Just a guess here, but it looks to me like more of an airframe/avionics test. Stealth capabilities are probably still an unknown to outside observers. Unless they are making radar-reflecting materials in bright yellow now.
True. As for the the yellow coating: the primary radar 'absorbing' coating is very expensive to make and process, so many of the structures will not be painted with it until final mission capability checks. The primer-like coatings you see will aid with radar mapping and structural integrity checks.
I flew acceptance flights for T-37 aircraft coming out of major refit (take the entire plane apart, check every piece, put it back together) and we used the exact same primers. You'll typically see that high structural stress points like wing roots, canopy seal, and the like are left with the primer. This makes inspection after much more simple.
Hey seven, I just ran into this cool story about air tankers and thought I'd link it here. http://tailhookdaily.typepad.com/tailhook_daily_briefing/2008/08/another-oldie-b.html In a nutshell, problem when refueling from an air tanker. Good story with pics. Happy end.
I had to double check your assumption and it was confirmed: I have no idea what he's talking about but I'm sure you do.
SU-50 F-22 YF-23 i would say its a mixture of design but notice the engine shape and spacing as well as wing shape. when you really take a close look at each, it doesn't really have as much like the YF-23 other than that the engines are more separated than the F-22
I can see the engine exhaust cowlings being a major problem for this plane's stealth performance. They really look like traditional nozzles which would give it a large radar and thermal cross section from the rear.
yeah, the area between the engines seems to be an area that would geometrically be difficult to minimize radar profiles from advanced ground stations either... i suspect that if you can see if flying away, its probably too late though
I wouldn't be surprised if that's not the "real build". Leaving off the true parts. Just using whats nessasary for the test.
I would. The nozzles and their vectoring system are integral to the jet's flight characteristics. Utilizing flight tests with anything but what you intend to fly it with is suicide for your future pilots. Aerodynamically, they would have tested the viability of the structure itself via wind tunnel tests. Also, the result of ground and flight tests is not only whether the country/manufacturer wants or needs to build the jet, it also leads to ICAO aircraft certification so that it can fly globally. Initially, it will be able to travel as an experimental aircraft, but eventually it will need to be recognized by ICAO to fly to most every destination in the world. You can't sell a jet to Hugo Chavez without the ability to get it there, lulz.
Wouldn't they be delivered by a big-ass Antonov cargo plane ? Then wings re-assembled on site ? Or simply by ship ?
Judging by the size of the landing gear, observers note that the plane is capable to use short/rough landing strips and/or land on a carrier. Apparently both russia and india would be interested in such capability, but there is no official naval use confirmation yet.