Sukhoi T - 50 The Sukhoi T - 50 is a Russian fifth generation fighter developed by Sukhoi Aviation under the PAK FA project , designed to counter the F - 22 Raptor and its sister fighter the F - 35 Lightning II in the international market , the T - 50 isn ' t fully developed , but is planned to replace the MIG - 29 Fulcrum and the Su - 27 Flanker . Description . After the debut of the F - 117 Nighthawk and the YF - 22 Lightning II by the United States , the Soviet Union began work on what would be its own stealth aircraft . However , most of its military investment projects were abruptly ended after the Soviet Union ' s collapse . Part of the industrial structure and technique that was saved was in Russia , and was used to initiate an attempt to keep at least part of which had been adrift . One of the projects given priority was to develop a new aircraft for the Russian air force , trying to follow the path suggested by the Americans , developing large - capacity aircraft with stealth before the enemy radar . The first flight of the aircraft known as Sukhoi T - 50 , and that is the result of a program called PAK - FA ' Perspektivnyi Aviatsionnyi Kompleks Frontovoi Aviatsy ' or ' Study of aerial system for frontal aviation took place on January 29 , 2010 . Several hypotheses have been initially presented as ' concepts ' to the Russian authorities . The variety of artistic visions that went to press , was a mirror of the wide variety of options that presented themselves . Among the issues to be resolved by the Russian authorities , was the degradation of productive structures and industries related to defense . The production of a revolutionary aircraft , which had been studied for example in the form of Su - 47 Berkut was not only too expensive , and above all would take a huge development . Placed within this dilemma , the Russian authorities approved in 2006 a project design PAK - FA would become the final draft , from which the aircraft will be developed to the stage of production . Apparently , the base configuration of the PAK - FA , based on the Su - 27 Flanker , very changed . The option was the most logical view of the known difficulties in Russia . When you choose the configuration that was shown at the end of January 2010 the Russians have opted for an aircraft on Stealth , but that will not fail to mark the presence in the Russian market . The new engine used by the aircraft , is the 117S , a derivative of AL - 31 engine . This is an already traditional in Flanker aircraft type and is known to be extremely spender , because of the high performance aircraft . But an aircraft with less speed and enhanced for the ' concealment ' spend less and need less fuel . The exact power of the engines is also unknown . Most data points to a power 29000kgf . In any case it is certain that the plane will be capable of ' supercruise , that is the ability to fly faster than the speed of sound , without triggering the post - combustion systems , which greatly increase the consumption and make the plane very more " visible " . The maximum speed of an aircraft Stealth is not the most important factor . The Su - 27 has been ' refined ' so as to take advantage of the power of their engines , but the PAK / FA has to contend with other problems such as the aircraft configuration to reduce the radar signature . Both are difficult to reconcile . Typically , the aerodynamic enhancement leads to better performances , but the improvement to reduce the silhouette in the enemy radar is not the best in terms of aerodynamics . Preliminary data released by the Russian press , to indicate that the aircraft will have less autonomy maximum ( 5 . 500 km to 8 . 000 km against the Su - 27 ) also point towards a lower aerodynamic efficiency , greater effort of the engines . The value of 5 . 500 appears to be very conservative , especially considering that the aircraft must have a maximum . The reduction in the autonomy of the PAK - FA but should not be just the aerodynamics , but the need to carry weapons inside compartments that are blocked when the plane flies . The space that hold these magazines , will reduce the available space for additional fuel . Naval Version . Navalized Sukhoi T - 50 PAK FAs will be deployed on the Russian aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov and future Russian aircraft carriers . There will be a competition between the Sukhoi , Mikoyan and Yakovlev design bureaus to choose the new naval aircraft . Russian Air Force : Indian Air Force : Presumed to brought 200 T - 50 when the production starts South Korean Air Force : The T - 50 has been offered for the Phase 3 of the F - X South Korean experimental fighter program Specifications . Avionics . N050 ( ? ) BRLS AFAR / AESA built by Tikhomirov NIIP and based on Tikhomirov NIIP N035 Irbis - E . It will be the second aircraft based AESA Radar to be built by Russia , the first being the Phazotron NIIR ZHUK - A Radar in the MIG - 35 . Designed armament . Two Izdeliye 810 Extended beyond visual range missiles per weapons bay . Multiple Izdeliye 180 / K77M beyond visual range missiles . K74 and K30 within visual range missiles can also be carried . Two KH38M or KH58 USHK air - to - ground missiles per weapons bay . Multiple 250 – 500 kg precision guided bombs per weapons bay , with a maximum of ten bombs in internal bays Other possible loads include one 1500 kg bomb per weapons bay or two 400 km + range anti - AWACS weapons on external hard - points . A maximum weapons load of 7500 kg is reported .