Article Posted on : - Jun 19, 2012

Sukhoi T-50 PAK FA during its maiden flight in January 2010.

MOSCOW (BNS): A fourth Sukhoi T-50 stealth fighter will be introduced into the test and development programme this year, UAC President Mikhail Pogosyan has said.

Russia's United Aircraft Corporation is currently testing three aircraft. "A fourth will be brought in this year," a Ria Novosti report quoting Pogosyan said.

According to reports, the Russian Air Force will receive the first batch of prototypes of the fifth-generation fighter for performance testing in 2013 and the first production standard T-50 will enter service by 2015.

The T-50 also known as PAK-FA, made its maiden flight in January 2010 and three prototypes have since been undergoing flight tests.

The T-50 was unveiled for the first time in August 2011 at the MAKS-2011 air show. The fighter is Russia's first new major warplane designed since the fall of the Soviet Union.

The Russian Air Force plans to acquire 60 fifth-generation fighters.