Russia’s Fifth-Generation Fighter Jet to Make Maiden Flight in 2017

First Russian fighter jet of the fifth-generation fitted out with a second-stage engine is expected to make a maiden flight in 2017, Vyacheslav Massalov, the Director General of the United Engine-Building Corporation said on Thursday.

He said the second-stage engine will be 17% to 18% more efficient than the engine of its predecessor, the G4 aircraft.

“The aircraft that’s known as Item 30 at present and that has a second-stage engine is supposed to make its maiden flight in 2017,” Massalov said. “The efficiency of the new engine is 17% to 18% higher than that of the first-stage engine.”

In particular, the new engine consumes notably less fuel.The maiden flight of fifth-generation jet fitted out with the first-stage jet took place in 2010, Mikhail Pogossian, the chief designer of the corporation said last summer. The supplies contract for those aircraft is expected to be signed in 2015.
[via-itar-tass]