The refined T-50 prototype takes off at the beginning of 2011.

The second flight prototype of the fifth-generation T-50 aircraft will take to the air at the beginning of 2011 after checking all the systems, Alexei Fyodorov, president of the United Aircraft Building Corporation (UAC), told reporters in New Delhi.

"We have moved the deadlines for the beginning of 2011 of the year. The ground testing of the systems is underway. It is important for us that the second prototype complements the first prototype and not just repeat it," said Fedorov on the sidelines of the 4 Russian-Indian Trade and Investment Forum.

At the same time, work is underway to create a third prototype, in which even more modern systems will be worked out.

"A third flight prototype is being prepared, which will be even more advanced than the second one in terms of saturation with systems and compliance with the tasks set," Fedorov added.

As expected, on Tuesday, as part of President Dmitry Medvedev’s official visit to India, a contract will be signed for the draft design of the Indian version of this aircraft. As reported earlier by RIA News Head of the Indian State Aircraft Corporation Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd. (HAL) Ashok Nayak, the value of this contract will be 295 million dollars.

The T-50 is a fifth-generation heavy-class fighter with take-off weight over 30 tons, of medium size (roughly corresponding to Su-27 aircraft), which is a monoplane with widely spaced engines and two keels, strongly inclined outward from the longitudinal axis. The appearance of the airframe is designed using the technology of geometric stealth.

The fifth generation aircraft is equipped with a fundamentally new avionics complex, integrating the "electronic pilot" function, and a promising radar with a phased antenna array. This greatly reduces the load on the pilot and allows you to concentrate on the implementation of tactical tasks.

The T-50 can take off and land using runway lengths of 300-400 meters. The aircraft will reach speeds of up to 2,1 thousands of kilometers per hour and fly over a distance of thousands of kilometers to 5,5. The fighter is also equipped with a complex refueling in the air.

The aircraft has a large internal weapons compartment. It can accommodate up to eight P-77 type air combat missiles or two huge guided bombs weighing 1500 kilograms. The fighter is capable of carrying two extra-long-range missiles developed by the Novator Bureau on the external sling. These T-50 missiles are capable of destroying airplanes, for example, of the AWACS type, at a distance of up to 400 kilometers.