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The Yak-141 (Western reporting name Freestyle) was a Vertical Take-Off and Landing (VTOL) multi-role fighter. Its original designation was the Yak-41, however this designation was classified by the Soviet military. The Yak-141 was actually a fictitious name, applied to the demonstrator aircraft which set a number of world records. By this name this shipborne fighter was known in the West, it was also applied for promotional purposes by the Yakovlev Design Bureau.
Development of this aircraft began in 1975. It had to become the first supersonic aircraft with vertical take off and landing capability. In addition it should have had weapons and radar, equal to those of the frontline fighters. It is worth mentioning, that Yakovlev Design Bureau already had a great experience in creating aircraft with vertical take off and landing capability, such as the Yak-36 and Yak-38. The last mentioned has been successfully tested during the Soviet War in Afghanistan. However Soviet government and military officials were not entirely satisfied with its performance, especially due to its short operational range and poor electronic systems. Also the Yak-38 was inferior to the British Harrier. So in 1975 Yakovlev Design Bureau was ordered to develop a more powerful and unprecedented plane with supersonic speed, vertical take-off and landing capability, longer range and a powerful armament, that could take-off from aircraft carriers.
The first prototypes of the Yak-141 were completed in 1987. Altogether 4 planes were built, two for static tests and two for flight tests. Aircraft made its first flight and test flights began the same year. Flight tests were successfully conducted in 1990, when aircraft made passed a full test program, including vertical take-off and landing, short take-off, flying at supersonic speed then slowing down to hovering and so on. In 1991 during a single flight the new aircraft set 12 world records in its class. One of the records was achieving a 12 km vertical take-off. After this flight the new plane received the Yak-141 designation.
In 1991 two prototype aircraft performed their first vertical landing on Baku (later renamed Admiral Gorshkov) Kiev class light aircraft carrier.
The Yak-141 multi-role fighter did not enter production. The funding for this program ceased in 1991 after a landing accident on the aircraft carrier, when one prototype landed during excessive side wind and was badly damaged. After collapse of the Soviet Union military funding was limited. In 1992 the Yak-141 program was canceled as it happened with many other promising weapon systems. Also by 1995 Russia decommissioned all Kiev class aircraft carriers, this plane was intended for.
In 1992 the Yak-141 was presented at Farnborough international air show and Le Bourget in 1993. Visitors and appraisers gave highest marks to this unique aircraft. Some countries showed interest in acquiring this plane, however no actual orders were made.
It the early 1990s Lockheed Martin entered into partnership with Yakovlev Design Bureau for further development of this aircraft. Results of this partnership is unknown, however Lockheed Martin possibly used experience gained from this project developing their own F-35 multi-role fighter. Vertical lift system of the F-35B is very similar to that of the Yak-141. The F-35B multi-role fighter with short take-off and vertical landing capability achieved initial operational capability with the US Marine Corps (USMC) in 2015. In the near future USA will operate a large number of these stealthy fighters.
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Yakovlev Yak-141 'Freestyle' VTOL Fighter Aircraft | SOVIET JUMP JET LEGACY
#aircraft #jets #aviation
