Indo-Russian stealth fighter aborts 2nd test flight due to technical snag

Earlier the government run RIA Novosti reported that a flash was seen during the fighter’s takeoff,after that the aircraft landed with a parachute at the MAKS-2011 International Aviation and Space Show.

The T-50 made its maiden flight in January 2010 and is expected to enter service by 2015.

Russia had lifted the curtain on the secret T-50 project on August 17 in the presence of Prime Minister Vladimir Putin.

The project is being developed at a fraction of the cost of American F-22 and F-35 fighters.

A senior aviation expert quoted by the agency said that an emergency landing was normal for the period of test flights,especially in the conditions of high humidity and “taking into account the safety of the air show visitors.”

The closing day of the airshow was marred by heavy rains and the demonstration flights for the public were limited to two hours only.

Under a 2007 intergovernmental agreement India and Russia are to jointly develop the futuristic stealth fighter capable of challenging the US Raptor F-22.

The sleek silver prototypes fighter performed aerobatic stunts on August 17 for 15 minutes for Putin and top Russian and Indian brass,in a show indicating that Moscow is pushing for a full scale revival of its military aviation industry.

“The new stealth fighter will provide the backbone not only of the Russian air force but also of the Indian air force,” Mikhail Pogosyan,president of the United Aircraft Corporation (UAC),the makers of the plane had declared after the show.

Pogosyan said that Russia’s cooperation with India on this key project will help to push the stealth fighter in the foreign market.

The new fighter is being jointly developed by India and Russia under the 2007 FGFA agreement signed by Defence Minister AK Antony during his Moscow visit.

Under the agreement,India will get up to 200 T-50 fighters,while the Russians are planning to order 150. The T-50 jets are being developed at an estimated cost of USD 10 billion of which India would invest USD 600 million.

But even taking into cost of escalation,Russian media said the new stealth fighters would be far economical than the US made F-22 Raptor and the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter.

Top Russian aircraft makers including Sukhoi and Mig have survived thanks to orders from India and China,but steady increase in government defence spending over the past few years have given new incentives to the nation’s aircraft industries.