More controversy over fifth generation fighter (296 words)

Published: 6/25/2001

The Sukhoi S-37-1 Berkut resumed flying earlier this month after maintenance and overhaul of its Aviadvigatel D-30F engines. The resumption of its flight testing will doubtless re-ignite the debate as to whether it will be the basis of the fifth generation fighter, despite views to the contrary expressed by the air force and MiG. The other fifth generation option, the MiG 1.44 technology demonstrator, developed to meet the requirements of the Multirole Frontline Fighter programme, has had only two flights since February 2000 and therefore remains well short of the 24-28 flights that MiG's General Director, Nikolai Nikitin defined, as being the requirement before a decision on the aircraft's future would be made. The head of Mikoyan Engineering Centre, Vladimir Barkovsky, however, claims that the company is “actively participating” in development of an affordable fifth generation fighter. It is clear that this is separate from Sukhoi, despite the MoD's recent brief that appeared to give Sukhoi the leadership role in the development of the fighter. This fuelled speculation that the S-37 will be the basis for the final aircraft. Barkovsky concedes that $1 billion will be required to produce an aircraft that is competitive with the JSF and denies the leading role of Sukhoi in the programme. He suggests that the lack of a tender meant that no one won and MiG has therefore applied to the Russian MoD for participation in a tender for the best fifth-generation fighter design. Barkovsky's comments are perhaps predictable, but there must be concern that, despite recent announcements of cooperation in the military aircraft arena, the two old adversaries are slugging it out and, if MiG is dead, as many commentators think, no one has told it to lie down!

Article ID: 2607