History
In 1969, the Soviet Union became aware of the existence of the United States' "teen"-series of aircraft, including the Grumman F-14 Tomcat, McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle, General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon and McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet. In response, the Soviets initiated the Perspektivnyi Frontovoy Istrebitel ("Perspective Frontline Fighter") -abbreviated as PFI - project to develop a multirole fighter aircraft capable of countering the new generation of U.S. aircraft. The PFI project then branched into two projects, the Tyazholy Perspektivnyi Frontovoy Istrebitel, "Heavy Perspective Frontline Fighter" (TPFI) and the Lyogkiy Perspektivnyi Frontovoy Istrebitel, "Light Perspective Frontline Fighter" (LPFI). The goal of the TPFI project was to develop a fighter capable of long-range flight, primarily to intercept hostile aircraft, which resulted in the Sukhoi Su-27 "Flanker" series of aircraft. The LPFI was intended to develop a light multi-role fighter with short flight range, but capable of providing air-to-ground support when deployed close to the frontlines, which resulted in the Mikoyan MiG-29 "Fulcrum" series of aircraft. After successfully developing fighters for these two projects, the Soviets initiated a project to develop a next-generation aircraft capable of overpowering the newest American threats. These projects included fighters, attack aircraft, bombers and reconnaissance aircraft.
Read more about this topic: Post-PFI Soviet/Russian Aircraft Projects
Famous quotes containing the word history:
“The awareness that health is dependent upon habits that we control makes us the first generation in history that to a large extent determines its own destiny.”
—Jimmy Carter (James Earl Carter, Jr.)
“I assure you that in our next class we will concern ourselves solely with the history of Egypt, and not with the more lurid and non-curricular subject of living mummies.”
—Griffin Jay, and Reginald LeBorg. Prof. Norman (Frank Reicher)
“Free from public debt, at peace with all the world, and with no complicated interests to consult in our intercourse with foreign powers, the present may be hailed as the epoch in our history the most favorable for the settlement of those principles in our domestic policy which shall be best calculated to give stability to our Republic and secure the blessings of freedom to our citizens.”
—Andrew Jackson (1767–1845)