PAK FA To Get Heat Resistant Automated Rapid Fire Cannon

Russian fifth generation fighter, PAK FA (T-50) will be fitted with automatic rapid-fire cannon with new heat resistant ammunition.

“The automatic rapid-fire aircraft cannon is used on all the jets and the new one (PAK FA) will also be fitted with it. Ammunition for these cannons offers maximum level of commonality, but deliveries of one of the latest types, which will be used by PAK FA, will be started soon; this refers to ammunition with a heat-resistant plastic rotating band,” NPO Pribor CEO Oleg Chizhevsky was quoted as saying by Tass Tuesday.

“Use of such ammunition will increase the efficiency and endurance of the cannon,” Chizhevsky said.

The fighter jet is expected to be put to service in 2016. The deliveries of the fighter are expected to start by 2017.

According to Commander-in-Chief of the Aerospace Defense Forces Viktor Bondarev, the indigenous fighter will be as good as F-22 and F-35 jets. Moreover, it will outmatch these vehicles by many parameters”.

PAK FA fighter performed its maiden flight in 2010. It was reported earlier that Russian air forces will take delivery of 55 fighters by 2020, however, in spring Deputy Minister of Defense Yuri Borisov said that the contract for delivery of the fifth-generation fighter would be adjusted taking into account the current economic situation.