Russia set to develop stealth bomber

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APR 9, 2000 Cash-strapped Russia set to develop stealth bomber

The Putin government appears determined to modernise the Russian air force and acquire expensive arms in a bid to match the US

WASHINGTON -- Russia is pursuing the design and possible development of a "stealth" bomber that would be larger than the radar-avoiding US F-117 fighter, in a sign that cash-strapped Moscow is prepared to push ahead with acquisition of expensive arms.

In an article to be published tomorrow, Aviation Week & Space Technology magazine said work was under way at Sukhoi Aircraft in Russia.

"The future of the Russian stealth bomber programme will be a significant indicator of the course that new President Vladimir Putin intends to follow on air force modernisation and issues about the country's ability to wage modern warfare beyond its borders," it said.

It called the programme significant because Russia was pursuing not only the new SS-27 Topol ballistic missile, but also design and possibly prototype work on a new bomber to give Moscow more parity with Washington in strike aircraft capability.

The stealth aircraft, designated the T-60S and sometimes called the S-60, most likely uses a variable geometry wing but with substantial stealth design characteristics embodied in the overall aircraft shape.

The Russians have also examined flying-wing stealth bomber concepts for an aircraft that would be smaller than the B-2 strategic bomber.

The United States has used its two radar-avoiding stealth jets, built with odd shapes and materials that absorb rather than reflect radar signals, with great effectiveness.

The US Air Force smashed targets in Baghdad with the single-seat F-117 during the 1991 Gulf War and bombed Serbia with both the B-2 and F-117 during last spring's NATO air campaign.

Sukhoi's work on the S-37 forward-swept wing fighter research aircraft is giving the company major new experience in the development of computer system and fly-by-wire software necessary to control inherently unstable stealth-type aircraft designs.

Sukhoi's new general director, Mikhail Pogosyan, told the magazine in Moscow recently that for many years he had headed the S-37 development team.

He declined to comment on any work under way on T-60S-type aircraft.

But as recently as a month ago, a senior Russian air force general made statements that a new bomber is "a high priority and... research is under way". -- Reuters

http://straitstimes.asia1.com/world/wrld9_0409.html

-- Martin Thompson (mthom1927@aol.com), April 09, 2000

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