Yakovlev Yak-141
{{infobox Aircraft
name =Yak-141 | type =VTOL fighter | manufacturer =Yakovlev | image = | caption = | designer = | first flight =1987-03-09 | introduced = | retired = | status =Cancelled in August 1991 | primary user = | more users = | produced = | number built = | unit cost = | variants with their own articles =
The Yakovlev Yak-41 (NATO reporting name Freestyle) was a supersonic VTOL fighter aircraft from the Soviet Union. Although it never entered operational service, some of its advanced technology will see application on Lockheed-Martin's F-35 fighter.[1]The Yak-141 (a development prototype of the Yak-41) was, like the 1960s prototype Dassault Mirage Balzac/Mirage VIIIV, an attempt at a supersonic VTOL aircraft. The British Hawker-Siddeley P.1154 supersonic version of the Hawker Siddeley Harrier project was cancelled as part of the massive defence cuts of 1960s before a prototype could be built.
The Yak 141 gained VTOL ability through a combination of a lift and lift/cruise engines, as did the Balzac and earlier Yak VTOL designs. The two lift jets were mounted behind the cockpit. These contributed only to take-off and once in horizontal flight were switched off. The main engine was installed in the rear fuselage area, with a swivelling nozzle and an afterburner. For take off and hovering the exhaust from the jet was vectored downwards through 90° working in conjunction with the forward lift jets. To obtain sufficient power for vertical take off, the afterburner had to be used, which imposed serious limitations on the types of runway surfaces that could be used.
The Yak-41M was capable of speeds up to Mach 1.7, and was claimed to have had a maneuverability comparable to the Mikoyan MiG-29. It was designed for the Soviet Air Force (VVS), not for the Soviet Navy (VMF), as the original Yak-41 was.The program was initiated in 1975 as the Yak-141, a development of the Yak-38. The first conventional flight of the Yak-41 was on March 9 1987, and the first hovering flight on December 29 1989. The Yak-41M designation was adopted around 1991 to reflect a shift to a multi-role configuration.
In August 1991 the program was stopped because of the shrinking military budget of the Soviet Union. The Yakovlev design bureau has attempted to generate interest in reviving the program, including the proposal for an advanced version known as Yak-43, but has yet to find interest.{{aircraft specifications|
| plane or copter?=plane |
>crew=one, pilot | length main=18.30 m | length alt=60 ft 0 in | span main=13.97 m | span alt=45 ft 10 in | height main= 5.00 m | height alt=16 ft 5 in | area main=31.7 m² | area alt=341 ft² | empty weight main= 11 650 kg | empty weight alt=25,680 lb | loaded weight main= kg | loaded weight alt= lb | max takeoff weight main=19 500 kg | engine (jet)= MNPK Soyuz R-79V-300 | type of jet= turbojet | number of jets= 1 | thrust main= 108 kN | thrust alt= 24,300 lbf)Powerplant: 2x RKBM RD-41 42 kN (9,300 lbf) thrust each|max speed main= Mach 1.7| max speed alt= | range main=1400 km | range alt=870 statute miles | ceiling main=15 500 m | ceiling alt=50,850 ft | climb rate main= m/s | climb rate alt= ft/min | loading main= kg/m² | loading alt= lb/ft² | armament=
* 1 x 30 mm GSh-301 cannon with 120 rounds
* Four underwing and one fuselage hardpoints for 2 600 kg (5,500 lb) of external stores {{aircontent|related=Yak-36 -Yak-38 -Yak-43|similar aircraft=|sequence=Yak-38 -Yak-39 -Yak-40 -Yak-41 -Yak-42 -Yak-43 -Yak-44|lists=|see also=
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