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| Caucasus/Russia/Central Asia |
| Putin boasts new jet fighter better than U.S. plane |
| 2010-06-18 |
| Reuters - Prime Minister Vladimir Putin climbed into the cockpit of Russia's newest fighter jet on Thursday and said it would trump a U.S.-built rival, the F-22 Raptor. Putin watched a test flight of a "fifth-generation" stealth fighter, dubbed the T-50 and billed as Russia's first all-new warplane since the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. "This machine will be superior to our main competitor, the F-22, in terms of maneuverability, weaponry and range," Putin told the pilot after the flight, according to an account on the government website. Putin said the plane would cost up to three times less than similar aircraft in the West and could remain in service for 30 to 35 years with upgrades, according to the report. Successful development of the fighter, built by Sukhoi, is crucial to showing Russia can challenge U.S. technology and modernize its military after a period of post-Soviet decay. Russia also plans to manufacture T-50s jointly with India. The F-22 raptor stealth fighter first flew in 1997 and is the only fifth-generation fighter in service. Fifth-generation aircraft have advanced flight and weapons control systems and can cruise at supersonic speeds. According to the government website, the test pilot told Putin the controls of the T-50 allowed the pilot to operate most of the plane's systems without taking his hands off the joystick, which he said would be very useful under high forces of gravity. "I know, I've flown," Putin replied. Sukhoi has said the plane should be ready for use in 2015 |
| Posted by:Goober Crealet3411 |
| #12 ..Just credit where credit is due-Russian A/A | A/G and SAM technology has always been impressive and often ; awe-inspiring. Unity against the ISLAAMISTS is the way to proceed now. They WANT to Kill us. These pukes WANT to KILL human progress, modernity, Christianity and any hope for peace on our planet. They are sub-swine pig agri-by-product. MAY OUR Christian Father GOD, the Father of Jesus save us from the Islamist devil-satans. |
| Posted by: Asymmetrical 2010-06-18 22:59 |
| #11 Looks like a dolled-up F-15 to me. |
| Posted by: Old Patriot 2010-06-18 17:52 |
| #10 They may be godless commies, but them boys do make some right purdy airplanes. |
| Posted by: SteveS 2010-06-18 15:22 |
| #9 OK, so it can hang with an F-22, let's just assume that is correct. In the last 15 years we have come up with nothing else ehh? See that swarm of unmanned combat aircraft following under command of that F-22? Think you can hang with that Vladdy? |
| Posted by: Craiper the Bald2117 2010-06-18 14:14 |
| #8 Looks like it still has a clear canopy. |
| Posted by: Shipman 2010-06-18 13:06 |
| #7 This Putin swill is for internal political consumption, and for the 'usefull idiots' in the West. Don't forget the Third World dictators who comprise a market for items like this. |
| Posted by: Abu Uluque 2010-06-18 11:31 |
| #6 Except that's all the attributes of a 4th (ok 4.5 gen) fighter. The rest of the world has moved on. |
| Posted by: ed 2010-06-18 10:11 |
| #5 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sukhoi_T-50 Advanced radar, all moving vertical stabilizers, vectored thrust engines, composite/Ti construction, semi stealthy, sounds like a pretty darn good plane. |
| Posted by: Parabellum 2010-06-18 10:05 |
| #4 |
| Posted by: GolfBravoUSMC 2010-06-18 09:43 |
| #3 Ya...screw you Putin......put it up in the air and we'll see.....guess I told him a. |
| Posted by: armyguy 2010-06-18 09:29 |
| #2 FUD - fear, uncertainty, dread. It's an old game. |
| Posted by: Procopius2k 2010-06-18 08:22 |
| #1 I spent about 30 years reading about superior Soviet fighters/aircraaft. Now the Russkis do quite well with fighters, and not so well with almost everything else. In Rossiya it's all about agitprop. The A-35 will handle whatver they've got. The rpoduction run on the F-22 is finished, having flown 13 years before this latest Suhkoi. Tje thing is about all of our support, Awacs, air to air refueling, carriers, bases all around Rossiya (still). This Putin swill is for internal political consumption, and for the 'usefull idiots' in the West. |
| Posted by: Gerry 2010-06-18 00:42 |