Army 2017: Flight tests of Su-57’s new engine to begin this year

The first flight of the Su-57’s second-stage engine is scheduled for Q4 2017 (Photo by Fyodor Borisov/Transport-Photo.com)

The second-stage engine for the Sukhoi Su-57 (earlier known as T-50) fifth generation fighter will begin flight tests in the fourth quarter of 2017, a United Engine Corportation (UEC) spokesperson told Show Observer. The engine for the Su-57, developed under the Prospective Airborne Complex of Frontline Aviation program (known by Russian acronym PAK FA), will be tested on board a flying lab.

The new engine, known as Item 30, has been designed from scratch, and, as the UEC emphasizes, its design has included certain solutions that have no equivalent in the Russian engine-building industry. The engine’s design specifications have not been disclosed.

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The Item 30 engine is being developed by the Lyulka Design Bureau. The powerplant was first started on the ground in November of last year and continues to show success in ground tests, according to the company. It was announced that nine prototypes are planned to be built.

The Su-57 itself is already in the stage of flight tests. The aircrafts prototypes are all fitted with first-stage AL-41F-1 engines, which are also currently in development. The UEC told Show Observer that the powerplant’s development work is nearing completion.

By Valentin Makov