It is planned that the new Russian PAK FA fighter will be a kind of response to the American F-22 Raptor fighter. Until now, it is the only operating fifth generation fighter in the world, which made its first flight back in 1997.
According to Konstantin Makienko, an expert at the Center for Analysis of Strategies and Technologies, the Russian plane will cost less than its American counterpart, which once cost more than $ 10 billion. The cost, of course, will also be influenced by the number of PAK FA produced, because the larger the series, the cheaper the cost of one model. But in any case, it is expected to cost 30-40% less than the American F-22 Raptor.
The designers believe that five to seven years should pass before the first PAK FA fighter takes off. Many experts in the arms industry believe that the release of a new fighter of this class will have a beneficial effect on the future of Russian arms exports.
In addition, this year it is planned to increase funding for the state defense order by 8%, compared to last year, which will already amount to about $ 1.17 trillion. rubles, which will also make it possible to accelerate the pace of construction and translate ideas into reality.
President of the Sukhoi Company Mikhail Poghosyan said that he plans to continue working closely with India, with which he intends to work together towards the precisely set goal. And he believes that joint production will definitely give a good result and will allow to surpass Western counterparts due to high-quality machines at moderate prices in comparison with them. And this will allow Russia to take an honorable place in the world market.
“The Sukhoi Company is the largest exporter of Russian aircraft and accounts for a quarter of all export deliveries. Last year, revenues from all military supplies amounted to $ 7.4 billion.
An official statement from the Indian government has not yet been received. It is only known that India wants to acquire a two-seater version of the fighter, as opposed to the Russian one-seater version.
India, in turn, is the largest buyer of military equipment, so their cooperation is justified and mutually beneficial.
In addition to India, the main importers also include China, Iran, Syria, and Venezuela. But if Russia nevertheless decides on the possible export of the fighter to these countries, this could cause a lot of noise in Washington. After all, their brainchild, the F-22 stealth plane, is strictly forbidden to export, and until now none of the states can compete with the Americans.
According to Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, the first batch of the long-awaited PAK FA will go to the troops in 2013, but serial production will begin in 2015. Nevertheless, V. V. Putin did not deny the fact that even more work remains to be done before the fighter is released: to refine many parts and spare parts to perfection and only after that bring the fighter into series.
Russians react differently to this information. Not everyone is enthusiastic about the future. Not everyone shares the opinion that in such the shortest possible time it is possible to create and start mass production of a perfect machine. But numerous experts assure that its creation is justified and will have a beneficial effect on the entire economy of our country, and will also raise Russia in the eyes of many states as still a mighty and invincible power.
