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KB SAT SR-10

2019 MODERN AIRCRAFT DRONE TECHNOLOGY

KB SAT SR-10 History

Russia's KB SAT (Sovremennye Aviatsionnye Teknologii) is currently developing a new jet trainer for the Russian Air Force and possibly in the near future for global export customers. Work on this compact platform began in 2007 and the product was presented at MAKS 2009.

The SR-10 was originally developed in response to a request by the Russian Air Force in 2014 for a new basic trainer. However, the Yakovlev Yak-152 eventually fulfilled this requirement (described in detail elsewhere on this site).

The still-in-development SR-10 made its maiden flight on December 25, 2015, and work on the aircraft has been ongoing since 2017, with one airworthiness example completed so far (2017).

The plane had two crew members in tandem (one behind the other), providing good nose visibility for both pilots (instructor and student). Buried within the aerodynamically modified fuselage, the single-engine unit is drawn in through small rectangular air intakes mounted on the side and expelled through a single port at the rear of the design.

The wing roots extend above the air intakes and meet each leading edge of the main aircraft. The Russian plane's most unique feature is its main aircraft's forward-swept wings - each element has a ten-degree pitch angle, giving the SR-10 a very sci-fi look. The main aircraft is located amidships, mounted high along the sides of the fuselage. At the rear of the aircraft is a vertical stabilizer, and a low-position horizontal stabilizer with a unique dihedral angle.

Ground operations are carried out via a conventional three-leg retractable landing gear. The overall structure of the aircraft relies heavily on the use of lightweight but strong composite materials.

The SR-10 is powered by an Ivchencko AI-25V turbofan engine with 3,790 pounds of thrust. This gives the platform a top speed of 560 mph and a cruising speed of 325 mph. Range is 930 miles, with service reportedly capped at 932 miles. The climb rate is 12,000 feet per minute.

Structurally, the SR-10 has an overall length of 31 feet 5 inches, a wingspan of 27 feet 6 inches, and a height of 11 feet 7 inches. Gross weight is 5,300 lbs and maximum takeoff weight (MTOW) is 6,000 lbs.

July 2017 - KB SAT presented an unmanned version of its AR-10 intermediate manned trainer. This variant, known as the AR-10 "Argument", has a pair of external underwing hardpoints for carrying ammunition. Other changes include a V-shaped twin-fin tail arrangement.

October 2017 The Russian Air Force has reportedly selected the SR-10 to replace its aging fleet of Czech-origin Aero L-39 Albatros jet trainers currently in service. Deliveries are scheduled to begin sometime in 2018.