The Fifth Generation Fighter Aircraft (FGFA) being jointly developed by India and Russia will look substantially different for the two countries. While the Russian version will be a single-pilot fighter, the Indian variant will have a twin-seat configuration based on its operational doctrine which calls for greater radius of combat operations. The program is initiated to develop a fifth generation fighter aircraft to fill a role similar to that of Lockheed Martin’s F-22 Raptor and the F-35 Lightning II, the world’s first fifth-generation fighter jets.
“The Indian FGFA is significantly different from the Russian aircraft because a second pilot means the addition of another dimension, development of wings and control surfaces,” said Ashok Baweja, chairman of the Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL), which is developing the aircraft along with Russia’s Sukhoi design bureau.
Speaking to media persons at the eighth Indo-Russian Inter-Governmental Commission on Military-Technical Cooperation (IRIGC), Baweja said that both sides had moved closer towards identifying the key areas of participation in the Fifth Generation Fighter Aircraft Programme (FGFA) for which both countries had signed a joint agreement in 2007. India would bring into play its expertise in composites, lightweight high-strength materials that significantly bring down the weight of an aeronautical platform.
The Russian aircraft is thus called because it is a successor to virtually every fourth and 4.5 generation fighter aircraft like the MiG-29 and Su-30 MKI in the inventories of both countries. It has been dubbed the ‘Raptorski’ for its similarity to the US F-22 Raptor that entered squadron service on December 2005
The first prototype of the Sukhoi Design Bureau’s PAK-FA ‘T-50′ fighter aircraft is set to fly in Russia next year. “We are in the process of defining what part of the contract to give to the Indian production agencies,” said Alexey Fedorov, president of the United Aircraft Corporation, the umbrella organization of Russian fixed-wing aircraft manufacturers. Fedorov said that the process of identifying the participation of Indian partners in the FGFA would be completed by the year-end or in the shortest possible time.
According to Baweja, it features stealth, or a drastic reduction in the aircraft’s radar cross-section or ‘signature’, and the ability to ‘super cruise’ or jet engines that fly stealthily without engaging noisy afterburners even at supersonic speeds, embedded weapons with the capability to engage multiple ground, sea and air targets and seamless communication between the fighter, other aircraft and ground stations. Baweja said that the first prototype of the FGFA was to fly next year with the AL-37FU engine. He said he would want an engine that had 15 to 20 per cent more growth than this engine in the final aircraft configuration. The FGFA is to enter squadron service by 2015 and will replace at least three classes of aircraft in the IAF
The joint-venture borrows heavily from the success of the Brahmos project but seems fated to repeat its story. By the 1990s, Russia, the world’s only operator of supersonic surface-to-surface missiles, had already perfected the Yakhont missile but lacked the funds to pursue its development. Indian stepped in with the finance in 1998 and the missile was re-launched as the Brahmos.
Designs for the PAK-FA have already been frozen by the Sukhoi design bureau, which means that Indian aircraft engineers have already missed out on the critical knowledge curve of aircraft design. Also, the unequal status of the Indian and Russian aviation industries means India will be the junior partner contributing very little except finance. “So if we have missed out on the design phase, we have to analyze the cost-benefits of acquiring only super cruise and stealth technology for $ 10 billion,” asks Air Vice Marshal Kak.
Decks were cleared for India to jointly develop and produce the fifth generation fighter aircraft with Russia, with New Delhi making the “final choice” on the matter and Moscow saying the work on signing contracts on the deal could begin soon. Observing that Russia had started developing the warplane about three years ago, visiting Deputy Premier and Defence Minister Sergei B Ivanov said “some time back, India showed interest in joining this project. It took them (India) some time to scrutinize the various options. “Now, India has informed us that a final choice has been made. We can (now) open up contractual work for Indian accession to the project,” Ivanov told reporters at a joint press conference with his Indian counterpart A K Antony, after signing four documents. Although interaction has begun on the joint development and production of fifth generation fighter jet, the actual signing of agreements could take some more time.The two sides inked an inter-governmental agreement and a general contract for licensed production of the AL-37FU engines.The fifth generation fighter is based on the Sukhoi fighter and is expected to take its maiden flight in 2012 and inducted by 2015.
The induction of the FGFA in the IAF will be a fitting reply to the overblown (and undeserving) ambitions of the Pakis and the Chinese (manifested in their attempts to scare India with roughshod flyinf machines like the JF-17 and J-10). Who knows, it may turn out to be a healthy deterrent to the world-dominating aspirations of the Raptor-wielding USAF. Needless to mention, it will bring about much needed stability in Asia (by thwarting the Chinese plans of tatooing their foreheads with the ‘superpower’ tag) and also teach the Chinese and the Pakis some ‘much-needed’ repect.
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india should speed up this programme.I wish best to our scientis and enginners.
This is gr8 news. I wish Indian scientists also succeed in designing the kaveri engine
This is great news. I know that India has been trying to take some funny planes off the ground since ages, and has never been able to do so. Again, they just lost contact with their Satellite so thats another great achievement. I would say, that Indian Tax Payers dont deserve this waste on money really, but defense budget is at mere descretion of generals and they gotta get rich by keeping people busy with such funny planes that will exist only on papers. Russians also need money
so Sukhoi or SU’s will continue to come in 
Don't worry dude, Present Failures are the sign of future success. So don't give lecture to indians , we know what we are doing.
Even if contact with satellite was lost it discovered the presence of water on moon.
Pakistani’s want to give us Indians a lecture because they can’t even assemble a bicycle. It’s OK , jealousy is just another human emotion.
actually we do make bicycles…and a lot more…anyways good progress for India
Dear pakistanis remember this ” In great attempts it is worthy even to fail”
why we put pakistan in between ?? for what reason ??
A failed state ….that too run by some brainless head’s …eating crumbs from US table …..but still they live with illussions …..fueling terrorissom worldwide…..
So folks lets compare India with other countries…
Don't get too excited lol that piece of crap is not a true stealth fighter and not even close to capabilities of the raptor
pak fa is a concept with various stages yet to b completed! 2 say american fighter technology is superior to russian is naive. america has profited on the hardships/financial impotence of russia for nearly a quarter of a century, however with changing economical climate russia is poised to not only close the "financial" gap on usa, but surpass them militarily. the f22 craptor is a fine piece of engineering, however uses concepts stolen from ussr during mid 70's. this plane was a knee jerk reaction to usa realising even russia's so called obsolete su27-35 variant of aircraft still out performed usa "cutting edge technology!! f14-18/f35 all universally agreed upon to b inferior to su 35 used by india!! australian air force projection by informed pilots states jsf /f18a both vastly inferior to su 35(lol) a russian 4th ++ gen aircraft. india recently performed a joint exercise with euro union, including england with neutral souces confirming the su 35 (with cutting edge technologies disarmed to appease russian usage contract ) outperformed the euro fighter typhoon hopelessly!! now dont kid yourselves ,the su 35 is not most advanced russian technology!! usa will not sell f22 to any country as this represents their maximum techno aircraft!! hence su 35 to india even the pak fa 50 as export plane will not represent russia's maximum aircraft technology!! so to all doubters about russian aviation techno i simply say get your head out of ur grannies sphincta!! personally i believe stealth is a useful aid , however it cannot be relied upon to be the primary platform for any aircraft!! just look at kosovo where f117 or b2 was shot down by obsolete ussr missile!! missile techno still outperforms all aircraft. a representative from sony erricson recently labelled stealth techno a white elephant stating mobile phone technology which bounces signals could detect any "stealth" plane!! so the question is not whether pak fa will out perform craptor (the pak fa should b more than just competitve) more so what will b russia's fifth gen fighter which it developes for its militaries sole use? now that would b one amazing fighter!!!!!
once again russia proves there cutting edge abilaties to almost copy or should i say crapy!!! that means shit ivan dummbasovich!!! what the u.s.a dose ten years late and halve assed as usual!!!!! by the time u 2 sorrey ass wanna bes get that pease of shit sortid out we will have mach 5 hyper manuverabal stealth drones !!!!!!! keep dreamin punks u.s. always has and always will!!!! dominate the world!!!!!!
It is very close to the capabilitie of a stealth fightes : those rdges those clean underpart with sharp and no rounded edges(looks very similar to the f 22) what are they for?
No plane is stealthy, its just that they produce a very small radr signature( of a sall bird). So if f22 produces the radr signature of a crow, fgfa’s would be slightly larger bird eagle.
so go home and get some sleep GUEST
2017 isn’t far away when pak fa will be inducted into the indian air force, and i dont think it will take 7 years to change the prototype into the real thing. and take in mind that F-INSAS is also on its way. with land and air dominance + the size of the entire indian military, india will be head 2 head with USA and russia. pakistan won’t be much of a threat,only china might…can’t wait 4 the day
If the FGFA is an Indian version of the Russian PAKFA , with us only contributing a few avionics and composites for the Indian version(FGFA), then why the hell do we call this INDIAN STEALTH FIGHTER?
Because it will be primarily used by Indian Airforce for the first time.
I dont believe that minor differences in technology of these super fighters(F35,Su35,FGFA,Pakfa) etc. will really make a difference in war winning.
The factor that will be more important will be the skills and will of the pilots who fly any of these planes. Look …even the Taliban ..who dont have any fighter and still,giving NATO a bloody nose. Think about determined Indian Soldiers with all this high tech weapons.. is there any doubt about
them able to destroy any enemy whether it be Paki or china or even US. I think Indians are doing the right thing…make a strong Military and then, talk to world. Pakistan is a failing state…pakistan is imploding…and USA is not foolish to keep feeding this parasitic nation…Pakistan will be breaking into pieces because of its internal problems and sinking economy. Indians need to think away from this failing nation.