Sukhoi T-49

Sukhoi T-49

Company type	Prototype interceptor aircraft
Industry	Aerospace, Defense
Founded	August 6, 1957 (1957-08-06)
Headquarters	Soviet Union
Products	Military interceptor aircraft prototype

The Sukhoi T-49 served as a prototype interceptor developed in the Soviet Union.

Development

The T-49 represented an upgraded iteration of the Sukhoi Su-11, featuring enhanced radar systems and altered weapon configurations. The project officially commenced on August 6, 1957. Following several taxi tests conducted in October 1959, the prototype completed its inaugural flight in January 1960.

The design incorporated the delta wing, tail assembly, and streamlined fuselage shape from the Su-11 model. However, the section ahead of the cockpit was extensively reworked to house a more advanced radar unit, resulting in an elongated nose profile. Due to the increased diameter of this forward fuselage segment, integrating the radar antenna within the engine inlet shock cone was no longer feasible. Consequently, side air intakes were installed on each side of the nose. This adjustment also improved radar operation by fixing the antenna in place within the nose, eliminating the need to compensate for movements of the engine shock cone during flight.

Flight evaluations of the T-49 yielded encouraging results; nevertheless, it became evident that the twin-engine T-58 project offered superior capabilities. In particular, when considering air defense requirements for engine reliability, the single-engine T-49 fell short compared to its twin-engine counterpart. Despite this, the T-49 played a crucial role as a developmental step toward the T-58, especially regarding radar technology and air intake design. These advancements provided the T-58 with a competitive edge over rival designs such as the Yak-28-64. Eventually, the T-58 evolved into a production model under the designation Su-15.

In April 1960, the sole T-49 prototype sustained damage. Although restoration work was undertaken, it never resumed flight operations and was ultimately dismantled.

See also

• Sukhoi Su-7
• Sukhoi Su-9
• Sukhoi Su-15
• Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21