A top-ranking Russian military officials says Russia is poised to roll out its new fighter, one that will compete with USAF’s F-22A Raptor. According to Russian news service Pravda, Vladimir Mikhailov, commander in chief of the Russian Air Force, recently said the demonstration prototype I-21 would be flying at year’s end. Sukhoi is building the fifth-generation I-21, one of two new fighters on the Russian scope. Its designers believe its avionics and engines are better than those in US aircraft, reports Pravda.
As Air Force leaders consider concepts of operations for Collaborative Combat Aircraft, sustainment in the field—and easing that support by using standard parts and limiting variants—should be a key consideration, according to a new study from AFA's Mitchell Institute of Aerospace Studies.