Saturn AL-41

The AL-41F is a designation for two different Russian military turbofan engine variants. The NPO Saturn AL-41F is a Russian variable-bypass ratio turbofan engine, designed for supercruise flight for the MFI (Mnogofunktsionalni Frontovoy Istrebitel, "Multifunctional Frontline Fighter") program, which resulted in the Mikoyan Project 1.44. It is considered by Jane's as the Russian counterpart to the General Electric YF120 engine which lost to the more conventional fixed-bypass YF-119 in the Advanced Tactical Fighter engine program. Since the cancellation of the MFI program, the AL-41F1S and AL-41F1 designation was assigned to heavily upgraded AL-31F variants that powers the Sukhoi Su-35S and initial serial production Sukhoi Su-57 stealth aircraft.

AL-41F
Jet engine Saturn AL-41F1 for fifth generation jet fighter Sukhoi PAK FA (The international aerospace salon MAKS-2011)
Type Turbofan
National origin Russia
Manufacturer NPO Saturn
Major applications Mikoyan Project 1.44

Design and development

The AL-41F program, with development project designation izdeliye 20, was launched in 1982, and the first prototype engine flew in a MiG-25 Foxbat testbed. Originally developed for the Mikoyan Project 1.44,[1] 28 engines were built, however the engine did not advance beyond prototype stage when the MiG 1.44 was cancelled.

The AL-41 designation was reused for heavily upgraded variants of the Saturn AL-31, the AL-41F1 (izdeliye 117) and AL-41F1S (izdeliye 117S), used to power initial production Sukhoi Su-57 and the Sukhoi Su-35 respectively. Some of the technologies of the original AL-41F were applied in the izdeliye 117S and 117 engines. It is important to note that these engines are not considered a part of the same AL-41F line (izdeliye 20) as was planned for the Mikoyan Project 1.44 because their cores are based on that of the AL-31F, whereas the AL-41F utilizes an entirely different approach. The designation is present because the engine approaches some of the projected specifications of the AL-41F. It is also notable that the engine is capable of mounting 3D thrust vectoring nozzles for extra maneuverability.

Specifications (AL-41F)

Data from Kommersant,[2] Leteckemotory,[3] Flight International[4]

General characteristics

  • Type: Turbofan
  • Length: 4990 mm
  • Diameter: 1280 mm
  • Dry weight: 1,500 kilogram

Components

  • Compressor: axial

Performance

See also

References
  1. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2010-06-16. Retrieved 2012-09-21.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  2. Подробнее
  3. AL-41F
  4. AL-41 engine problems are over, says Lyulka Saturn

Sources
  • Butowski, Piotr. "Raptorski's Maiden Flight". Air International, Vol. 78, No 3, March 2010, pp. 30–37. Stamford, UK: Key Publishing.
  • Butowski, Piotr. "T-50 Turning and Burning over Moscow". Air International, Vol. 85, No 4, October 2013, pp. 79–82. Stamford, UK: Key Publishing.
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