct all-aspect close combat and carry out multi-channel firing of missiles. at a great distance. The aircraft of the fifth generation must have "advanced" electronics, which would greatly facilitate the work of the pilot.

Experts are already comparing the F-22 and PAK-FA, using the meager information that is available today. The newest Russian aircraft has large dimensions, including wingspan, and therefore, most likely, it will be more maneuverable than its American counterpart. PAK-FA has a slightly higher maximum speed, but loses to the "American" in cruising. The Russian aircraft has a greater practical range and a lower takeoff weight. However, the PAK-FA loses to the F-22 in stealth.

It is not easy to compare these two aircraft, and above all because of the lack of information. There is one more nuance: modern aircraft are not only aerodynamics and weapons, but primarily electronics that control all aircraft systems. The USSR has always lagged behind in this area, and Russia is doing the same for the time being. The radar of a Russian aircraft is not inferior to the best world analogues, but the onboard equipment leaves much to be desired.

In 2014, small-scale production of the PAK-FA began, the start of serial production of the aircraft is scheduled for 2019.

Here is a comparison of the two aircraft.

The flight of the Berkut

Another very interesting machine created at the Sukhoi Design Bureau is the Su-47. It is a pity that it is still at the prototype stage. This aircraft has a reverse swept wing, which provides the machine with unprecedented maneuverability and rate of climb. Composite materials were widely used in the Su-47, and the control interface in the cockpit was significantly improved.

The Su-47 was also created as a prototype of the fifth generation aircraft. But it still falls short of the requirements put forward for such machines. "Berkut" cannot fly at supersonic speed without afterburner. In the future, they plan to equip the aircraft with a new engine with a variable thrust vector, which would allow the Su-47 to overcome the supersonic barrier without afterburner.

Berkut made its first flight in 1997, only one such aircraft was built. It is currently being used as a test.

Here are the characteristics of the Su-47 Berkut aircraft.

Another new aircraft recently adopted by the Russian Air Force is the . In 2014, 12 such aircraft arrived in the VKS air regiments, in total, by the end of 2019, the Air Force will receive 48 Su-35s. This aircraft, developed at the Sukhoi Design Bureau, belongs to the 4++ generation and has technical and combat characteristics almost at the level of the fifth generation aircraft.

It differs from PAK-FA only in the absence of stealth technologies and an active phased antenna array (AFAR). The aircraft is equipped with a new information and control system, phased array radar, new engines with thrust vector control, which can reach supersonic speed without afterburner. The airframe has also been strengthened.

With the adoption of this aircraft, Russian military pilots can fight back against the latest aircraft of the latest generation.

The main characteristics of the Su-35 aircraft:

All of the above aircraft have already left the design bureaus and factory floors and have long made their first flight. Currently, the Ilyushin Design Bureau is developing new lightweight transport aircraft, which should replace the obsolete An-26.

The first flight of the future transport aircraft is scheduled for 2019, and the start of its mass production is scheduled for 2019. The new machine will have a carrying capacity of up to six tons, it will be equipped with two turboprop engines. The IL-112 will be able to land and take off both from equipped runways and from unpaved airfields. In addition to the cargo modification of the aircraft, aircraft manufacturers plan to create a passenger version of the machine, it can be used on regional airlines.

"Mig" of the fifth generation

Sergei Korotkov, general director of RAC MiG, told reporters that the design bureau specialists are working on a fifth-generation fighter. For the basis new car, most likely, they will take the MiG-35 (another Russian car generation 4++). According to the developers, the new MiG will be very different from the PAK FA and will perform completely different functions.

New strategic bomber

Russia is developing a new strategic bomber to replace the Tu-160 and Tu-95 aircraft. The development of the new PAK DA (a promising long-range aviation complex) was entrusted to the Tupolev Design Bureau, although it can be noted that the Tupolev team began work on this machine back in 2009. In 2014, a contract was signed between the Design Bureau and the Ministry of Defense for design work.

There is very little information about the future aircraft, but the leadership of the Russian Air Force stated that the aircraft will be subsonic, will be able to carry more weapons than the Tu-160 and most likely will be made according to the "flying wing" design.

The readiness of the first machine is expected in 2020, and the start of mass production in 2025. It should be noted that work on the creation of a similar aircraft is now underway in the United States. As part of the Next Generation Bomber project, a subsonic aircraft is being developed with low level visibility and a large range (about nine thousand kilometers). According to media reports, the cost of one such machine can reach half a billion dollars.

After the collapse of the USSR, the aviation industry went through hard times. Many projects have been delayed for years and now is the time to catch up. A sixth-generation fighter is to be developed, but so far this is almost a fantasy.

Video: new Russian aircraft

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