Russian engineers have created a prototype aircraft engine designed for the strategic bomber PAK DA.
The production of the first prototype engine for a new generation strategic bomber was reported by Interfax.
By the end of the year, the product will be prepared for the start of bench tests. The development of the engine documentation was completed this year.
Earlier, an informed source said that the engine for a promising aircraft can be tested at a flying laboratory created on the basis of the Il-76 military transport aircraft. "the Flying laboratory based on the Il-76 will be finalized for flight tests of the engine of a promising long-range aviation complex," he said.
The characteristics of the new model are not known for certain, but the requirements for the engine could previously be found in various documents. According to the data provided, the product should provide a flight duration of 30 hours. It is assumed that the engine will be able to operate at air temperatures from minus 60 to plus 50 degrees. Among the requirements is the ability to withstand a number of damaging factors of a nuclear explosion.
PAK DA, or the Advanced long-range aviation complex, is one of Russia's key defense programs. It involves the creation of a low-profile strategic bomber that can replace the old Soviet Tu-95 turboprop bomber, as well as complement the Tu-160 aircraft and the Tu-22M3 long-range bomber.
PAK DA in the artist's view
Image source: vpk.name
The appearance of the aircraft created under the PAK DA program is kept secret. According to open sources, the car will be subsonic and made according to the aerodynamic scheme "flying wing". Thus, the promising Russian aircraft is likely to become a conditional analogue of the American b-2 Spirit bomber, as well as its conditional "reincarnation" in the face of the B-21.
B-21 in the artist's view
Image source: USAF
The latter should make its first flight in 2022: previously, the end of next year was mentioned as a possible date. The first flight of the PAK DA may take place in the middle of the decade.
The new Chinese strategic bomber, if you believe the available information, will also be an analogue of the American Spirit. In one of the previously shown photos , you can see a model of an aircraft that is almost indistinguishable from an overseas bomber.
