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Russia’s prototype fifth-generation Sukhoi T-50 jet. [Sukhoi Company]
The fighter jet flew 7,000 kilometers from Russia’s Far Eastern city of Vladivostok, to Zhulovsky airfield near Moscow.
On its way the jet made two stops – in Abakan and in Chelyabinsk.
Dmitry Rogozin, vice-premier of Russian Government in charge of the defense industry, congratulated the developers and test pilots of the jet on his Twitter and called the test “a serious breakthrough”.
Sukhoi T-50 fighter jet is also known as the PAK-FA project and is set to become Russia’s core fighter fleet.
The fighter features the elements of ‘stealth-technology’, and is equipped with the advanced avionics, including an X-band active phased-array radar.
All the construction works are carried out at the factory in Siberia.
Many deem the jet as Russia’s reply to the US F-22 Raptor, the only other existing fifth-generation fighter aircraft.
The jet was presented for the first time in 2011 at the Moscow Air Show.
According to the Defence Ministry’s schedule, the jet should go into standard production in 2016, after it passes state flight tests in March 2013.
India is in final stages of the deal with Russia to produce a derivative of the stealth fighter for the Indian Air Force.
This version will cost some $30 billion and is reported to be tested as early as 2014.
Source: Agencies
