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At the air base of Khmeimim for the first time, Russian fighters of the fifth generation of the Su-57 were seen. The appearance of these aircraft in the Syrian sky was a response to the flight of American stealth and PR campaign, according to the interlocutors of RBC

In the sky above Khmeimim

Multimodal fighters of the fifth generation of Su-57 arrived for the first time at the airbase Khemeymim in Syria, a source in the Defense Ministry told RBC on Thursday. The appearance of these aircraft was also written by Kommersant, citing a source in the military command and control agencies and Interfax, citing informed sources.

The first about the Su-57 in the skies over Syria was reported by the Syrian journalist Vael Al-Husseini. He posted on his Twitter video, which shows Russian aircraft, including the Su-57, in Latakia, near Khmeimima. In a conversation with RBC, a Syrian journalist, citing his sources, reported that on February 21, nine other Russian planes arrived at the Khmeimim airbase in addition to two Su-57s: four Su-35 fighters, four Su-25 attack planes and an A- 50. The same information was provided on Thursday by the Arab version of the Russian state agency Sputnik.

RBC sent a request to the Ministry of Defense to comment on this information.

Su-57 against "Lightning" and "Birds of Prey"

The appearance of the Su-57 in Syria was a response to the flight of American stealth fighters, RBC told a source in the Ministry of Defense. "In addition, there is a task to test fighters in real conditions," the source explained.

What is the Su-57

Su-57 (factory index T-50, a promising aviation complex of front-line aviation (PAK FA)) is a multifunctional fighter of the fifth generation designed by the Design Bureau of the name of PO Sukhoi designed to destroy air, ground and surface systems of the enemy. The Su-57 will be the main product of the company in the aviation equipment market in 2020. The aircraft has not yet been transferred to the Russian army, and it was demonstrated to the public at the MAKS airshow.

Compared with the fourth-generation aircraft, such as the Su-27 or the MiG-29, the Su-57 has a noticeably lightweight control, the well-known test pilot Sergei Bogdan, who first lifted the Su-57 into the air, performed in an interview with the magazine Popular Mechanics. the bulk of the tests. At the same time, for pilots of machines of the fifth generation, the requirements for physical training are higher. Seriously, the load on the pilot as an operator, stressed Bogdan. "The nomenclature of armament of the fourth generation aircraft did not go beyond the ten. The pilot was required to master three operations: work on land, work on air-controlled weapons and work by air with unguided means (shooting from a cannon). The Su-57 armament nomenclature is approaching half a hundred absolutely different means with different principles of guidance, "the pilot explained. According to him, on the aircraft of new generations, the task of piloting is generally secondary, most importantly - the management of weapons.

According to the estimated calculations, the length of the Su-57 fighter is 19.7 m, the wingspan is 14 m, weight is 18.5 tonnes. The crew is one man. The maximum speed is 2600 km / h. The fighter can be in the air for up to six hours and carry a combat load of 1.3 to 10 tons. In addition, the Su-57 is capable of carrying air-to-air and air-to-ground weapons. The cost of the development program is 60 billion rubles. (or $ 2.8 billion).

Direct competitors of the Su-57 are the American multi-role fighter of the fifth generation F-22 and F-35 Lightning II, noted in a conversation with RBC test pilot OKB named after PO Sukhoi Igor Votintsev. However, it is hardly possible to compare these fighters in detail, as their characteristics are carefully concealed, he noted.

Samuel Bendett, an American military expert, analyst for the Center for Naval Analyzes, notes that in reality these planes are in the same "weight class" - they have similar characteristics in the design and requirements for flights. "It's too early to say that any of these fighters is better. This will become clear after the Russian aircraft starts performing various missions in support of the Russian armed forces, as does the F-22 and F-35. Which of the fighters is more effective, only real military missions will prove, "the expert said.

F-22 Raptor - the first armed fighter of the fifth generation. Its developers are the American companies Lockheed Martin, Boeing and General Dynamics. The fighter is designed to combat enemy aircraft, cover troops and rear facilities from air strikes, counter the enemy's air reconnaissance day and night in simple and difficult weather conditions. F-22 is operated from December 15, 2005. The cost of the development program is $ 66.7 billion (together with the cost of mass production - $ 74 billion).

The length of the aircraft is almost 19 m, the wing span is 13.5 m, the maximum speed is 2410 km / h, the crew is one person, the maximum weight is 38 tonnes, the maximum load is 10.37 tonnes, the range range is 3220 km, the combat radius - 760 km. The F-22 is armed with a 20-mm cannon, air-to-air missiles, and also with adjustable bombs. It is compatible with controlled high-precision aerial bombs.

Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II is a family of unobtrusive multifunctional fighter-bombers of the fifth generation, developed by the American firm Lockheed Martin. The fighter is in series production, it is operated from 2012. There are three variants of this aircraft: ground - for US Air Force needs, a fighter with a short takeoff and vertical landing - for the US Marine Corps and the British Navy, deck fighter - for the needs of the US Navy.

The cost of development is more than $ 55 billion. The American Lightning is capable of carrying air-to-air and air-to-ground weapons.

The Russian Defense Ministry really drives all prototypes through Syria, Andrei Frolov, editor-in-chief of the magazine "Export of Arms", recalled. In addition to obtaining "real experience" for Russian aviation, this is a good advertisement, the expert noted.

The advertising move is designed primarily for India, Frolov believes. "Lockheed Martin is active in the Indian market. In addition, there are difficulties with India on the FGFA project [Russian-Indian project to build a fifth-generation fighter aircraft]. The public launch last year of the Su-57 and its dispatch to the Syria is a step aimed at convincing the Indians that the FGFA is a real project and the prototype of it is actively flying and even working in the war zone, "the source said.

Early departed

On December 11, President Vladimir Putin visited the Russian military base of Khemeymim and ordered "to withdraw the Russian troops to their permanent deployment points." He noted that the task that faced the Russian military was "solved in general, solved brilliantly." The commander-in-chief of the Air and Space Forces (VCS) of Russia, Colonel-General Sergei Surovikin, said at the time that 23 Russian planes would leave Syria, the withdrawal of the group would take about a month.

Expert of the Center for Analysis of Strategies and Technologies Konstantin Makienko called the president's decision to reduce the group hastily. "Realities show that we should not rush to proclaim victory for the sake of the election campaign. Bush Jr. declared victory in Iraq, and after that all the fun began, "he concluded.

After the president's order to withdraw troops from Syria, the militants made several attacks there on Russian military targets and Russians.

In particular, on New Year's Eve terrorists attacked the air base of Khmeimim with the help of eight drones. At the time of the UAV attack, the electronic warfare systems (EW) did not work, so as not to interfere with aviation flights. As a result, two people were killed, four planes and two helicopters were damaged, and an ammunition depot was blown up. The Ministry of Defense confirmed the fact of the attack, but what it was with the use of drones, disproved.

Another UAV attack occurred a few days later, on the night of January 6. This time the object of the attack was not only the base of Khemeymim, but also the point of logistics of the Navy in Tartus. This was officially announced by the Defense Ministry. At the attack 13 drones were used. Seven of them were destroyed by the missile and gun complexes "Pantsir", and the rest of the Russian specialists from the electronic warfare units managed to take control, the Russian Defense Ministry asserted.

In the evening of February 3, it became known that in the province of Idlib, militants shot down the Russian Su-25 attack aircraft, the pilot was able to eject, but died during a battle with terrorists on the ground.

Link: https://www.rbc.ru/politics/22/02/20...7947e094fcf5be