Mikoyan LMFS

Mikoyan LMFS
Role Stealth light multirole fighter
Manufacturer Mikoyan
Status Under development
Primary user Russian Air Force

The Mikoyan LMFS (Russian: Микоян ЛМФС) Liogkiy Mnogofunktsionalniy Frontovoi Samolyet (LMFS)—or Light Multi-Function Frontal Aircraft,[1] is a proposed Russian stealth, single-engine multirole combat aircraft, loosely based on the cancelled Mikoyan Project 1.44. It is designed to replace the Mikoyan MiG-29.[2]

Background

After the Cold War, Russia started to develop a multirole combat aircraft as replacement for MiG-29, in light of the US Joint Strike Fighter program.

LFI

The LFI (Lyogkiy Frontovoy Istrebitel, Light Frontline Fighter) project was intended to develop a lightweight fighter with respectable air-to-ground capabilities. Yakovlev proposed the Yak-43, an upgraded Yak-41 with a stealthier design and more powerful engines. After neglecting the MFI competition, Sukhoi decided to submit a design for the LFI called the S-37 (unrelated to the heavyweight forward-swept wing fighter). This S-37 resembled the Gripen in that it had canard foreplanes, a delta wing and one engine. Mikoyan entered the MiG 4.12. MiG could not afford to develop both the MFI and LFI, so their LFI entry was eventually withdrawn.

LFS

The focus of the LFS (Lyogkiy Frontovoy Samolyot, Light Frontline Aircraft) project shifted to creating a strike fighter with significant surface attack capability, while retaining respectable air combat abilities. Work on the project began around 1994, although the program was officially initiated in 1999. Yakovlev's entry resembled the JSF entry from BAE, as the JSF program purchased information from the Yakovlev design bureau.[3][4] Initially, Sukhoi's entry was the S-52, a lightweight version of the S-32, retaining the Forward-swept wing and canards, but with only one thrust vectoring engine and boxed air intakes to the side. Sukhoi later proposed the S-55, a design based on their S-54 trainer aircraft. The S-55 bore a strong resemblance to the Su-27, although it only had one engine. Sukhoi later proposed the S-56, a stealthy fighter design with canards and one engine. Mikoyan proposed the I-2000, an aircraft with an unusually large LERX which gave it an ability to sustain controlled flight at a very high angle of attack. The LFS project was cancelled in 2001 in favor of the PAK FA program, although the I-2000 later influenced the design of the HESA Shafaq.

Design

Developed by the United Aircraft Corporation (OAK), this light fighter is believed to incorporate an engine based on the RD-33 engine, manufactured at the Klimov factory. The engine is supposed to be fifth generation, utilizing the latest advancements in turbine and combustion chamber technology, and receiving only minor changes to the fan blades.[5] Aircraft will have canard wings, internal weapons bays and an empty weight of roughly 33,000lbs and a maximum takeoff weight of 55,000lbs.[6][7]

See also

Related development

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era

Related lists

References

  1. ↑ http://nationalinterest.org/blog/the-buzz/russia-working-new-stealth-fighter-19434
  2. ↑ ЛМФС. Paralay.com. Retrieved on 2011-04-26.
  3. ↑ http://www.aeroflight.co.uk/types/russia/yakovlev/yak-41/yak-41.htm
  4. ↑ http://www.janes.com/defence/air_forces/news/jawa/jawa010103_1_n.shtml
  5. ↑ ПАК ФА Т-50 Archived 2016-03-08 at the Wayback Machine.. Paralay.com. Retrieved on 2011-04-26.
  6. ↑ http://nationalinterest.org/blog/the-buzz/russia-working-new-stealth-fighter-19434
  7. ↑ https://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/russia/lmfs.htm
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