"The first flight of the aircraft with the new engine is expected to take place in the fourth quarter of 2017," the spokesperson said.
The spokesperson added that the development of the new engine for the advanced fighter jet was proceeding "within the framework of the designated time limits."
The T-50 prototype aircraft is designed by the Russian aircraft manufacturer Sukhoi as part of the PAK FA, a fifth-generation fighter program of the Russian Aerospace Forces. It is a single-seat, twin-engine multi-role fighter jet designed for air superiority and attack roles and equipped with an advanced avionics system and an active phased array airborne radar. The first flight of the aircraft took place in 2010.
Current T-50 prototypes are fitted with first-stage AL-41F1 turbofan engines manufactured by the aircraft engine maker Saturn. The second-stage, more powerful engines designated as "Izdeliye 30," are slated for production this year, ahead of the aircraft’s planned mass production and delivery in 2018.
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