Russian ready to build strategic stealth bomber

Tupolev Design Bureau, part of the United Aircraft Corporation (UAC) has completed the initial design of the PAK DA, the most sophiticated of Russian's strategic remotely bomber. And it estimated in three years Russia has been able to have this plane.

PAK DA (in some military aviation literature also written PAK-DA) is the new generation of Russian's strategic bombers draft with stealth technology that developed by Tupolev Design Bureau. The Tupolev PAK-DA (Perspektivnyi Aviatsionnyi Aviatsii Dal'ney Complex) strategic stealth bomber is scheduled to be operational at least started in 2025 and the slowest start in 2030.

PAK-DA will eventually replace the role of Tu-95 MS, Tu-160 and Tu-22 3M aircrafts in the Russian Air Force weaponry. Director of UAC, Mikhail Pogosyan announced that the manufacture of some components for the assembly of prototype testing will begin in the near future.

Tupelov PAK-DA. (Picture from: http://bit.ly/1Bwnm0X)

The final design of PAK-DA is ready, but no one can predict the development of aviation in the future, so it is still a possibility to be modified. At the time of launch the PAK-DA project in 1999, the aircraft designers are faced with a difficult question: Is the Russian Air Force need subsonic or supersonic plane?

The sketch of Tupelov PAK-DA stealth bombers. (Picture from: http://bit.ly/1AnZaif)

Supersonic aircraft can break through all air defense weapons, but because of its aerodynamic features, this aircraft is too flashy for the enemy. In addition, the supersonic bombers fuel consumption is extremely wasteful, so the aircraft can not fly away in the air without refueling. Finally, aircraft designers chose to make a subsonic bomber aircraft. Viktor Bondar, Supreme Commander of the Russian Air Force stated the advantages of PAK-DA is the aircraft have more capacity than the Tu-160. In addition, weapons owned would be much more devastating. Meanwhile, other problems will be resolved by the presence of missiles.

The new plane will be built based on the scheme of "flying wing" which the aircraft type which airs only with wings, and no tail. The fuselage (airframe) is almost flat and dimensionally reduced. The general role of the fuselage to accommodating the crews, equipments, cargos, and so on, is charged on the wings. The wings are also could fitted with weapons and crews. Most manufacturing of the "flying wing" aircraft with "stealth" (low observable) technology. Possibly, this new bomber aircraft will be made in order to trick the radar with forming the ribs lines, to disperse the enemy radar beam.

Currently the Central Aerohydrodynamic Institute (TsAGI) conducting a study of the properties of "flying wing" aerodynamic. This makes Russia has a basis for producing stealth aircraft as the competitor of American-owned B-2 Spirit.

PAK-DA has a weighs 120 tons. No less than a quarter of the weight is an important transport goods such as fuels, crews, and armaments. The aircraft will also be equipped with a hypersonic weapon. The first prototype of PAK-DA will be completed in 2017. In 2019, the prototype will be conduct flight test and in 2025 the aircraft will enter into the Russian Air Force weaponry system.

The entry of new aircraft into the Russian Air Force will dismiss the use of Tu-160 and Tu-95 aircrafts, which are currently take a role as the Russian mainstay aircrafts for long-haul flights. After 2025, the bombers were to be retired and replaced by the PAK-DA. Currently, Russia has 32 units of Tu-95 MS strategic bombers and 16 unit of Tu-160 supersonic aircraft based in the city of Engels. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES ]

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