Sukhoi PAK-FA / FGFA: Updates,News & Discussions

[trident2010]

When will T-50 start to conduct the weapons test? It should be soon now.

 

[S-DUCT]

Hey Guys,any new news about 5th gen powerplant & flat belly for pak-fa?

 

[Kompromat]

That is one heck of a built quality for a 5th generation air craft.

@Oscar @gambit @sancho @orangzaib

 

[Agnostic_Indian]

That is one heck of a built quality for a 5th generation air craft.

@Oscar @gambit @sancho @orangzaib

prototype..not production version.

 

[gambit]

That is one heck of a built quality for a 5th generation air craft.

@Oscar @gambit @sancho @orangzaib

Naaahhh...In my opinion: Not a concern at this stage of development.

On the other hand, that is a lot of fasteners used on a per panel basis. While power tools are not forbidden in maintenance, it is not usually used at the flightline level unless absolutely necessary, and access panel removal is not under that 'absolutely necessary' consideration. Speedhandles are the normally used tools to remove fasteners.

Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Ground crews require Repair Verification Radar (RVR) test sets in order to verify the RCS of the aircraft after performing repairs, which was not a concern for previous generations of non-stealth fighters.

For a low radar observable body, a power tool to remove panels is dangerous because of the risk of uncontrolled movements that may gouge surfaces, perhaps even deep enough to remove the aircraft out of 'fully mission capable' (FMC) status.

Extraordinary care in surface integrity is the main reason for the higher maintenance statistics for the B-2 and F-22. Quite often, it is faster to change out a 'line replaceable unit' (LRU) than it is to remove/re-install a panel.

 

[Kompromat]

prototype..not production version.

T-50

YF-22

YF-23

X-35

J2001

J3001

Just compare with its peers, Russians are known for their crude/substandard built quality/finish.
@gambit Does it mean, that the T-50 prototype isn't yet being tested for stealth performance?

 

[Agnostic_Indian]

T-50

YF-22

YF-23

X-35

J2001

J3001

Just compare with its peers, Russians are known for their crude/substandard built quality/finish.

Good effort.others look smooth,.may be it's not important at all at this stage, currently it's just flight stability tests and electronics, avionics checks..when the time comes for a RCS test they will fix it.

 

[Kompromat]

Good effort.others look smooth,.may be it's not important at all at this stage, currently it's just flight stability tests and electronics, avionics checks..when the time comes for a RCS test they will fix it.

That is what i thought. As much as i adore, the flankers i do however maintain that if they were to be built by the Americans they would look much more amazing.

 

[gambit]

@gambit Does it mean, that the T-50 prototype isn't yet being tested for stealth performance?

We can safely assume RCS measurements on the overall shape are done. What remains are just refinement of that shape, like sanding a piece of wood after you have cut it to desired length.

Here is the reason why am curious about the quantity of fasteners on the per panel basis...

The foundation of shaping is the minimalization of radiation generators on a FINITE BODY, of which the major ones are flight control surfaces, vents, the cockpit, and so on. The flying wing design does not have radiators like assorted fixed fins or the vertical stabilators. So on a finite body where traveling surface waves have to get off eventually, why would you want to give them panel gaps or surface deflection points like fasteners on their travels?

Concave radiators are the next worst because that structure essentially acts as a focus/amplifier.

For all we know, those many fasteners do not rise the overall shape over a threshold. Or they may have but the Russians have no remedy for that issue. But you have to look at the US versions and wonder...

 

[zzzz]

That is one heck of a built quality for a 5th generation air craft.

@Oscar @gambit @sancho @orangzaib

 

[Kompromat]

@zzzz How can you compare a plane on assembly line with the one on runway?

 

[zzzz]

@zzzz How can you compare a plane on assembly line with the one on runway?

lol

 

[Kompromat]

lol

Fixers are not visible on the final finish
@gambit

 

[gambit]

lol

The PAK is not the same shape as the F-35. You can take two panels of the same surface area but of different shape, bends, curvatures, and surface texture, and if you put both under the same conditions of radar bombardment you will have completely different RCS values and they will not be the same.

Also note the maintainer is wearing 'booties' over his combat boots. Those booties are not allowed to touch any other surface except the aircraft itself.

 

[Capt.Popeye]

Fixers are not visible on the final finish
@gambit

The word is fasteners, not fixers.
And finally there is nothing that a good coat of paint/ coating cannot do.
Like make-up and lip-stick on a woman!

BTW the FGFA prototype was unpainted (in the pic that you were commenting about) like some of the F-35 pictures.