Moscow-based Yakovlev Design Bureau, part of the state-owned United Aircraft Corporation, has announced that it's "ready to return to the project to create a 5th generation vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) aircraft," as reported by Kremlin-affiliated media outlets.
Historically, the Yakovlev Design Bureau specialized in VTOL shipborne aircraft for the Soviet and then russian Navy, including the Yak-36, Yak-38, and Yak-141. The Yak-36 remained only a technology demonstrator, the Yak-38 was the only Soviet VTOL combat aircraft produced in series, and the Yak-141 project was closed midway in 1992 due to a lack of funding.
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The way this design bureau decided to announce its readiness to resume the development of a 5th-gen VTOL is a tad confusing because, until now, russia had only publicly mentioned the possibility of resuming such work once, in 2019, in the context of reviving the Yak-141 project.
The rendered images of the prospective VTOL aircraft (see above) suggest that the russians plan to use technological solutions from the Yak-141 project as the foundation for this renewed development, despite its origins in the Soviet era.
Therefore, a brief explanation is in order of what the Yak-141 project itself looked like, which the russians have a clear intention to dust off in one way or another.
The Yak-141, a supersonic VTOL aircraft, began development in 1972, with its first prototype flight occurring in 1987 and its first deck landing on the Admiral Gorshkov (Project 1143 Krechyet / NATO: Kiev-class) aircraft cruiser in 1991.
The Yak-141 was intended to become part of the air groups of all aircraft carrying cruisers in service or under construction for the russian Navy. However, the project was ultimately abandoned in 1992 due to financial constraints, with only two prototypes built, one of which crashed during tests in 1991. The attempts to find export customers to support the project failed, too.
Interestingly, the Admiral Gorshkov was later sold to India, where it was renamed INS Vikramaditya and completely rebuilt to host MiG-29K aircraft.
Key specifications of the Yak-141, provided a takeoff run of 120 meters:
- fuselage length: 18.3 meters; wingspan: 10.1 m (unfolded);
- maximum take-off weight: 19.5 tons;
- maximum flight speed: 1,800 km/h (at an altitude of 11 km);
- combat radius: up to 900 km;
- payload capacity: up to 2,600 kg;
- armament:
- R-77, R-27, R-60 and R-73 air-to-air missiles,
- Kh-35, Kh-31, and Kh-25 air-to-surface missiles,
- unguided aerial bombs and rockets.
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