Russian T-50 Stealth Fighter

[Monster Dave]

Ok, so the F-22 went into production in 1997, and has already been more or less replaced by the JSF F-35, but it looks like the Russians are well on thier way to building a competing aircraft (to the 1997 standard). Check out this video.

Russian 5th Gen PAK FA T-50 fighter makes first ever flight

I don't see any vectored thrust, but you can tell that it's loosely modeled after the F-22. Looks like they're first priority to to sell it on the international arms market too....

[wbeck257]

bet you it ain't really stealth.

[Monster Dave]

bet you it ain't really stealth.

What makes you say that? You could be right of course....

[cyrus buelton]

That thing looks badass

[duccarlos]

If they used the stealth material, the one that absorbs radar, then it should be stealth to a certain extend. Shape also has some to do with it.

[Monster Dave]

It looks Russian though - that I find comical. I don't remember the last time that I saw a jet and said to myself, wow, that must be Russian. 

[duccarlos]

It definitely looks like a MiG

[cyrus buelton]

Maybe the Russians designed a new material or shape that makes this is a stealth plane.

Who really knows and I probably don't want to ever find out.

[duccarlos]

The shape is similar to the F-22, but defenitely no thrust vectoring. It's the Russian (cheap) version of the F-22. By the time it's available, the F-22 will be replaced. Anyone heard what's going on with the joint strike fighter?

[Monster Dave]

The 27th of Jan was the first time that a RAF pilot took to the sky in the F35. They are on track it looks like for deployment. I thought that I had read somewhere that the F22 funding was cut because of how costly the aircraft is....which is ultimately why the JSF was created.

While I love the F-22, you can't deny that the F-35 is an amazing aircraft. It's replacing so many aircraft....F-15, Harrier, ect...



Awesome!  

[derby]

If they used the stealth material, the one that absorbs radar, then it should be stealth to a certain extend. Shape also has some to do with it.

i'd say that shape has more to do with it than materials... the materials come into play where the shape couldn't/can't mask the radar cross-section.

[pennyrobber]

I heard that it runs on Vodka.

[Raux]

the F-22 is the air superiority fighter, replacing the F-15C and some F-16's in that role
the F-35 is basically a fighter bomber attack replacing all attack aircraft like the F-16, av-8b and F-15E
the F-18 may or may not be replaced, depends on the success of the superhornet

the fact that we think the f-16 can replace the A-10 also probably means they think the f-35 will replace it as well (IMO a bad thought all around)

the new russian jet is to combat the f-22. and seeing that we now are cutting back on production and they are ramping up AND selling to anyone... expect it to get into at least a 3-1 advantage on the f-22 in numbers.. hope the they didnt do a good job on it. i would expect the russians to come out with a new ground attack aircraft soon as well. and once the chinese get ahold of the f-22's rival... it could be touchy in the east as they want to test its capabilities.

[zarn02]

Russian planes tend to look just a little bit goofy. I find them entertaining.

But I wouldn't consider it a threat, per se. Several reasons: The nations we attack typically aren't armed with the latest and greatest, if they do have reasonably up to date technology, their training is crap, and the amount of money we spend on defense ensures that we are ridiculously ahead of the game (at least as far as technology goes).

The Yankees buy the pennant, and we buy wholly overwhelming air power.

[He Man]

high tech planes don't mean shit if you dont have the training to give your pilots the skill to utilize it.