Super Sukhoi – Russia joins the 5th gen club

Russia’s long-awaited answer to the F-22 Raptor, the Sukhoi T-50, made its first flight on January 29 from Sukhoi/ KnAAPO’s Komsomolskon- Amur facility in Siberia’s far east.

The T-50 is the prototype of the next generation PAK-FA (Perspektivnyi Aviatsionnyi Kompleks Frontovoi Aviatsy, or Future Frontline Aircraft System) under development to replace Russia’s Su-27/Su-30 Flanker series in service from late next decade. The aircraft reportedly has been developed from lessons learned on the S. 37/Su-47 Berkut and the MiG 1. 44 technology demonstration programs of the 1990s.