Invisible Russian

[ozzy72]

Well it has finally flown!
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/8486812.stm

[expat]

The Russian do have a love affair with HUGE intakes on fighter aircraft....not exactly stealthy :-?

I myself love the term "all-weather capability". It is banded about by just about every aircraft maker in the world and used by the military to justify buying a new product almost as a standard one liner. All-weather capability used in connection with aircraft................that is like describing my as an "all round sportsman"

[Rich H]

What model is it? Reminds me of the Su-47.

[SeanTK]

Very interesting!

Looks like a pancaked Su-27! You can definitely tell that it is a Sukhoi design.

[C]

Is anyone missing some pieces of aeroplane in the USA. Namely the rear end of a YF-23, the major proportion of an F-22 and half an F-35!

[SeanTK]

Well, there are only so many ways to make an effective stealth fighter, so it's a given that some aspects are going to look similar among aircraft. Obviously many people are going to jump on the "Russians are copying us again" thing which has been popular to do since the start of the Cold War.
Maybe I am just more in tune with some aspects of Russian/Ukranian aircraft design, but I can see clear, original elements of Sukhoi craftsmanship in this airplane. You can really see the Su-27 series lineage here. I hope it does well. 

[specter177]

And congress still thinks it's a good idea to quit making F-22s? I just hope Lockheed doesn't destroy the tooling. That looks like a cross between the YF-23 and SU-27.

[C]

[quote]Well, there are only so many ways to make an effective stealth fighter, so it's a given that some aspects are going to look similar among aircraft. Obviously many people are going to jump on the "Russians are copying us again" thing which has been popular to do since the start of the Cold War.
Maybe I am just more in tune with some aspects of Russian/Ukranian aircraft design, but I can see clear, original elements of Sukhoi craftsmanship in this airplane. You can really see the Su-27 series lineage here. I hope it does well.

[expat]

And congress still thinks it's a good idea to quit making F-22s? I just hope Lockheed doesn't destroy the tooling..

Would not be the first time, still................."no we can't start the line up, but what we can do is start on the development of  the F-23A and it will only cost......."

Matt

[ShaneG_old]

So much for Sukhoi's run of beautiful, graceful looking planes. 

That thing looks like the Frankenstein of fighters. 

[C]

[quote]So much for Sukhoi's run of beautiful, graceful looking planes.

[skoker]

I still see it...

[SeanTK]

The more I look at it, the more I like it. I wasn't quite sure how to react to it at first, but it does look pretty cool in my opinion.

Oh, and that comparison comment I brought up was just a preemptive observation not directed with ill intent at anybody. I've been on so many forums where anything Russian is hated with a passion, so I'm always on guard and ready to jump when stuff like this comes up.

[C]

[quote]The more I look at it, the more I like it. I wasn't quite sure how to react to it at first, but it does look pretty cool in my opinion.

Oh, and that comparison comment I brought up was just a preemptive observation not directed with ill intent at anybody. I've been on so many forums where anything Russian is hated with a passion, so I'm always on guard and ready to jump when stuff like this comes up.

[SeanTK]

I can't confirm this yet from multiple sources, but the current word is that the NATO reporting name is or will be: "Firefox".

If true, that's just awesome.