Douglas Barrie/PARIS
MIKOYAN IS PUTTING pressure on the Russian Government to allow it to display its fifth-generation fighter, the Article 1.42, at the Moscow air show in August amid continuing doubts as to the programme's future.
Mikoyan deputy chief designer Anatoly Belosvet confirms that Mikoyan is continuing to work on a fifth-generation project, saying: "The aircraft is going through ground-based tests and high-speed taxi tests." Belosvet adds that Mikoyan and officials at the MAPO production plant are trying to get clearance to show the aircraft at Zhukovsky.
The multi-role fighter is in the 35t weight class and is a canard-delta design. Russian sources close to the programme describe the aircraft as being considerably bigger than the Mikoyan MiG-29 Fulcrum, saying that it is of similar dimensions to those of the Sukhoi Su-27 Flanker.
The programme began in 1983, with construction of the first prototype started in 1986. Fast-taxi trials of the aircraft, which, in its experimental form is known as the 1.44 according to Russian officials, have already taken place.
It is thought that the aircraft was to have been flown as long ago as 1991. Technical problems, primarily focused on the power plant, funding problems and infrastructure problems associated with the collapse of the Soviet Union, have all contributed to the delays.
Alongside delays to the airframe, subcontractors have also admitted that funding shortfalls have hampered development of systems for the aircraft.
Radar design house Phazotron says that it is developing a phased-array-antenna radar for the aircraft, designated the NO14, the design of which bureau officials admit has been hampered by a lack of funding. They add that the aircraft will also be fitted with a rearward facing tail protection radar.
The future of Mikoyan's fifth-generation 1.42 is far from certain, with officials saying, only that they are hopeful that additional Governmental funding will be made available for the programme.
If the Mikoyan programme does not progress beyond the 1.44 airframes, the Russian air force will have the option of either making do with the Sukhoi Su-35 advanced Flanker derivative, or of possibly pursuing a Sukhoi fifth-generation fighter design.
from the rival design bureau.
Source: Flight International
