Similar incidents happen all over the world.

The current situation in the world makes us think about the ability of Russia to withstand modern military threats. It is no secret that the main and long-term threat to Russia is the United States. Since their policy of promoting their concept of the way of the world and globalization is at odds with some countries of the Arab world, as well as China and, in particular, Russia.

The gradual seizure of more and more territories by the North Atlantic alliance makes one think that sooner or later, when the United States restores its order in the small countries of the Arab world, the turn of larger countries such as China, India, and Russia will come.

It is clear that if we do not seriously unite with China and India, and do not try to stop the US and globalization, then in the future we will have to exist in a unipolar world that we will not accept, and there will be a universal guerrilla war against the US and the alliance. But in practice, the unification of Russia, China and India is out of the question. Therefore, Russia, as always, will have to rely only on itself, and on its armed forces, the combat effectiveness of which, to put it mildly, is alarming.

Modern large-scale warfare is fundamentally different from all known wars of the past; in a future war, conventional weapons do not play any role, since all armadas of armored vehicles are destroyed in a couple of hours by a pair of tactical bombers. In a future war, everything is decided by high technologies and high-precision weapons, in the form of high-tech tactical aviation, and the ground-based final part is already being completed by special forces, but this is not about them.

We are talking about 5th generation aircraft, which are many times superior to all aircraft of previous generations and are inaccessible to conventional air defense systems, and at the same time they carry high-precision weapons. Which easily destroys the enemy's strategic facilities and paralyzes the entire defense industry, laying the enemy on the "shoulder blades". It is clear here that in the event of a possible US attack on Russia, tactical aircraft will be used, which will bomb the entire infrastructure of Russia, which is not much anyway.

For example, it is enough to destroy the main hydroelectric power plants and nuclear power plants and the entire industry will immediately stop, and additional attacks on large defense plants will completely paralyze the defense industry. And it is possible to launch ground forces with the support of attack aircraft, which will destroy enemy armored vehicles, thereby giving no chance for retaliatory strikes.

Many will say what about the nuclear potential, but now the means of delivering a nuclear warhead have become very vulnerable. Yes, if we decide to use nuclear weapons in the first hours of the offensive, then be sure that the Americans will be ready for this, and our missiles will meet several US defense belts equipped with the most advanced means of destroying intercontinental missiles, so the chances are that at least one of our intercontinental nuclear missiles will pass a multi-level missile defense system are negligible.

Now aviation plays a major role, and in particular aircraft of the 5th generation. Since only they will be able to effectively resist the strategic aviation of the enemy. China knows this too, and is also preparing for the forthcoming US aggression.

The start of tests in China of their own fifth-generation fighter forced Russian developers to focus even more attention on creating a promising domestic analogue of the 5th generation, which is called the T-50 (PAK FA). In addition to China, the creation of its own 5th generation aircraft was driven by the fact that such an aircraft, the F-22 Raptor, has been in service with the US Air Force for 7 years. The Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Air Force, Colonel General Alexander Zelin, told a special correspondent about how the development of the fifth generation complex is going.

To questions about how the tests of the new Russian 5th generation aircraft are going, how many test units are now, and how soon it will appear in the Russian Air Force, and whether the delivery dates of the aircraft promised in 2015 will be met. - At the moment, the tests of the fifth generation fighter are taking place on schedule in accordance with the decisions made. More than 100 flights were performed under the test program. All the characteristics obtained during the tests basically confirm the requirements put forward to this sample.

At present, 3 experimental units are used in tests, in the near future three more aircraft are expected to join the tests. The total number of aircraft planned for testing is 14 units.

Other questions were also asked, such as: — what are the advantages of the Russian fifth-generation fighter T-50 compared to the American F-22 Raptor and the Chinese Chengdu J-20 Black Eagle? fifth-generation fighter T-50 with the American F-22 and Chinese J-20, we can conclude that the prototype T-50 surpasses foreign counterparts in key indicators such as maximum flight speed (both afterburner and non-afterburner), maximum flight range , thrust-to-weight ratio, the value of the maximum realizable overload. Despite its overall mass characteristics comparable with foreign counterparts, the T-50 has a significantly lower takeoff and mileage. In addition, according to the characteristics of the onboard equipment, the PAK FA looks better than foreign counterparts.

T-50(PAK FA) Russia

F-22(Raptor) USA

J-20(Black Eagle) China

The main comparative characteristics of the T-50, the American F-22 and the Chinese J-20.

It just so happened that I mostly have to quote Shurygin. This is a champion of lies, no matter what topic on armaments you take, his ears stick out everywhere. Therefore, again a quote from the old writings of Shurygin:

"The newest Russian combat aircraft Su-37 is only a modification of the Soviet Su-27 fighter, which entered service in the early 80s. Since then, nothing new has been created. According to experts, the Su-37 is still within 5-7 years will be able to compete with the latest American aircraft, but with the adoption of promising fifth-generation aircraft, the Su-37 will turn out to be yesterday's fighter."

What kind of "experts" could say such a thing? Where is the link? Don't wait. Like "there is an opinion", like the Politburo. Let's try to create our own.

It is not at all necessary that a fifth-generation aircraft be better and more effective in combat than a fourth-generation aircraft. The very calculation of generations is in a sense advertising, "manipulative". What is generally hidden behind the term fifth generation? Some new features? Which? Stealth and versatility are usually considered. That is, an inconspicuous fighter-bomber? Usually, all universal things turn out worse than special ones; you have to optimize the device for a larger number of parameters. Versatility is always a compromise between conflicting requirements. For example, between bomb load and maximum speed. Therefore, a fighter-bomber always has fewer bombs than a bomber and less speed than a conventional fighter. That is, he performs all specific combat missions worse. Then why is it needed at all? Correct Answer: Savings.

Different combat missions rarely need to be performed simultaneously. Therefore, the same aircraft can perform the task of both interception and bombardment, that is, instead of two aircraft, one is needed. One universal aircraft is equivalent to two specialized ones at the front, and at the same time, it will obviously be ordered from the manufacturer more than bombers and fighters. And this is a reduction in the cost of production, where the circulation of the product greatly affects the costs. At current prices for military equipment, this is a very important argument. But under one important condition - a universal aircraft should not cost twice as much as specialized ones, otherwise there will be no cost savings effect. The promising American F-35 just does not meet this requirement too much. And the Americans noticed this themselves, though after the F-35 entered the test:

The American corporation Lockheed Martin will continue to produce aircraft of the F-16 series even after the start of mass production of the fifth generation F-35 fighters, which were originally positioned as a replacement for the F-16. New modifications may be in demand in the markets of many countries due to the low cost compared to the F-35, DefPro reports citing data from a study published by the American analytical center Forecast International. In particular, as the publication notes, the latest modifications of the F-16 50/52 and 60/E/F are not only more affordable compared to new fighters, but also meet the most modern requirements for aircraft of this class. In addition, F-16s are still in demand by consumers ... According to Forecast International experts, the production of F-16s will continue until at least 2016, although it is possible that after this period Lockheed Martin will receive orders for fighters.

As you can see, the case with "multifunctionality" is almost burned out. Of course, it can also be "multifunctional", but there is no effect from this. It does not compensate for the increase in cost, it is much cheaper to buy conventional fighters. Although the specific cost of the F-35 Lockheed Martin has not yet been named. Depends on contracts. So the cost of the first prototype F-35 Lightning-2 fighter for the Netherlands Air Force will be 114 million euros. While the delivery of 24 F-16 Fighting Falcon fighters to Morocco will cost this small country 841.9 million dollars, that is, about 35 million dollars per aircraft. Instead of one F-35, the Netherlands could buy three F-16s!

And this despite the fact that the F-35 is considered an inexpensive alternative to the F-22 Raptor! If we talk about the F-22, then only its cost is estimated at 137.5 million dollars, and the full price, taking into account all indirect costs and with the expected production volume, is 350 million. This is literally an aircraft "worth its weight in gold" - the cost is 19 .7 tons of pure gold (the weight of an empty F-22A) in 2006 was the same 350 million dollars! The F-35 is only three times cheaper - roughly equivalent to 6.5 tons of gold. There is something to argue about in Parliament, the Netherlands still cannot settle this issue. Israel, which managed to bargain much cheaper - "only" at a price of 80 million apiece, also doubts.

But maybe the F-35 is much better in combat qualities? Judging by the "multifunctionality"? The latest modifications of the F-16 also made it "strike", that is, "multifunctional", although the modifications affected only weapons systems. And bombs can be hung on a fighter, there would be a desire. Maybe the F-35 is much more successful in this regard? The F-35 is a lightweight F-22, it was reduced in price very simply - by removing one engine. But what happens if one engine is removed from a normal plane? There are sound voices in the US itself that claim that the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter project is a major miscalculation by the US Department of Defense. Renowned combat aircraft designer Pierre Sprey* and Straus Military Reform Project Director Winslow Wheeler note the following shortcomings of the F-35:

Excessive and uncompensated weight: at an air-to-air takeoff weight of 49,500 pounds (22,450 kg), the engine thrust is 42,000 pounds (19,050 kg), and this will be a significant step back in thrust-weight ratio for the new fighter.

At this weight and a wing area of ​​just 460 square feet (43 sq. m) in the Air Force and Marine Corps variants, the specific wing loading will be 108 pounds per square foot (> 520 kg / sq. m). A fighter aircraft needs to have wings of a large area in relation to the weight of the aircraft in order to be able to maneuver and survive. The F-35 is actually less maneuverable than the extremely vulnerable F-105 Lead Sled, which shot down in large numbers over North Vietnam during the Indochina War.

With a load of just two 2,000-pound (907 kg) bombs in the internal compartment - far fewer than any American fighter during the Vietnam War - the F-35 is practically the first light bomber in its class. If you take more bombs and hang them under the wings, the F-35 instantly ceases to be "invisible", and the DoD does not plan to seriously test it in this configuration for many years.
- As a close air support (CAP) aircraft assisting US troops in combat, the F-35 is unacceptable. It is too fast to detect and fire on tactical targets; it is too "delicate" and flammable to withstand fire from the ground, it lacks payload and especially the ability to "hang" steadily over US forces while they are maneuvering on the ground. Dedicated to such missions and available to the Air Force, the A-10 ground attack aircraft are far superior to the F-35 in this role.

But let's try to compare the main parameters of our modern domestic aircraft with fifth-generation American aircraft, whose characteristics have long been advertised. According to Shurygin, they cannot compete. It just so happened that the F-35 will have two domestic opponents with similar names - the MiG-35 and the Su-35 (the Su-37 is now the Su-35). Here's what happened when compared:

Here are the approximate prices for aircraft. $80 million for the F-35 is the price at which the Pentagon was going to buy it. Back in 2001, the Department of Defense (MoD) predicted the purchase of 2,866 units for $226 billion, that is, $79 million for each aircraft. However, the latest official estimate gives a smaller number of aircraft (2456 units) at a higher cost ($299 billion). This means a 54 percent increase in the cost per aircraft to $122 million, and deliveries will be two years late. Prices for Russian aircraft are estimated - as a result of average prices under contracts for the export of MiG-29 and Su-27. With the official commercial export of the MiG-29, the price range was from 11 to 32 million dollars, Su-27 from 28 to 36 million dollars.

Of course, the exact characteristics of the F-35 are not yet known, today their manufacturer is already giving slightly different figures: 1900 km / h for maximum speed (previously called 1600 km / h) and a higher maximum takeoff weight - up to 32700 kg (instead of 22680 kg) . How this was achieved with the same single engine is not entirely clear, apparently the hopes of the developers are connected with the modernization of the engine - the GE F136 instead of the P&W F135, which, in turn, is a modernization of the Pratt & Whitney F119 used on the F-22. The thrust of the F119 in afterburner was 15,875 tons (35,000 lbf), the F135 already gives 19,504 tons (43,000 lbf), but the F136 gives less than the F135 - 18,143 tons. Thrust-to-weight ratio (ratio of engine thrust to maximum takeoff weight) of the F-35 (0.55) is significantly worse than that of the F-22 (0.83) and inferior to the MiG-35 and Su-35 (0.74 - 0.75).

It is interesting to note here that the version of the F-35 for the marines, the F-35B, (short-takeoff and vertical-landing -STOVL) was developed with the participation of Yakovlev Design Bureau and uses technologies developed by Russian designers for the Russian Yak-141 vertical takeoff and landing aircraft . Due to obvious shortcomings, this aircraft was not accepted into service. The main one was the high fuel consumption during vertical takeoff - up to 30% of the total stock. As a result, the range of the fighter is reduced to only 300 km. "Such a low figure means that the Yak-141 cannot protect the ship on which it is based, since the range of air-to-ship cruise missiles exceeded 300 km back in the early 60s of the last century."

The thrust of the engine during vertical take-off must exceed the take-off weight, and therefore the thrust-to-weight ratio of the Yak-141 is 1.52, and this does not result in the speed performance of the fighter - 1800 km / h. What does this mean for carrier-based F-35 variants? For an aircraft whose thrust is already so small? The requirement to equalize the engine thrust with the weight of the aircraft leads to a reduction in both the combat load and the fuel supply - up to 50%. The Yak-141 had 24 tons of engine thrust compared to the F-35's 18 tons. This means that the take-off weight of the F-35B will not exceed these 18 tons. An empty F-35B weighs 15.8 tons, which means that only 2 tons are left for fuel and weapons! The Yak-141 had 4 tons for this, 3 tons for fuel and one for weapons. The range of the F-35B will not exceed the radius of the Yak-141, which had better traction characteristics, that is, no more than 300 km. In fact, the F-35B should land immediately after takeoff, there will be no protection for the ship from it.

The MiG is our "light", tactical fighter, and already its flight characteristics are much better than the F-35. The heavy Su-35 is significantly more powerful, and virtual duels between American F-35s and Russian fighters as part of the Pacific Vision-2008 secret exercises, which were held in August 2008 at Hickam Air Force Base in the Hawaiian Islands, clearly showed the advantages of the Russian aircraft. The test results became known through the Australian military department, whose representatives were present at the exercises. According to Australian military analyst Dennis Jensen, the F-35s were "beaten like penguins". After that, Australia began to doubt the expediency of purchasing F-35s, and the United States had to make great efforts to convince the Australians not to abandon them.

Only the "golden" F-22 with a maximum speed of Mach 2.3 (2750 km/h) and a maximum combat load of more than 8 tons can really compete with our "obsolete" Su. But this super-fighter also has a significant drawback - the range of the F-22 is only 750 km. Apparently, it is precisely due to the fuel reserve that the combat load and thrust-to-weight ratio have been increased. Therefore, we can assume that the Su-35 with half-empty tanks will catch up with the F-22. For the same reason, the F-22 is poorly adapted for patrolling, it cannot stay in the air for a long time. Due to its ultra-high cost, the manufacturer has to greatly overestimate the combat effectiveness of the aircraft - since it is ten times more expensive than the old F-16s, it should be thirty times more efficient. That is why "the relative losses of the Raptors in air combat with fighters of the Su-27 or MiG-29 families - subject to a commensurate level of pilot training - are estimated by analysts from Lockheed Martin and the US Air Force as 1 to 30." Here it is difficult to expect anything else: if you want to sell, convince the buyer of the profitability of the purchase. Even if you have to lie beyond the limits, exaggerating the importance of those "innovations" that new products have.

The most important innovation of the new generation of combat aircraft is their stealth. Now this quality of new aircraft sounds more modest than the "invisibility" that the well-known predecessor of this generation, the F-117, had. However, after the loss of several F-117s, shot down by anti-aircraft missiles of still old Soviet systems, this term has faded and acquired a more realistic sound. Regarding the "invisibility" of the F-35, the Americans themselves doubt:

And what about the F-35 program's arguments about its two most valuable features: stealth and advanced avionics? Why doesn't the Air Force say that stealth aircraft are quite amenable to radar detection, it's just a matter of the type of radar and the angle from which the aircraft is observed? Ask the pilots of the two "stealth" F-117s that the Serbs successfully attacked with radar-guided missiles in 1999 during the Kosovo air war. As for the highly sophisticated electronics for attacking aerial targets, the F-35, like the F-22 before it, hopes to succeed due to the hypothetical ability to detect the enemy at an extra-long range. However, in actual air warfare, the number of long-range missile engagements is much lower. The electronics behind the F-35's air-to-ground operations promise little more than to simplify the management of available ammunition.

In connection with the mention of the "invisible" F-117, it is worth recalling the history of the appearance of this technology among the Americans. The fact is that this technology of "invisibility" was developed by the Soviet scientist P.Ya. Ufimtsev back in the 70s. Then, the Americans made the first experiments on creating stealth aircraft, so, in 1964, the Lockheed SR-71 made its first flight - their first experience in this direction. And the main idea of ​​their first attempts was the use of radar-absorbing coatings. However, this made it possible to reduce the intensity of the reflected signal by a percentage, but not by several times.

In 1972, the English translation of P.Ya.'s book caught the eye of Lockheed Martin engineers. Ufimtsev "Method of edge waves in the physical theory of diffraction". She pointed out a fundamentally new way to reduce visibility - by changing the shape of the aircraft. Since in most radar systems the same antenna (or antenna array) serves as the receiver and transmitter, it is possible to reduce the visibility of the aircraft by reducing the reflection in the direction of the locator. To do this, you need to: - remove flat elements in the direction of the radar; - remove edges perpendicular to the radar; - remove right angles, since a right angle is an ideal reflector.

However, an honest solution to the problem of diffraction is not limited to this, and Ufimtsev developed a special theory of "edge waves" that makes it possible to calculate the diffraction of radio waves on complex objects. It was this tool that allowed Lockheed employees to create the F-117 fighter, the first flight of which took place in 1981.

However, Ufimtsev's method of creating "invisibility" violated any aerodynamics. The F-117, which had a maximum speed of about 990 km/h like a passenger airliner, could hardly be called a fighter. He would not have survived any air battle. Its main task was covert raids behind enemy lines with pinpoint strikes against "valuable" ground targets. In Iraq, where air defenses were destroyed by conventional aircraft and cruise missiles, it proved useful. Although, according to the Russian Defense Ministry, during the Gulf War, one F-117A was shot down by the Iraqi Igla air defense system. The plane crashed in the desert, in Saudi Arabia, from where, according to the weekly Arguments and Facts, some samples of its equipment and materials were carried on their shoulders by officers of one of the GRU special forces groups of the General Staff of the RF Ministry of Defense.

However, only after Yugoslavia it became known that the "invisibility" of the F-117 is very relative. The reflection of the radar beam, although much less, but even the old Soviet radars have the ability to notice it. After this discovery, it became obvious that the F-117 was completely useless and it was immediately withdrawn from service. "The US Department of Defense has officially recognized that the total cost of the F-117A aircraft, taking into account the entire program (64 aircraft for 1990 - G.V.), was $ 6.56 billion, which includes $ 2 billion for development, $ 4, 27 billion for the purchase and $ 295.4 million for equipping bases, etc. The cost of one aircraft under the program is $ 111.2 million." And this program, worth $6.56 billion, turned out to be the "drink of the dough" that the liberal opposition usually attributes to our state projects.

Ufimtsev's method also has a very serious fundamental flaw - the radar radiation is still not absorbed, but re-emitted in different directions. Therefore, it is worth separating the source of the radar signal and the receiver of the reflected pulse (i.e., using a bistatic location scheme) - and the "invisible" becomes visible. Ufimtsev himself told his American students about this in 1990, after he was invited to work at the University of California.

Our military experts never considered this method to be sufficiently promising and therefore did not keep Ufimtsev's work a secret. They even allowed him to leave the country back in Soviet times. The current fifth generation of "invisibles" is a continuation of the experience of the F-117, but taking into account the aerodynamics, which they did not sacrifice for the sake of invisibility. Yes, the forms are licked, the weapon is hidden in the body, and a radio-absorbing coating has been applied. This is not 100% effective, but reduces the ERP by several times. That allows you to reduce the detection distance, but no more. The F-22 and F-35 designs developed as a compromise between the requirements of the Ufimtsev method and the requirements for aircraft aerodynamics, and therefore they are more visible than the F-117 and have worse aerodynamics than the conventional F-16.

There is no doubt that similar developments are also being carried out in Russia, however, due to their great secrecy, specific information about them is practically absent.

On January 12, 1999, the Aviation Scientific and Industrial Complex (ANPK) “MiG” demonstrated at the airfield in Zhukovsky an aircraft under the index 1.44 - an experimental aircraft created during the development of a domestic advanced multifunctional front-line fighter (MFI) - “project 1.42”. The aircraft shown at the airfield was credited with the widespread use of stealth technology and the achievement of an RCS value in the front hemisphere of 0.1 sq.m. So far, the obvious absence in the aircraft “1.44” of signs of any purposeful work to reduce visibility, including the absence of RPMs and special coatings, was discussed in every way, the director of the Research Center named after M.V. Keldysh, Academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences Anatoly Koroteev made a sensational statement.

Its essence lies in the fact that Russian scientists have developed new technologies to ensure the stealth of aircraft (LA), based on other (than the Americans) physical principles. A special plasma formation is created around the aircraft, which, on the one hand, absorbs the energy of electromagnetic waves from the irradiating enemy radar, and on the other hand, makes electromagnetic waves go around the plasma cloud. Thus, there is a sharp decrease in the level of the reflected signal of the radar, operating both in continuous and in pulsed modes.

Yesterday, the first flight of the Russian aircraft of the fifth generation PAK FA took place from the Komsomolsky-on-Amur airfield. This is a big holiday for Russian aviation. There is every reason to believe that its characteristics will be somewhat better than those of American aircraft. And it will be adopted not much later than the F-35, whose shortcomings are already visible to the naked eye. One can only gloat if competitors on the world stage have just such an "argument".

But let's approach the estimates of the effectiveness of stealth in more detail in order to understand how much the US Air Force experts are lying. Together with Russian "experts" like Shurygin.

Aircraft of the 5th generation are three models known to the whole world: the Russian T-50, the American F-22 (Raptor) and the Chinese J-20 (Black Eagle). It is these countries that, in the event of any serious global situations, will be able to influence the geopolitical situation in the world. Which model is better and who will be able to capture the airspace?

In war as in war

Today we can say that many countries are waging a large-scale war, in which the main role is played not by weapons, but by innovative technologies and ultra-precise weapons. In this context, the 5th generation plays an important role. production of the T-50 may well become a worthy competitor to other air vehicles. The distinctive features of these cutting-edge models include:

1. Easy destruction of enemy strategic objects.
2. The ability to paralyze the entire defense industry of a country.

Let's take a closer look at these three vehicles to understand what different countries offer as their reliable weapons.

T-50 PAK FA (Russia): how it all began

Aircraft of the 5th generation began to be developed not so long ago, and at first the design was carried out by fighter design bureaus back in the Soviet Union. It was in the 80s that full-scale work began on the production of a multifunctional fighter. First of all, it was planned to create a long-range interceptor that could become a worthy replacement for the Su-27 and MiG-31. The main requirements for the model were the following:

• multifunctionality, that is, the ability to act on any type of target - air, ground and surface;
• low visibility in any spectrum - from visual to thermal and electromagnetic;
• unique maneuverability, which would make it possible to implement unconventional techniques and tactical elements of air combat;
• extended range of possible flight modes;
• supersonic flight speed.

The first plane is lumpy

Before the Russian 5th generation aircraft appeared, they underwent all sorts of improvements. So, first, the Su-47 was put forward as the main interceptor fighter, then the promising Su-27KM fighter. However, none of these models could in any way be among the fifth generation. That is why in 1998 a new technical task was drawn up for the creation of a unique fighter. During this time, many models were thought out, only by 2001 a promising aviation complex for front-line aviation PAK FA was thought out.

Successful business

The first aircraft of the 5th generation of Russia began to be produced in Komsomolsk-on-Amur in 2006. By 2009, three technical samples were created, after which they were tested. The first flight was carried out already in 2010, which made it possible to identify problems with steering. As noted in the reports of the developers, this model is distinguished by simplicity and ease of maintenance, the ability to reach speed without afterburner, maneuverability with high overloads and stealth.

In those days, only the United States and Russia could boast that they had 5th generation aircraft in their arsenal of weapons. There were rumors that the Chinese were also planning to create a new product. Looking ahead, let's say that they did create it - and in terms of its characteristics, it was in no way inferior to its American and Russian counterparts.

Advantages of the T-50 PAK FA

As noted by many experts, the fifth generation of Russian aircraft has unique features. First of all, the models are attractive in that they perform the functions of both a fighter and an attack aircraft. In addition, the new avionics suite integrates an electronic pilot function. Aircraft of the 5th generation of Russia are equipped with a promising radar station, which is complemented by its feature - in reducing the load on the pilot, who can concentrate and perform tactical tasks.

PAK FA equipment

Supernova fighters, created in Russia, are equipped with unique onboard equipment. Its peculiarity is that it is possible to exchange data online, and communication is carried out both with ground control systems and within the aviation group. Thanks to the use of modern materials and unique technologies, Russian military aircraft of the 5th generation are distinguished by an aerodynamic layout and a low level of various degrees of detection. Thanks to this, the combat effectiveness of aircraft against various types of targets is increased. The design of the model is made in such a way as to minimize the visibility of the aircraft. The PAK FA engine consists of 80% new parts, which made it possible to increase the reliability and durability of the resource.

T-50 is a 5th generation aircraft, which belongs to the heavy class. A novelty in Russian engine building is a plasma ignition system, which provides oxygen-free engine start. Also, for the first time, digital control was used on domestically produced aircraft: this system is mobile and flexible. As for weapons, the PAK FA is planned to be equipped with weapons outside and inside the suspension.

Weapon Features

T-50 is a 5th generation aircraft that will be able to fight at different distances. To do this, it is equipped with missiles of various types. The use of modern achievements will make it possible to detect air and ground objects with greater efficiency. Also, the model will be equipped with a unified information system for combat use and control in order to exchange data with other aircraft. Of the novelties, the aircraft will receive a navigation system based on GPS / GLONASS navigation, as well as REM, EW and suppression of the IR seeker and remote fuses of enemy missiles, EDSU, an in-flight refueling system, and a brake double-dome parachute.

Foreign experts came to the conclusion that the newest 5th generation Russian aircraft is a real success for the engineers who were able to design such an inconspicuous unit.

F-22 ("Raptor") USA

This aircraft may well be considered the best aircraft of the 21st century. This is due to the fact that in this model, the developers have managed to embody the latest delights in the field of aviation. F / A-22 began to be designed in 1991, and it was created on the basis of modern computer-aided design tools. 5 generations are considered the most powerful and strong in the world, as they are distinguished by long-term flight at supersonic speeds and can show unique tactics.

Compared to the Russian aircraft, the F/A-22 has a thrust vector control system, resulting in improved maneuverability. This (as well as the high level of electronic equipment) made this model the most powerful in the world. However, many experts note that Russian 5th generation aircraft may well compete with American counterparts in terms of power and reliability.

It is noted that the defensive complex of the Russian aircraft solves many problems with the identification of objects with high accuracy, although the equipment of the Raptor resembles the equipment of strike aircraft. The American aircraft, in turn, can boast of equipping a new generation of adjustable bombs, which are equipped with an inertial satellite guidance system.

Equipment "Raptor"

To make the aircraft less noticeable, the developers equipped it with a passive mode system. 5 generations of "Raptor" are capable of detecting a large air target at a distance of up to 300 km, ground - up to 70 km. The cockpit has a wide-angle HUD with a large field of view, which also distinguishes the Russian aircraft. Of the weapons, one can note the built-in cannon Mb 1A2 (ammunition - 480 shells), four air-to-air missiles, 6 AIM-120C missiles and two missiles in compartments. A number of missiles are located on the wing liners of the aircraft.

The American aircraft became the first fighter aircraft to be fully equipped with an integrated avionics system. It includes a central integrated data processing system, a communications system, navigation, ICNIA identification and an electronically controlled combat complex.

J-20 ("Black Eagle")

If Russian aircraft of the 5th generation are well-known, then Chinese-made models are only conquering the world. So, the J-20 model is a heavy fighter built according to the "duck" scheme. However, in terms of its technical characteristics, it cannot be compared with either the Russian or the American model. So, experts note that the Chinese aircraft has problems with aerodynamics, its flight range is small compared to our model, and the design that has not been brought to mind increases the radar visibility of the unit. The main problem of Chinese fighters is the lack of engines. It turns out that a heavy, overall and clearly visible aircraft has neither maneuverability nor reliability in operation. Accordingly, 5 generations and the American Raptor remain the most reliable in the world.

Comparative analysis

Let's carry out a comparative description of two models - Russian and American production:

Conclusions: who is better?

The latest high-powered fighter jets are currently only available in the US and Russia. Who will prevail if the planes collide in the air? The answer to this question is not so simple. On the one hand, the American fighter has been in service for a long time, while our model is only undergoing flight tests. On the other hand, the Russian aircraft has a more advanced design, which makes it more maneuverable. Russian developers also focus on the fact that the T-50 aircraft can carry a larger supply of fuel, so it will be more perfect than the American model in terms of practical range and combat radius. In any case, the performance of both models will be constantly improved, so it is still difficult to draw a clear conclusion about who is stronger.

The United States almost suffered the largest disaster in the history of modern civil aviation. San Francisco airport controller in a matter of moments of passenger planes. On approach, an Air Canada flight from Toronto mistook the runway for an adjacent taxiway. There were four aircraft in line to take off. The airline launched an internal investigation into the accident.

The plane lands at the San Francisco airport. "20 seconds before landing: 135 passengers on board are already fastened, they still do not suspect anything. At the last moment, the pilot notices: right below him below - four huge liners are preparing to take off from the same airport. Before the collision - fractions of a second.

"What is this guy doing? He's moving towards the taxiway!" - the pilot of one of the aircraft exclaims on the air.

"", - requires the dispatcher.

"I'm leaving for the second circle," the Air Canada board replies.

"Air Canada just flew right over us!" - states the crew of the United Airlines aircraft.

The pilot in the air, apparently, mixed up the taxiway and the runway: they are really close. The planes below were preparing for long-distance flights, which means that the fuel tanks were filled to the maximum. What could happen next is already in the history of modern aviation.

"The aircraft landed at the San Francisco airport on the main taxiway, on which at that time there were four other aircraft. They were fully refueled and ready to take off. These are explosions and fires that could later spread to other objects" , - explains the head of the legal service of the Federal Trade Union of Aviation Dispatchers of Russia Oleg Babich.

Data from the Flight radar flight control system: 3-4 minutes before landing, the height of the aircraft is another 400 meters, then it drops to 120 meters - from such a height you can no longer just see people and cars, but also details. At this point, the Air Canada pilot began to climb rapidly. If he hesitated even for a second, 5 planes could explode at the same time: five thousand people could die.

This has already happened. Spain. The Russian airliner is landing. Suddenly, an Argentine plane appears ahead. The crew of the Russian liner managed to avoid an emergency.

Russia, Tatarstan. The plane has almost landed, suddenly a car leaves the runway. They parted almost inches apart.

“Usually this happens at airfields where very wide taxiways are located in close proximity to the runway. Therefore, if there may be some kind of fog above the runway, and the taxiway is better lit, then the tired crew sees the lights. lane, landed, it turned out to be taxiing. Many years ago in Barcelona they boarded the Tu-154 on the taxiway. They landed safely, but they confused the taxiing with the strip, "says pilot first class Andrey Litvinov.

Many passengers of the flight to San Francisco learned about the incident only after landing already from the news. But how it happened that the pilot mixed up the lane and the taxiway is now being investigated by the investigation team.

At an altitude of 4.3 thousand meters in a Superjet aircraft heading to Sheremetyevo, a warning system about a dangerous approach to another aircraft, a Boeing, was activated, which was supposed to land at Vnukovo. The Superjet was flying from Tallinn to Moscow, the Boeing was flying from Murmansk. The airliners parted in the sky at a distance of about 600 meters from each other thanks to the well-coordinated work of controllers on the ground and pilots in the sky. As a result of the incident, no one was injured.

Electronics monitors the approach of aircraft

An aircraft collision is a situation in which there is a threat of collision, taking into account the distance between the aircraft, their speed and position in the sky. Close proximity conditions and allowable distances between aircraft are established by law and vary depending on the situation. As a rule, the threat to aircraft arises from incorrect calculation of routes and from the error of the controller or pilot.

To prevent collisions in the sky, all modern aircraft are equipped with the TCAS (Traffic alert and Collision Avoidance System) airborne collision avoidance system. It surveys the airspace around the aircraft and, in case of danger, gives the pilots a signal, as well as issues recommendations on the preferred actions.

For pilots, the indications of the on-board system are in priority, and not the instructions of the dispatcher

In case of simultaneous receipt of conflicting instructions from the dispatcher and the warning system, the TCAS instruction is considered a priority. However, sometimes captains of aircraft make the wrong decision and do what is recommended to them from the ground. It is known that people make mistakes more often than technology, so such mistakes sometimes lead to tragic consequences.

Similar incidents happen all over the world.

A similar incident occurred, for example, on January 31, 2001 in the sky over Suruga Bay (Japan) in Shizuoka Prefecture: two Japan Airlines airliners almost collided. At an altitude of more than 10 thousand meters, the pilot of Flight 907 ignored the proximity warning system, which gave the command to climb, and continued to descend on the command of the dispatcher. At the same time, Flight 958 was descending at the same altitude. Seconds before a possible collision, the controller gave the correct command to climb, but the pilot of Flight 907 did not have time to execute the command, because he saw another aircraft flying across. He miraculously evaded the collision by “diving” under Flight 958. Due to the abrupt maneuver, the passengers of Flight 907 were seriously injured: many were thrown up to the ceiling, one child flew over four rows of seats, and some people had broken limbs. As a result of the investigation of the incident, the court found the dispatchers guilty.

Quite often, a dangerous approach occurs without any consequences for passengers. For example, in 2016, two Boeings dangerously approached over the Ivanovo region. Then one of the pilots decided to commit. The second plane at that time was gaining altitude, but thanks to the warning systems that worked, the tragedy did not happen.

Some encounters ended in disaster

So, on July 1, 2002, a tragedy occurred over Lake Constance (Germany) that shook the world. In the sky, a cargo Boeing, making a flight from Bahrain - Bergamo - Brussels, and a Tu-154 of the Bashkir Airlines, heading from Moscow to Barcelona, ​​collided. As a result of the disaster, 71 people died - all pilots and passengers of both ships. On board the Tu-154 flew 52 children who were sent to rest in Spain as a reward for good study at a specialized school of UNESCO. The lives of children were then cut short at the very take-off.

The cause of the disaster was also the error of the dispatcher: he did not warn the Tu-154 pilot about the threat of a collision with the Boeing and gave incorrect information about the position of the ships relative to each other. The Tu-154 commander ignored the TCAS command to climb, obeying the dispatcher, who instructed to descend. The planes collided at an altitude of 10,634 meters and fell apart in the air into several parts.