We arrived at the hangar that the Su-29 shares with the Guards Yak-52. Earlier you could see him on Severka. Cold hangar.
And here is Suchok. In 1990, the Sukhoi Design Bureau began work on the creation of a two-seat training and sports aircraft Su-29, which is a further development of the Su-26M. The Su-29 two-seat aerobatic aircraft is designed for education, training and participation of pilots in aerobatics competitions and demonstration performances at air shows, as well as for maintaining flying skills by military and civil aviation pilots.
In 1991, the construction of two aircraft prototypes intended for flight tests, as well as two for statistical tests, began.
At the end of 1991, the first experimental Su-29 took to the air, and in May 1992 the first serial aircraft flew. Serial production began in the spring of 1992 at the Lukhovitsky aircraft plant.
In 1994, an experimental Su-29KS was created, equipped with SKS-94 ejection seats, developed by the Zvezda association. The serial modification of the TCB with ejection seats received the designation Su-29M.
Su-29 plate, serial number 7506 and year of manufacture 1994. We don’t have an ejection seat, so just Su-29.
To date, more than 60 Su-29 aircraft have been produced. They are operated not only in Russia, but also in Australia, Great Britain, the USA, South Africa and other countries. More precisely, there are much fewer of them in Russia than in the rest of the world.
Evgeny Vyacheslavovich is mastering the cockpit.
In 1997, the Argentine Air Force decided to purchase seven Su-29 aircraft, which are supposed to be used to improve pilot training. Argentinean TCBs are fitted with a West German propeller, a Swedish-made cockpit canopy, and American landing gear wheels and avionics (including a GPS satellite navigation system receiver). In 1999, the delivery of Su-29 aircraft to Argentina was completed.
The aircraft was created on the basis of the Su-26M and borrowed many design and technological solutions from its predecessor. At the same time, Roman Nikolaevich told me that there are almost no interchangeable spare parts between 26 and 29. The design of the fuselage here is completely different: the farm is only where the pilots are, and the tail section is like a monocoque, unlike the entire Su-26?
At the same time, thanks to the widespread introduction of composite materials, the share of which in the Su-29 aircraft exceeded 60%, the weight of an empty aircraft increased by only 50 kg. When flying with one pilot, the aircraft is not inferior in its characteristics to the Su-26M.
External differences consist in a slight increase in the wing span and length of the aircraft. Several improved aerodynamics. Decreased static stability to increase maneuverability.
Guards Yak-52 from the other side
The Su-29 also came here from the USA, where it had the number N229SU, but how many of them are still in Russia or are they all over the hill?
External power and air
front cabin
general view of the front cabin. Very comfortable chair, you are reclining, very spacious and good view
a simple dashboard, as always without a horizon
flying only 760 hours?
pedal assembly with belts. Very comfortably
tank switching. Fuel is placed in the fuselage and two wing tanks with a total capacity of 276 liters. Basically something around 60 liters. Wing tanks are for haul only.
Photo 176.
Everything is done thoroughly. And why don't we make such planes now?
Rear, main cockpit. Flights with one pilot are operated from the 2nd (rear) cockpit.
view from rear cockpit
here the set of instruments is richer, but also mainly engine control instruments, from flight navigation only speed and altitude.
but at the same time, the cabin is an order of magnitude more spacious and more comfortable than the Yak-52, well, it seemed to me so ...
company logo
surprisingly, but here I quite get to the pedals
syringe, wedged in the cold
Photo 185.
everything is very functional
Photo 189.
no pillow anywhere
Cuba fills the main tank with 100th gasoline
The power plant consists of an M-14P piston star-shaped air-cooled engine with a three-bladed propeller.
The wingspan is a little more than 8 meters, for example, the Husky has almost 11 meters
what hollows for the head
Photo 198.
general view of the rear cabin
Oil tank capacity - 20 l.
In such a cold it is very difficult to be extremely neat, but the guys try to keep clean.
Photo 202.
And Roman Nikolaevich creates, ties are a very useful thing
Photo 204.
Photo 205.
Tail wheel. It already looks like imported and tubeless molded rubber. Ours are usually larger and can be inflated.
Photo 207.
And the main stand is just a work of art
Photo 209.
Photo 210.
Why are there windows on the side of the fuselage?
Well, a general view of the aircraft
Photo 213.
Photo 214.
The frame that shows the angle relative to the horizon for aerobatics has been removed for now
Modifications
Su-29 - basic.
Su-29KS - experimental Su-29 with SKS-94 ejection seat (1994).
Su-29M - serial Su-29 with SKS-94 ejection seat.
Su-29AR - modification for the Argentine Air Force.
Su-29T (Su-31) is a single-seat aerobatic aircraft.
The price of the aircraft was 190 thousand US dollars then, now they are sold for more than 200 thousand ye in the United States
the other side is closed
and the engine keeps warming up
By the beginning of 2003, 153 Su-26, Su-29, Su-31 sports aircraft were produced, of which 128 aircraft were delivered to foreign customers. Offers for the sale of such aircraft, I mean Su-29 and Su -31 not so much.
everything is ready, we collect
Flight performance
M-14P engine
Takeoff power, hp 360
Dimensions, m:
wingspan 8.2
length 7.29
height 2.89
Wing area, m2 12.2
Weight, kg
empty 735
takeoff with 1 crew member 860
takeoff with 2 crew members 1204
Fuel reserve, kg 207
Speed, km/h
maximum 325
maximum dive 450
stall 115
Maximum allowable overloads:
positive 12
negative 10
Ferry flight range, km 1200
Practical ceiling, m 4000
Crew, pers. 2
Competition has always been a great stimulus for technological progress. This state of affairs also took place in the former Soviet Union. This fact is confirmed by the numerous systems being developed at that time for the defense of the country, leading the competition for the right to be called the best.
Left - Su-27, right - MiG-29
One of the most obvious examples is the creation of excellent air interceptors that replenished military weapons at about the same time - in the early 80s of the last century. In particular, we are talking about Su-27 and MiG-29 aircraft. If we analyze photographs of military equipment, the models look very similar. However, in fact, this judgment is incorrect, because the considered models belong to different classes and have a lot of differences. First of all, it is worth noting that the Su-27 is a heavy interceptor, and the MiG-29 is a light air force.
Technical indicators
Let's try to analyze more carefully how the Su-27 differs from the MiG-29, taking into account the opinion of experts. The decision to divide military aircraft into heavy and light ones was considered as early as the beginning of the 60s. According to experts, light interceptors would be able to carry out maneuverable air battles, called “carousels” by pilots. It is much easier for such models to carry out maneuverable combat due to the increased wing area and the small mass of the ship itself.
Heavy aircraft, as conceived by the designers, should successfully fight against bombers and destroy missiles launched by the enemy from a long distance. To fulfill the main purpose, such military equipment was needed, which had excellent speed, long-range powerful weapons, well-equipped radar. It was these characteristics that were inherent in heavy interceptors, so they could easily capture an enemy target and strike at the enemy from a long distance.
After analyzing the comparison of the characteristics of military vessels, it is easy to understand that much more money is required to assemble heavy intercepts. Probably, it is precisely for this reason that there are much fewer units of such military equipment in the fleet. And besides, this state of affairs can be explained as follows:
- large military aircraft are not always needed to perform complex combat missions;
- air transport, which is more expensive to develop and maintain, is more difficult to maintain;
- many countries of the world acquire military-air equipment for status reasons, and not for protection against an actual nuclear threat.
Summing up the preliminary results, we can come to the following conclusion: the MiG-29 against the Su-27 loses in terms of size and level of equipment, but it is ahead of its "brother" in maneuverability and demand.
Main differences
Even after the military vessels in question were divided into 2 categories, a clear difference was not noted by the designers. Analysts of our time are also concerned about this issue, because after comparing the MiG-29 and Su-27, it is still not entirely clear why specialists needed to create two very similar models of fighters.
Moreover, after some research, analysts came to the conclusion that light and maneuverable vehicles are not much cheaper to assemble than the heavy Su-27. However, experts still noted the main difference between these aircraft:
The light model was supposed to penetrate enemy territory for about 120–130 km in the event of hostilities. At the same time, ground posts will be able to control the aircraft.
Such characteristics were supposed to help save on the control composition, simplify the design of equipment, and reduce the cost of assembling the structure.
The technical equipment of light military transport was as follows:
- heat-seeking missiles R-60, later replaced by R-73;
- The radar had a detection range to detect R-27 missiles;
- an expensive communication and electronic warfare system was not provided for in the aircraft.
The main task of the Su-27 was reconnaissance of enemy territory, analysis and attack on its own. Heavy transport was supposed to penetrate enemy territory, intercept the target, and provide support to their bombers.
Since the ground services did not control the equipment, the fighter needed more powerful equipment:
- airborne radar, exceeding the range of vision of the MiG-29 twice;
- twice the flight range;
- the main armament of the R-27, as well as R-73 missiles for close combat.
Options
It is quite difficult to say exactly which model is considered the best, light or heavy. However, it is quite realistic to analyze the comparison of the MiG-29 and Su-27, based on flight performance.
MiG-29 parameters:
- average speed - 2550 km / h;
- rate of climb - 330 m / s;
- combat radius - 2100 km;
- weight of the loaded aircraft - 15240 kg;
- overall length parameter - 17.3 m;
- wing span length - 11.3 m;
- height - 4.7 m;
- total wing area - 38 sq. m.
Su-27 parameters:
- average speed - 2500 km / h;
- rate of climb - 300 m / s;
- combat radius of action - 3.9 km;
- equipped transport weight - 23,000 kg;
- length - 22 m;
- height - 5.9m;
- wing span length - 14.7 m;
- total wing area - 62 sq. m.
It is almost impossible to find differences in the design of the cockpit. Design engineers, despite the fact that fierce competition was visible during the assembly of the first models, nevertheless managed to achieve a mutual decision on this issue. And it was this moment that had a positive effect on the export interest in relation to two aircraft.
A comparison of characteristics proves that the Su-27 wins in terms of size, speed, combat range, but light transport is ahead of its counterpart in rate of climb and maneuverability. It is worth noting that when assembling both models, a two-dimensional scheme was used, which was noted as reliable and durable.
Today, it is not so important to determine how the Su-27 differs from the MiG-29, since they are being replaced by more advanced military aircraft. For example, the light fighter has successfully replaced the MiG-33, equipped not only with an improved platform, but also with modern aerodynamics and a large fuel tank. It is also worth noting another model, more advanced and modified - the MiG-35. The Su-27 was replaced by modern fighters - the Su-35 and Su-34, equipped with all the necessary devices that military equipment may need.
In contact with
The Su-29 model sports aircraft was developed at the Sukhoi Design Bureau based on the previous Su-26 sports aircraft model. The most significant difference between these machines is that the new machine had a double cockpit.
The history of the creation of the Su-29 aircraft
Many years of experience of designers has shown that many hours of pilot training are the basis for success in sports competitions. It was for these reasons that in 1991 the designers of the Sukhoi Design Bureau began to create a new project that was supposed to provide training for sports pilots. Due to the fact that the new car was designed in a two-seater version, this could reduce the pilot training time and training costs. In addition to athletes, military pilots also polished their skills on this machine.
The Su-29 aircraft was ready a year after the start of design. Such rapid production can be explained by the fact that most of the systems and units were borrowed from the previous version of the Su-26 sports aircraft. The main differences are noticeable in the layout of the fuselage, since another cockpit has been added. The wingspan and hull length were also increased by 40 centimeters. Compared to the Su-26, the new Su-29 has become only 60 kilograms heavier, this was achieved through the use of a large amount of composite materials. Composite materials make up 60% of the entire structure of the apparatus. All this made it possible to have almost the same flight characteristics as a single-seat machine.
Even before the plane took off, it was demonstrated at the World Air Show in Paris. The aircraft made its first flight at the end of the summer of 1991 at the Zhukovsky airfield. As for factory flight tests, they were worked out simultaneously on three similar devices of this series. Factory tests were completed by the end of 91 and were marked by very positive results. The car received its first sports experience in 92 at the World Olympiad in France, where it was noted by experts as a very good and promising model. Almost immediately after these competitions, the manufacturer received an order from the United States for the supply of 12 Su-29 aircraft. In total, about 50 machines of this class were delivered to other countries of the world.
The Su-29 aircraft received a quality certificate of the IAC type in July 1994, and a year later it was allowed to operate as a training one. In 1996, this machine was tested by experienced pilots of the Russian Air Force. The results of the tests were confirmation that the Su-29 aircraft can perform such complex maneuvers as spins of varying complexity. But the most important quality characteristic was that the pilots felt comfortable on this machine and had the opportunity to control every moment of the flight. The aircraft received all these characteristics due to the painstaking and thoughtful work of the designers of the Sukhoi Bureau.
The machine can be controlled by one pilot, while the machine corresponds to the flight characteristics of the Su-26. When creating an aircraft of the Su-29 type, the design of a single-seat machine was carried out in parallel, which received the designation Su-29T, and after a while the new device was renamed the Su-31.
Design features of the Su-29
The Su-29 type aircraft has a power plant, which is represented by one nine-cylinder propeller engine producing 360 horsepower. The M-14P type engine drives a three-bladed propeller of the MTV-3 model, which is custom-made in Germany. This sports car has a fairly low weight - only 735 kilograms when empty, and the maximum weight that the aircraft can lift into the air is 1205 kilograms.
The Su-29 aircraft can fly at speeds of more than 400 km/h; the speed of the aircraft during flight and landing is only 120 km/h. The aircraft can be effectively operated at altitudes up to 4 kilometers. A special feature during takeoff is that the aircraft requires a runway of 250 meters.
As for on-board equipment, it can be quite different depending on the wishes of the customer. For example, an aircraft can be equipped with foreign-made navigation systems. In addition, a GPS system can be installed on this machine.
The aircraft was manufactured at the Dubinsky Aviation Plant, which had rather large orders from around the world. Modifications were also made that differed in the type of ejection seats. One of the modifications was developed specifically for the Argentine Air Force.
Su-29 characteristics:
| Modification | |
| Wingspan, m | 8.20 |
| Aircraft length, m | 7.29 |
| Aircraft height, m | 2.89 |
| Wing area, m2 | 12.20 |
| Weight, kg | |
| empty plane | 735 |
| normal takeoff | 860 |
| maximum takeoff | 1204 |
| Internal fuel, kg | 207 |
| engine's type | 1 PD M-14PT |
| Power, hp | 1 x 355 |
| Maximum speed, km/h | |
| dives, km/h | 450 |
| level flight | 385 |
| Practical range, km | 1200 |
| Practical ceiling, m | 4000 |
| Max. operational overload | 12 |
| Crew, people | 1-2 |
LFI program
Appearance of the Su-29:
The creation of fourth-generation fighters began in the Soviet Union in response to the emergence of information about a similar program launched in the United States in 1966. The American program FX (Fighter Experimental) provided for the creation of a successor to the F-4C Fantom II tactical fighter. For several years, the concept of the fighter was revised and refined, and in 1969 McDonnell-Douglas began designing a new fighter, which received the F-15 index. According to the results of the competition, the F-15 project was declared the winner, beating the projects of North American, Lockheed and Republic. In December 1969, the company was awarded a contract for the construction of prototype aircraft, and on July 27, 1972, the YF-15 prototype made its first flight. After the successful completion of the tests, the production of the first production F-15A Eagle machines began, which entered service with the US Air Force in 1974.
Fighters of the FX program.
The FX program was also closely followed in the USSR. Information seeping into the periodical press, as well as coming through intelligence channels, made it possible to create a fairly accurate idea of \u200b\u200bthe scheme, characteristics and capabilities of a potential competitor. Not surprisingly, the original assignment for the design of the 4th generation fighter included the development of an aircraft similar in characteristics to the F-15. This "Perspective Frontline Fighter" (PFI) program was issued by the Ministry of Aviation Industry to the three main Soviet design bureaus dealing with fighters - P.O. Sukhoi, A.I. Mikoyan and A.S. Yakovlev - in 1970. Almost immediately, when discussing the program, representatives of the Mikoyan Design Bureau put forward a proposal to create a light fighter in addition to the heavy fighter. According to the speakers, the USSR Air Force fighter aircraft fleet was to consist of 1/3 of heavy fighters and 2/3 of light ones. A similar concept was also being worked out in the United States at the same time, when, in addition to the F-15 heavy fighter, the development of the F-16 and F-17 light fighters continued. The proposal was received very ambiguously, nevertheless it was accepted. The PFI program was divided into programs for the creation of a "heavy front-line fighter" (TFI) and a "light front-line fighter" (LFI).
All three design bureaus began developing aircraft under both programs. They received the designations: Su-27, MiG-33 and Yak-47 (TFI program) and Su-29, MiG-29 and Yak-45I (LFI program).
In 1971, the first tactical and technical requirements (TTT) of the Air Force for the promising LFI light front-line fighter were formed. By this time, the details of the ADF (Advanced Day Fighter) program, which started in the USA in the late 60s, became known in the USSR. The requirements of this program were taken as the basis for the development of the TTT, while it was envisaged that the Soviet fighter should exceed the American counterpart in a number of parameters by 10%. In accordance with the TTT, a light, cheap fighter was required, with high maneuverability and thrust-to-weight ratio. The main characteristics that, according to the Air Force, the new fighters should have had were:
- maximum flight speed at an altitude of more than 11 km - 2500 ... 2700 km / h;
- maximum flight speed near the ground - 1400 ... 1500 km / h;
- maximum rate of climb near the ground - 300 ... 350 m / s;
- practical ceiling - 21 ... 22 km;
- flight range without PTB near the ground - 800 km;
- flight range without PTB at high altitude - 2000 km;
- maximum operational overload - 8 ... 9;
- acceleration time from 600 km / h to 1100 km / h - 12 ... 14 s;
- acceleration time from 1100 km / h to 1300 km / h - 6 ... 7 s;
- starting thrust-to-weight ratio - 1.1 ... 1.2;
- armament: a gun with a caliber of 23-30 mm, 2 medium-range missiles, 2-4 short-range missiles.
The following were determined as the main combat missions of the LFI:
- destruction of enemy fighters in close air combat using guided missiles and cannons;
- interception of air targets at long range when guided from the ground or autonomously with the help of a radar sighting system and conducting air combat at medium distances using guided missiles;
- covering troops and industrial infrastructure from air attacks;
- counteraction to enemy air reconnaissance means;
- conducting aerial reconnaissance.
It was proposed to include in the armament of the new fighter the K-25 medium-range missiles, which were created at that time at the Vympel MZ according to the American AIM-7E Sparrow scheme, or similar Soviet K-23s used on 3rd generation fighters, as well as K-60 close air combat missiles and a promising double-barreled 30 mm cannon.
The preliminary design of the Su-29 aircraft, which generally met the Air Force TTT for the LFI, was developed at the Design Bureau of P.O. set at 2/3 of the wingspan with a significant camber angle. The engine air intake was located under the fuselage.
The normal takeoff weight of the aircraft was estimated at 10,000 kg. In accordance with the given starting thrust-to-weight ratio, the thrust of the engines was to be 11000-12000 kgf. In the early 70s. AL-31F, D-30F-9 and R59F-300 of the developed bypass turbojet engines had similar thrust. The thrust-to-weight ratio with the AL-31F engine was considered insufficient, although the concept of using one type of engine in both heavy and light fighters was tempting. D-30F-9, although it had more thrust, was heavier and did not fit well into the hull design. As a result, the R59F-300 engine was chosen for installation on the Su-29, which at that time was being developed at the Soyuz MMZ under the guidance of General Designer S.K. Tumansky.
The armament of the fighter included two K-25 medium-range missiles and two K-60 melee missiles. Ammunition built-in double-barreled gun AO-17A caliber 30 mm was 250 rounds.
In October 1972, a meeting of the Joint Scientific and Technical Council (STC) of the Ministry of Aviation Industry (MAP) and the Air Force was held, which reviewed the state of work on advanced fighters under the LFI program. Representatives of all three design bureaus made presentations. On behalf of the Mikoyan Design Bureau, G.E. Lozino-Lozinsky reported, presenting to the commission the project of the MiG-29 fighter (still in the classical layout version, with a high-lying trapezoidal wing, side air intakes and a single-fin tail unit). O.S. Samoylovich from the Sukhoi Design Bureau presented the preliminary design of the Su-29 to the NTS. General Designer A.S. Yakovlev spoke on behalf of the Yakovlev Design Bureau with a project for the Yak-45I light fighter (based on the Yak-45 light attack aircraft). Yakovlev's project was a development of the Yak-33 supersonic interceptor with a variable sweep wing and engine nacelles with frontal air intakes installed at the fracture site of its leading edge.
Light fighters submitted to the competition of advanced projects under the LFI program in 1972
The main characteristics of fighters:
Three months later, the second meeting of the STC took place. The composition of the participants has not changed, however, the Mikoyan Design Bureau presented a fundamentally new project of the MiG-29 fighter, now made according to an integrated circuit and having a smaller dimension (normal takeoff weight 12,800 kg). Following the results of two meetings of the NTS, the Yakovlev Design Bureau dropped out of the competition due to the need to refine the aerodynamic scheme to ensure the safety of the fighter's flight if one of the engines installed on the wing failed, while the other two participants had to finalize their projects and clarify the design characteristics.
By the time of the third meeting of the NTS under the LFI program in April 1973, the competition for a heavy front-line fighter ended in the victory of the Su-27 project. This fact largely influenced the result of the second competition. The Ministry of Aviation Industry considered that it was wrong to concentrate the development of both promising fighters in one design bureau, which was also overloaded with other equally important projects, and gave the victory to the MiG-29 project. Officially, the reason for the abandonment of the Su-29 was problems with the suction of stones and debris from the runway at the time of takeoff (on the MiG-29 this problem was solved by using separate air channels), the worst avionics, problems with fine-tuning the R59F-300 engines, and also the fact that normal takeoff weight in the process of refining the characteristics grew to 10800 kg. Despite this, the Su-29 also had advantages: its cost was 20% less than its competitor, and its maneuverability and rate of climb were higher.
In any case, the Su-29 project was closed, and the main forces of the Sukhoi Design Bureau were directed to the development of the Su-27. Developments on a light single-engine fighter with a PGO were used to create the S-37 project in the late eighties.
The main characteristics of the Su-29:
Full length - 13.66 m
Wingspan - 7.04 m
Wing area -17.5 m2
Power plant - 1 x turbofan R59F-300
Takeoff engine thrust:
- afterburner - 12500 kgf
- maximum - 8100 kgfs
Takeoff weight:
- normal - 10800 kg
- reloading - 12100 kg
Empty weight - 6850 kg
Combat load weight - 750 kg
Fuel weight - 3000 kg
Thrust-to-weight ratio - 1.16
Max Speed:
- near the ground - 1500 km / h
- at an altitude - 2550 km / h
Practical ceiling - 22000 m
Climb time 18000 m - 2.5 min
Practical range without PTB:
- near the ground - 800 km
- at an altitude of 2000 km
Maximum operational overload - 9
Takeoff run - 350 m
Run length - 500 m
Armament - 30mm AO-17A cannon (200 rounds of ammunition), 2 K-25 missiles, 2 K-60 missiles
What made the Soviet Su-27 and MiG-29 fighters the most dangerous?
MiG-29 kyiveuromarathon
When the Su-27 and MiG-29 appeared on the world stage in the 1980s, they represented a dramatic generational leap from early Soviet fighters. Another such leap was rockets, which form the basis of their weapons.
Indeed, the R-73 short-range air-to-air missile and the R-27 medium-range missile, which were first installed on these aircraft, are still in service to this day. At the same time, the R-27 design has proven to be particularly successful and suitable for constant modernization. What is the secret of her longevity?
In 1974, the Central Committee of the CPSU decided to start developing the fourth generation of fighters - the MiG-29 and Su-27. As a consequence of this decision, Vympel Design Bureau began to develop the R-27 rocket (whose prototype was designated K-27).
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According to the original plan, two versions of the R-27 were supposed - a "light" K-27A for the MiG-29 with a shorter range and a "heavy" K-27B with an extended range for the Su-27. As a result, a modular propulsion system was developed for the rocket.
In keeping with the Soviet trend of simultaneous development of missiles with radar and infrared location, a modular guidance system was developed for the R-27. This will come in handy later, when a number of variants of the R-27 with different homing systems appear.
Another interesting design decision was the butterfly-shaped control surfaces located in the center of the rocket. At first, they caused a number of complaints: some designers defended the scheme previously installed on the R-23, where the control surfaces were located in the tail of the rocket. This solution reduced air resistance at low angles of attack and was considered aerodynamically more advanced. However, since the priority was the modular design of the rocket, this decision was rejected, since the tail location of the control surfaces would compromise the very modularity of the power plant.
Su-27 kyiveuromarathon
It is also interesting that the developers feared that even taking into account the progress of Soviet technology, the radars of the R-27 and its carrier aircraft would be inferior in power and sensitivity to their Western counterparts. To prevent lag, Soviet designers improved the missile's ability to lock onto a target after launch.
The earlier R-23 missile had an inertial target acquisition system, in which the missile was aimed at the target after launch and could fly without blocking for some time, while its course was provided by the inertial navigation system. On the R-27, a significant improvement was achieved due to the ability of the carrier aircraft to correct the missile's course using a radio transmitter.
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During tests conducted in the late 1970s, K-27s were fired from MiG-23 fighters. The purpose was only to check the telemetry, and the launches were not made on purpose. A thermal imaging missile was also tested - it was fired at parachute targets. A working version of the K-27 with an infrared homing head was also released from the MiG-29 prototype in 1980 - despite the fact that the carrier aircraft at that time still lacked a radar.
State testing continued in the 1980s and ended in 1984. The K-27 missile was finally put into service in 1987 in two versions, under the names R-27R and R-27T. "R" denoted the variant with a semi-active radar homing head, and "T" - the variant with a passive infrared CGS.
At the same time, the "heavy" version of the missile, K-27B, originally intended for the Su-27, changed its designation to K-27E. The letter "E" meant a higher power output (and, therefore, an increased range). The development cycle proved to be longer than that of its lighter counterpart due to a radical overhaul of the Su-27's radar system in hopes of making it more competitive. Complicating the development and unforeseen problems associated with increasing the range.
The tests were finally completed in 1990, and the rocket was put into service under the names R-27ER and R-27ET - and its creators in 1991 were awarded a state prize.
R-27ET Aviaru.rf
During the long development cycle of the R-27, the designers realized that the semi-active radar homing system (when the missile is guided to the target by a radar signal from the carrier aircraft) could become obsolete. Therefore, studies were carried out to create an active homing system. The homing heads of this type of missiles are equipped with their own radar, which allows it to independently irradiate the target without relying on the carrier aircraft.
This version was named R-27EA. It was developed in 1983, but the difficulties encountered in creating a compact radar in a homing head led to a delay. The final fate of the project is unknown, but most sources agree that development finally stopped around 1989 - when the design bureau switched to the R-77 missile. However, the work could well continue even after this moment, already as a private initiative.
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In general, the main advantage of the R-27 series over competitors is the increased range of the ER version, reaching 130 kilometers. This is far superior to any of the modifications of the AIM-7 Sparrow, its closest NATO counterpart. The main problem of the R-27 is the protracted development cycle, which allowed American missiles to surpass it.
One example of such a delay is the R-27 intermediate course correction system. Although this feature was originally developed back in the 1970s, the rocket did not enter service until 1987. By this time, American engineers had gradually made adjustments to the design of the AIM-7 rocket, including a similar course correction system. The AIM-7P Block II missile entered service in the same 1987.
The decision to stop further development of the rocket was probably facilitated by the compromise nature of the control surfaces. The R-77, the next-generation active-homing missile designed for the Soviet Air Force, was equipped with lattice stabilizers for better maneuverability. Since it was still not destined to achieve the aerodynamic characteristics of its descendant R-27, the addition of an active homing system was considered a waste of time and money.
R-77 Wikipedia
In many ways, the R-27ER can be considered the swan song of the semi-automatic homing system. At the development stage, it became one of the most advanced missiles of its type due to its increased range and the possibility of intermediate course correction, but by the time it was accepted into service, the semi-automatic guidance itself began to become obsolete. The US launched its first self-guided missile, the AIM-120 AMRAAM, in 1991, just a year after the R-27ER.
Apparently, the Russian Air Force continues to use these missiles because their range exceeds the weakest possible adversaries, who are unlikely to have automatic homing missiles at their disposal. However, as has become clear in Syria, when a threat arises from an equal or almost equal enemy, the R-27 is abandoned in favor of the R-77.
Charlie Gao
The editors may not agree with the opinion of the author.
