One of the main features of the fifth generation aircraft is the technology “stealth” (from English. Stealth is stealth, furtively), ie. the ability to go unnoticed by the radar of enemy aircraft, as well as ground installations. At least that's what they say in the US., armed with two such fighters at once – Lockheed/Boeing F-22 Raptor и Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II. Also among the countries, to date, fifth-generation aircraft have been developed by Russia with the Su-57 undergoing testing and China with the Chengdu J-20.
Two other features of the fifth generation are called super-maneuverability and cruising supersonic., however, the Americans on their F-35 fighters abandoned super-maneuverability, replacing her “inconspicuously”, also on the F-35 there is no cruising supersonic, as it turned out, this is very harmful for an expensive coating. In the absence of these two important criteria, the Americans still call their fighter a new generation.. In its turn, F-22, being the most expensive fighter jet in the world, has supersonic without afterburner, powerful avionics equipment (avionics), low visibility, but inferior in maneuverability to many Russian fighters, even the fourth generation.
Rate of “stealth” looks like a mistake
note, that stealth technology is based on reducing visibility in the radar and infrared ranges, achieved through a special coating, specific shape and materials for the manufacture of the aircraft body.
A technology in itself “stealth” overpriced. AT 2019 year, the US Government Accountability Office released a report, which spoke of a significant excess in the cost of repairing F-35 fighters due to peeling of an expensive coating. The same problem was identified with the F-22 fighter..
Another problem, other than cover, It is, that the fighters, built on stealth technology, designed to solve a very narrow range of tasks, ie. their use is possible only in a very narrow combat range. Such a fighter can carry weapons only in the internal compartments, since placing it on an external sling immediately removes it from the category “nevidimok”. Fighter speed limited (delamination of the coating on supersonic) and must use his radar with care, since its radiation is easily detected by the radars of enemy aircraft or ground-based air defense systems. Serious changes in the design of the aircraft can no longer be made, that would also break his disguise.
On the other hand, the rapid development of air defense systems, and in particular radar, It led to, that the so-called “stealth fighters” perfectly clear, no matter what the US military says. This is especially true for the F-35, which, according to the effective scattering area (EPR) much worse than F-22. The American fighter is perfectly seen by the radars of the S-400 air defense system, and, accordingly, the promising S-500.
The same can be said about the airborne radars of Russian aircraft.. For example, in 2018 Su-30MKI fighters with H011 radar “Leopard” phased array, in service with the Indian Air Force, discovered the so-called stealth Chehgdu J-20 Chinese Air Force. In the same 2018 Russian Su-35S fighter photographed an American F-22 caught in the sight in the sky of Syria. Then the American media said, what “Raptor” invisible in infrared “only at a considerable distance”, and you can see it up close.
Evidence of the advantages of the Russian S-400 over the American Patriot and THAAD
What is the result?
The question arises, is it really necessary to invest huge funds in the development of a fighter, called “invisible”, but perfectly visible, though, that its combat range is limited precisely by this stealth. Or is it better to invest in the fighters of the previous, fourth generation, with powerful weapons, supermaneuverability, supersonic, even elements of stealth, but not being “stealth aircraft”. The use of modern electronic warfare systems with radar suppression on such fighters makes these machines just as invisible, like fifth generation fighters, without losing other qualities.
As for the Russian fifth-generation fighter Su-57, created using technology “stealth”, then it will fully comply with the new generation after receiving the engines of the second stage, allowing it to develop besforsazhny supersonic speed. At the same time, the fighter already has excellent maneuverability both in vertical, and in the horizontal plane at all speeds. The aircraft has a spacious weapons bay, allowing you to carry much more “heavy” weapon, than the F-35.
However, we will be able to fully judge the Su-57 only after it enters service and all the characteristics of the aircraft are published..
Vladimir Lytkin
