russian nato reporting weather carrier based twin engine air superiority fighter designed manufactured aircraft production association derived initially known compared strengthened structure folding wings carrier operations wings larger increased lift upgraded engines twin nose wheel air operations aboard carrier admiral fighter officially entered service august time designation following break soviet_union subsequent aircraft produced attempted sales china india fell plans retire reach end service life ordered replacement development background origins 1970s operational carrier based fixed wing combat aircraft found unable undertake role limited range severely hampered capability project carriers decided develop bigger potent carrier capable operating aircraft assessment period number carriers studied project carrier able operate abandoned budget constraints design efforts concentrated project carrier accommodated proposed sufficient funding secured navy looked possibility fifth larger project carrier modified allow operations prepare operations rival board new carrier work proceeded development steam catapult arresting gear optical radio landing systems pilots trained new establishment named aviation research soviet government ordered abandonment catapult system overall carriers included fifth project carrier takeoff ramp installed complex executed ensure able operate carriers modified prototypes takeoff ramp simulated ramp tests undertaken august flight tests indicated need change ramp design modified ski jump profile conceptual designs commenced april soviet government instructed develop air defence fighter ordered build lighter fighter scale design soon started guidance appointed design bureau chief test pilot programme november conceptual design passed critical design review detailed design finalised prototypes constructed conjunction testing prototype piloted maiden flight august facility second followed december flight tests continued demonstrated feasibility ski jump operations pilots practised landings making actual landing carrier deck years subsequently renamed admiral left shipyard second russian conventionally land aboard aircraft carrier november found carrier jet blast close engine raised angle improvised solution held aircraft longer maximum seconds shield water pipes exploded pilot reduced engine throttle accidentally causing blocks aircraft accelerating fighter forwards aircraft quickly stopped later took use blast search rescue helicopter flown close carrier event accident following week period sorties amassed deck landings flight testing continued september naval pilots began testing successfully passed seven production aircraft rolled developments known versions twin seat flight april aircraft piloted flew minutes near airport initially named carrier combat trainer planned trainer potential fill roles notable improvements included revised forward fuselage leading edge bigger wings developed updated version flight trials began october compete potential chinese indigenous version original encourage orders major upgrades aircraft included powerful lbf engines larger weapons carriage upgrades radar weapons possible time funding constraints according military author speculated modifications new production batch include phased array radar thrust long range anti ship missiles design adapt original naval operations incorporated reinforced structure withstand great stress experienced landing particularly quick non landings landings aircraft float slow decent rate prior touchdown leading edge control surfaces enlarged provide increased lift low speeds wingspan remains unchanged wings feature double flaps total wing area wings modified folding number aircraft carrier accommodate allow ease movement deck aircraft outfitted powerful engines increase thrust weight ratio flight probe sports distance improve required leading edge root extensions rear shortened prevent striking deck high alpha angle attack landings compared rival maximum takeoff weight higher fuel capacity double allowing fly altitude sea level spend time station external fuel tanks limits ordnance capacity fly speeds low mph comparison needs maintain minimum mph effective control carries air ground munitions expensive physically larger limiting numbers able deployed aircraft carrier carries guided missiles supplemented round carry assortment rockets bombs cluster bombs secondary air ground missions aircraft night day operations sea radar slot speculated poor multi target tracking making reliant radar platforms airborne warning control system aircraft like early warning helicopter missiles capability intercept anti ship missiles red search track system placed provide better downward visibility operational history soviet_union russia entered service mid-1990s december march admiral set sail mediterranean_sea carrying aircraft officially entered service august naval fighter regiment northern fleet based time officially designated currently operates long term need replaced break soviet_union dramatically programmes stopped commissioned total production built early airborne warning proceed instead abandoned examples built time sold china announced order replace delivered commander navy announced second fighter regiment formed augment current force intention new unit existing refurbished use failed bids internationally people republic china identified possible export customer russia state weapons previously negotiating order aircraft totalling billion china initially acquired aircraft worth million testing options acquire additional aircraft fighters intended fledgling chinese aircraft carrier programme soviet carrier sixth late lieutenant general publicly confirmed news conference china approached russia possible purchase negotiations start november published information military website china planned introduce china previously obtained manufacturing license production working advanced version development integrate advanced technologies fighters older airframe worries chinese intentions emerged reported china acquired prototype ukraine potentially study reverse engineer domestic version aircraft alleged originated partially photos aircraft designers posing carrier based fighter prototype strongly suggest directly related negotiations sought reduce russian content aircraft wanted ensure level income future upgrades modifications india viewed potential operator planned acquire aircraft carrier ins refurbished soviet admiral sold india end rival opted outdated size reportedly led concerns potential difficulties operating indian carriers shared smaller operators russia russian navy russian naval aviation notable accidents july russian navy crashed air russia region pilot died crash september russian navy arresting cable broke landing high speed pilot ejected recovered plane initially planned destroyed depth charges prevent recovery classified equipment place aircraft carry sensitive equipment crash captured video specifications data gordon williams general characteristics crew length wingspan height wing area weight loaded weight max takeoff weight powerplant dry thrust lbf thrust lbf wingspan wings folded performance maximum speed mph altitude stall speed range service ceiling rate climb min wing loading thrust weight maximum load landing speed mph armament cannon rounds munitions external including air air missile anti ship missile bombs rockets electronic pods
Sukhoi Su-33