The Russian Aerospace Forces will receive first units of the Sukhoi T-50 (PAK FA) fifth-generation fighter aircraft in 2017, Col. Gen. Viktor Bondarev, the Russian Aerospace Forces commander, said Saturday.

“There are five [T-50 fighters] at the [Russian] Chkalov’s State Flight Testing Center, they are being tested, and beginning in 2017 they will be arriving to our service,” Bondarev told reporters.

The commander stressed that there were no delays and the development of the aircraft had been carried out ahead of the schedule.

“The aircraft is truly amazing by piloting, navigation and other characteristics, it detects other aircraft at a very large distance, it has no equal in this. We have much to be proud of, and we are delighted to receive such an aircraft,” he added.

The T-50 was presented at the Crimea’s eastern Chauda practice range earlier in the day.

(Source: Sputnik News; published 04.06.2016)