This last week has been pretty hectic in terms of next generation concepts: Boeing unveiled the updated version of the F/A-XX sixth-generation fighter concept, Lockheed Martin’s Skunk Works released a new UCLASS Concept video and, after some years of evaluation and study, Russia’s PAK-DA conceptual design was given the official approval.
In a meeting with Russian lawmakers, Air Force Commander Lt. Gen. Viktor Bondarev said that all the relevant document were signed allowing the industry to begin the development of systems for the plane.
With its flying wing shape and radar-evading capabilities, the subsonic PAK-DA is destined to replace Moscow’s aging fleet of 63 Tu-95 Bear and 13 Tu-160 Blackjack strategic bombers.
According to the RIA Novosti, Russian Air Force commander insisted that the aircraft will be equipped with advanced electronic warfare systems and armed with new nuclear-capable long-range cruise missiles, and will be able to carry a wide array of conventional precision guided weapons.
The new plane will enter production stage by 2020 with the first bomber in active service by 2025-2030 timeframe.
The PAK-DA will not be hypersonic (even if it will probably carry hypersonic missiles) as opposed to the American X-51, Falcon HTV-2 and other hypersonic development programs on which U.S.’s perspective strike capability will be based.
A “sixth-generation” pilotless strategic bomber based on the PAK-DA could came around 2040-2050.
Top image shows PAK-DA concept. It’s not believed to be an official image and it may not depict the plane as it is intended to be. According to some readers, it may be Sukhoi T-4MS design which lost out to the Tu-160 Blackjack in 1970.
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So cool. Great insight, as usual Sir.
The Russians are just as broke as we are, that’s why they are bellying up to the PRC . . . for now. Russians don’t forget what happened in the 70s with the big battle over territory. Too many lives lost.
yeah….Russia isn’t in massive amounts of debt. They actually have a reserve of cash.
True that.
I think that the PAK-DA project will be shared with India, similarily to PAK-FA.
Are you joking? Russia is under stagflation conditions and it’s getting a lot worse. Russia is making it’s problems a lot worse by trying to be a superpower, when their infrastructure, corruption levels, wages, health care and education are all on a 3rd World level.
No, the Soviets were as broke as we are. The Russians have a far, far larger surplus then we can hope to achieve anytime soon.
http://rt.com/business/russia-kazakhstan-gold-buy-849/
Russia and Kazakhstan continue gold spending spree
right Russia are not broke cause they take a lot of bribery
Sukhoi T-50 PAK-FA (HD)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_fD7OBdqsV4
http://www.military-heat.com/43/russian-plasma-stealth-fighters/
The PAK is a SU-37 on steriods…
Actually it was in the 60s and relatively speaking the casualties were very low.
Russia doesn’t need a strategic bomber; she has an impressive arsenal of ICBMs.
I’m pretty sure it wont look like that, the image is the Sukhoi T-4MS design which lost out to the Tu-160 Blackjack in 1970.
Correct, it is a rendering of T-4MS project made by Jozef Gatial.
The typical Russian whishful thinking.
If it will ever happen than hardly within that timeframe.
so? They will be one day late; so what!?
http://www.military-heat.com/43/russian-plasma-stealth-fighters/