Naval aviation occupies a special niche in aircraft of all countries using aircraft carriers (carriers).
In the USSR, the first aircraft carriers capable of taking on more than 30 aircraft began to appear only in the late 80s. Then the question arose of creating multi-purpose fighter, which will be based on the ships of this class. Sukhoi and Mikoyan solved this problem by developing a special purpose for these carrier-based fighter - Su-33 and MiG-29K, which constituted the main deck aircraft of the Russian Navy.
In the early 90s there was a need to create a new school based fighter, the Su-33, the two-seater version. In addition, the ship#39;s pilot training regiment on aircraft such as the Su-25UTG shown its failure to fully mastering techniques take-off and landing of the Su-27K (Su-33) on the deck of the ship. Therefore, the Sukhoi Design Bureau returned to the issue of creating a special version of the training aircraft. Designing cars continued under the code T-top 10. The new aircraft was developed under the guidance of one of the leading modern Russian aircraft designers KH Marbasheva the second half of the 90s and has been called the Su-33UB (Su-27KUB). The project was a success, and the plane reflected many of the technical innovations of the time. It would seem that the aircraft was to be a great future. However, in the mid-2000s, work on the project had been almost completely abandoned.
As expected, after the expiration of the resource of the Su-33 in 2015, decked Russian fighter aircraft will represent the MiG-29K. In the future we plan to replace all the existing naval aircraft carrier-based version of PAKFA. As far as this is justified and whether the new fifth-generation fighter not only meet all the necessary characteristics of carrier-based multi-purpose fighter Su-27KUB, but to exceed them? To begin with a few words about the carrier-based fighter Su-27KUB.
Features of the aircraft. Immediately it should be noted that the Su-27KUB though called combat training aircraft, and he was imprisoned for combat use. In fact it is two in one plane - training and fighting. As is well known Su-27KUB created with the new cabin layout. Here, the student pilot and instructor sat without each other, and the next. Therefore, the crew can better interact in flight. In the future, this scheme has found the ultimate incarnation of a bomber Su-34. Su-27KUB became the first domestic fighter who have received on-board oxygen generator, which provides, as well, the production of nitrogen. Thus, it was possible to significantly reduce dependence on ground (or ship) providing infrastructure, as well as the number of personnel involved in the maintenance of the aircraft (which is especially important in the ship-based aircraft).
For the fighter was developed and was tested unique domestic digital processor with a speed of tens of billions of operations per second.
The use of the new architecture and modern electronic components allowed, compared to the Su-33, to reduce by several times the mass of the avionics with increasing tenfold features an onboard complex.
For a fighter for the first time in the world to create a completely solid-state airborne radar with a phased antenna array. The use of super-powerful processor provided the radar extremely high resolution and allows us to simplify the structure.
For information about the enemy, the Su-27KUB also used thermal imaging and low-level television channels, complemented by a laser range finder.
When creating the plane was implemented so-called principle of the dark cabin - if the system does not fail, it does not have to remind myself of the pilot. Minimized and the number of governing bodies. On the same instrument panel in the cockpit of the Su-27KUB planned to offer five color screen multifunction displays of domestic production. Moreover supposed to use developed helmet-mounted sight indicator that would completely abandon the use of the indicator on the windshield.
Were made by a number of interesting changes in the design and aerodynamics of the wing aircraft. As a result of aerodynamic improvements plane got extremely high fuel efficiency. Range with the same fuel stock has increased by 15-20%.
In the airframe of the Su-27KUB more widely than the Su-33, used composite materials. This, as well as a number of structural changes (in particular, the failure of the folding mechanism of horizontal tail), helped to keep the empty weight of the Su-33UB at the level of single-seat fighter Su-33.
The range of operational use of aircraft as extremely wide: from the destruction of air targets (including such highly complex, as AWACS aircraft) to strike with precision weapons on ships and land targets of the enemy. To combat the relatively cheap goals (eg, boats, landing craft, etc.) on board fighter survived and 30-mm cannon.
Moreover, in its combat characteristics and the range of tasks of the Su-27KUB far exceeds such forward-carrier-based fighters as Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet and the French Dassault RafalM.
Finally, the machine can be used not only in naval aviation, but the Air Force: unique takeoff and landing characteristics allow it to be based on the ground with a short (or destruction) of the runway, and the presence of a folding wing - to place all types of shelters available in the Air Force .
When compared to the PAK FA. If you compare car Marbasheva the prototype fifth-generation fighter PAK FA Pogosyan, which is now being tested, that catches the eye is that the Su-27KUB at the moment is much better prepared for entry into the disposal of the Navy. Both aircraft, given the fact that the Su-27KUB double, have almost the same take-off weight (38 tonnes of the Su-27KUB and 37 tons in the PAK FA) and similar maximum speed at low altitudes. That#39;s where the similarity ends. Then begins the total benefit fighter Marbasheva.
Flight range Su-27KUB is nearly 4,000 km from the PAK FA only with additional fuel tank 3440 km. The design of the Su-27KUB allows you to place a much greater number of aircraft on the ship - 47 pieces forgiven in 36 PAK FA.
There is at the ship#39;s combat training aircraft and cost benefits, with nearly 2-fold. If the new PAK FA is now estimated $ 100 million, the Su-27KUB would cost $ 50-60 million on the cost of the program of development of the Su-27KUB advantage of more than 30 times.
Finally, the most important thing - the Su-27KUB fully guaranteed safety when flying from aircraft carriers, which is not the PAK FA. The speed of the first landing at a 220 km / h, which is even lower than the American F/A-18, a second 270-280 km / h In this scenario, the risks of accidents and disasters at the plane M. Pogosyan increase significantly.
As can be seen from the above, the possibility of an aircraft constructed in the late 90#39;s are far superior tactical and technical characteristics of the aircraft developed at the end of the zero-point.
The output can be quite simple: PAK SC unable to adequately replace the Su-27KUB. On a practical range it will yield last about 1.5 times, and the application of outstanding stealth has raised serious doubts in the expert community. To do this, just look at the photos of the new machine with a nose angle to see in the engine air intake, which will give a bright flare to enemy radar! As for the new materials and coatings, they can be successfully applied in Cuba.
But, at the same time, need one more important point: Su-27KUB can truly be a magic wand to our fleet in the event of failure of terms under the program PAK SC, that today it is virtually inevitable.
The fate of the aircraft Marbasheva remains vague, to say the least. Great expectations have been associated with Chinese contracts for the supply of 150 Su-27KUB, worth at least $ 2 billion, however, the deal was a fiasco, by the way, immediately after his visit there, Mikhail Pogosyan. Also the decision to acquire carrier aircraft MiG-29KUB likely, will put an end to the fate of Su-27KUB. But this interesting aircraft belonging to the 4 + generation, is now not only an adequate replacement becomes outdated Su-33, but exceeds the latest U.S. carrier-based fighter.
Also MiG-29K and Su-27KUB could perfectly complement each other. It was expected that Cuba will radars with passive phased array type Irbis, which is now considered one of the best. Su-27KUB could carry a diverse arsenal of weapons air-to-air and air-to-ground. It could act as a spy or a tanker. All this would allow the Russian carrier-based aircraft to acquire a new quality.
Now, it seems, except in the Russian MiGs based aircraft due to the efforts of Mikhail Pogosyan, there is only one alternative - PAK FA, which, if it appears in 2020, is unlikely to have the characteristics of carrier-based fighter of the fifth generation. But even with all this, the worst is a continuing trend - the destruction of competitors to promote their products, let it at least and at times worse. As you know, for the sake of promotion of civil aviation, allegedly promising, but in fact is a dead end Superjet were closed programs such as the Tu-334, Tu-444 and An-70. The story of the Su-27KUB reminded that sad reality.
Alexander Palagin
