Russia showcases 1st Sukhoi T-50 fighter

RUSSIA: Russia has showcased its first stealth fighter Sukhoi T-50, jointly developed with India, as a cheaper alternative to its US-built equivalent F-22 Raptor aircraft.

The supersonic aircraft, which flew for the first time at the MAKS 2011 air show near the Russian capital, Moscow, was designed to match the F-22 in its operational capabilities, the state-run BBC reported on Wednesday. The new Sukhoi T-50 enables the pilot to carry out maneuvers that older aircraft were unable to perform.

Russia plans to manufacture 1,000 of the Sukhoi T-50 over the coming decades with India expected to purchase up to 200 of the stealth jet.

The T-50 aircraft feature an all-weather capability, the ability to use a take-off strip of just 300 to 400 meters, the capacity for sustained supersonic flight through repeated in-flight refueling, and the ability to attack air and ground targets simultaneously. Russia’s state media reported last year that up to USD 10 billion was poured into the development project of the stealth fighter, which is being marketed with a USD 100 million price tag.

In contrast, the US Raptor, whose prototype was revealed more than 20 years ago, reportedly sells for USD 140 million per plane. Press TV