Article Posted on : - Mar 02, 2010

Sukhoi T-50 PAK FA during its maiden flight. Sukhoi Corporation press service Photo.

MOSCOW (BNS): The major flight trials of Russia's fifth generation fighter aircraft will begin in April, 2010, at Gromov R&D Institute, in Zhukovsky.

According to a report by RIA Novosti, the statement was conveyed on Monday by the sources from Sukhoi Company.

In Feb, 2010 the fifth generation fighter aircraft made its first test flight in Komsomolsk-na-Amure.

"Before it passes to the serial production stage, the aircraft should make about 2000 flights. Judging by the way the work is organised (as per PAK FA) we have no doubts that we will succeed in it and our armed force will get the aircraft in due time," said Vladimir Putin at a meeting in the Sukhoi Company.

Earlier Air Force Chief Colonel General Alexander Zelin said that induction of the aircraft will start in 2015.

T-50 PAK FA has a take-off weight exceeding 30 tons. It has widely spread engines and two fins, Its exteriors are designed with the utilisation of stealth technologies.

The aircraft is equipped with the latest avionics, implementing functions of electronic 'autopilot' and state-of-the-art radar with a phase-locked antenna array. It also has the in-flight fuelling capabilities.