India, Russia to develop different variants of the fifth generation fighter aircraft
01 Oct 2008
New Delhi: The recently concluded eighth meeting of the Indo-Russian Inter-Governmental Commission on Military Technical Cooperation (IRIGC-MTC) took up developmental plans of the proposed Fifth Generation Fighter Aircraft (FGFA) programme to be jointly developed by both the countries.
Speaking to media at the conclusion of the meet, Ashok Baweja, chairman of the Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL), said both sides had moved closer towards identifying key areas of participation in the FGFA programme for which both countries had signed a joint agreement in 2007.
He said India would offer the programme its expertise in composites, which are lightweight high-strength materials that bring down the weight of an aeronautical platform.
According to Baweja, the FGFA would be developed as different versions for both the countries. While the Russian version will be a single-pilot fighter, the Indian variant will be a twin-seat configuration."The Indian FGFA is significantly different from the Rusisan aircraft because a second pilot means the addition of another dimension, development of wings and control surfaces," said Baweja.
The Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) is the Indian partner for the development of the aircraft along with the Russian Sukhoi design bureau.
The FGFA, according to Russian claims, is expected to match if not surpass the US F-22 Raptor fighter aircraft, which has entered squadron service this year.
Meanwhile, Alexey Fedorov, president of the United Aircraft Corporation, has said that the process of identifying Indian partners for the FGFA programme would be completed in the shortest possible time, possibly by the end of the year. "We are in the process of defining what part of the contract to give to the Indian production agencies,'' he said.
The first prototype of the Sukhoi Design Bureau's PAK-FA 'T-50' fighter aircraft is set to fly in Russia next year.
According to Baweja, the PAK-FA's will have stealth features as well as the ability to 'super cruise.' It will have the capability to engage multiple ground, sea and air targets and offer seamless communication between fighter, other aircraft and ground stations.
The FGFA is to enter squadron service by 2015.
