© Roman Azanov / TASS
The premiere of the Russian single-engine fighter Checkmate at the MAKS-2021 air show continues to be widely discussed in the press.
The statement of the UAC leaders about financing the project "on an initiative basis, without attracting public funds" seems highly doubtful. Design work of this level, in such a short time, requires multibillion-dollar investments. For example, you can look at the F-35 development program. From 2001 to 2011 alone, Lockheed Martin spent $ 56 billion. It is impossible to imagine anything like that in real Russian reality.
Meanwhile, the prototype of the aircraft is ready. And as reported, not a mock-up, but a valid copy, which will make its first flight in 2023.
The American magazine Military Watch expressed its point of view regarding the funding of the Checkmate project. The arguments of the popular publication look pretty convincing.
The author of the publication claims that the Russian single-engine fighter was developed with the money of the United Arab Emirates.
It all started in 2017, at the IDEX International Arms Show in Abu Dhabi. It was there that a memorandum was signed between Russia and the UAE on the joint development of a new fifth generation fighter. The head of Rostec, Sergei Chemezov, spoke about this in an interview with Defense News magazine:
Russia is negotiating with the UAE on the creation of a fifth generation light fighter. The work will take seven to eight years.
Quite a lot of memorandums of intent are signed. It is not a fact that each of them will come true. The further fate of the project was classified, but surprisingly, the timing of the appearance of Checkmate coincides with those voiced by Chemezov in Abu Dhabi. Serial production of the aircraft should begin in 2025.
Another statement of the author of the publication in Military Watch, with which it is difficult to disagree:
The development of a new class of aircraft with a predominantly export orientation, without a confirmed client, is very risky. Which once again confirms that Checkmate is the result of a joint project with the UAE. Emirates is the most interested country and has the ability to finance the development.
The UAE has six squadrons with aging single-engine fighters. Attempts to negotiate with the United States on the purchase of the F-35 run into opposition from Israel. Negotiations continue, but with the advent of an alternative, cheaper and more technically advanced Checkmate, they lose all meaning.
And one more argument in favor of the Military Watch version. During the presentation of the fighter, the responsible persons have repeatedly mentioned that there is already a guaranteed buyer for a large batch of Checkmate. Is this the mysterious client who funded the development of the new fighter?
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