Article Posted on : - Jan 28, 2010

An artist's conception of Russia's fifth-generation fighter aircraft.

MOSCOW (BNS): The maiden test flight of Russia’s fifth generation fighter aircraft, PAK FA T-50, scheduled to be held on Thursday, has been postponed by a day.

“The (test) flight was initially scheduled for Thursday, but has been postponed,” an official at the Gagarin KNAAPO company, a subsidiary of Russia's aircraft manufacturer Sukhoi, was quoted as saying by RIA Novosti.

The test will now take place on Friday.

The fighter aircraft, designed to fly at supersonic speeds, has a range of 5,500 km. It is scheduled to enter service with the Russian Air Force in 2015.

The aircraft competes with the US’ F-22 Raptor fighter and the F-35 Lightning II combat aircraft.

The PAK FA T-50 underwent its first runway tests earlier this month when it rolled out on the runway of KNAAPO aircraft plant in Komsomolsk-on-Amur in Russia’s Far East.

The futuristic aircraft features advanced avionics and stealth capability. It is equipped with next-generation air-to-air, air-to-surface, and air-to-ship missiles.

India is a partner in the aircraft’s development programme.