NEWTOWN, Conn. - The Russian Ministry of Defense is considering cutting production of the fifth-generation T-50 PAK FA fighter jet in light of Moscow's current financial constraints.
According to deputy defense minister, Yuri Borisov, the MoD may revise procurement plans for the T-50 due to the new economic conditions facing Moscow.
Although exact figures have not been confirmed, the Moscow daily Kommersant reports that the MoD's order could be cut by more than 76 percent, from 52 units down to 12 over the next few years.
Serial production is scheduled to begin in 2016 at the Komsomolsk-on-Amur aviation plant in Russia's Far East. The Air Force is currently testing several prototypes.
Despite the potential cuts, Borisov stresses that the project has not been and will not be canceled.
The T-50 is in the same size range as the F-35 JSF, with a primary air superiority mission; ground attack and reconnaissance will be the secondary missions. The PAK FA features a long combat radius, supersonic cruise speed, low radar cross-section, super-maneuverability, and short takeoff and landing ability. The fighter is equipped with 14 types of high-precision weapons, including a modernized 9A1-4071K cannon. All of the aircraft's weapons are located inside the fuselage, thus reducing detection by ensuring low radar observability. In addition, the cockpit has no analog instruments, only liquid crystal displays (LCDs). The price tag per fighter is estimated to be around $100 million.
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