Voychenko ViS-18

The Voychenko ViS-18 "Bierkut" (: Беркут, English: Bierkut) is a stealth, single-seat,   being developed by the Voychenko and Sobchak Design Bureau since 2002 for air superiority and attack operations, produced by the Gorbatov Aviation Corporation. Developed as an answer to the increased use of stealth aircraft by militaries throughout Atlas. It is a product of a ViS program to develop technologies for a next-generation fighter aircraft able to surpass existing fifth-gen fighters, such as the Stasnovan VeK-44, Granzerian V-12, and Vazandian KFZ-9.

The fighter is designed to have, , , and advanced avionics to overcome the and even other fifth-generation fighter aircraft as well as ground and naval defences. The ViS-18 is intended to succeed the, , and VeK-44 in the Proletarian Liberation Army Air Force, to which it entered service with the PLAAF in 2018, having entirely rearmed the 1st Guards Aviation Regiment with ViS-18s by mid-2020.

The prototypes and initial production batch are to be delivered with a highly upgraded variant of the Stasnovan, Sobchak AL-50M2, as an interim powerplant while an advanced clean-sheet design engine, currently designated the Sobchak S-50, is in final stages of development and expected to be available after mid-2020s. The aircraft is expected to have a service life of up to 40 years.

Variants

 * ViS-18S: Initial production version; entered service in 2018.
 * ViS-18VB: Initial production two-seat operational conversion trainer.
 * ViS-18SM: Initial production version for Merala with domestic components; entered service in 2019. There is also two-seat operational conversion trainer variant, known as ViS-18VBM.
 * ViS-18P: Carrier-based version with strengthened airframe, folding wings, and installation of a tailhook; development paused following cessation of PLAN carrier operations.
 * ViS-18PVB: Carrier-based version of ViS-18VB; development paused following cessation of PLAN carrier operations.
 * ViS-18E: Export version of the ViS-18 with downgraded engine based on, Sobchak AL-41F1, downgraded electronics, and reduced weapon capacity, currently offered to VP-affiliated states and other select countries.
 * ViS-18VBE: Export version of the two-seat operational conversion trainer.
 * ViS-18M: Late production version with the installation of the Sobchak S-50 engine, but also has improved avionics and stealth capability, planned to enter service mid-2020s.
 * ViS-18MU: Prospective sixth-generation upgrade for the ViS-18M, dubbed as the "Super Bierkut," with key additions of an enhanced stealth coating and laser weaponry.
 * An unmanned version of the ViS-18 is planned and is currently in development.

Operators

 * Gorbatov: The Proletarian Liberation Army have around 51 ViS-18Ss and 14 ViS-18VBs in active service, with an additional order for 108 ViS-18Ss and 24 ViS-18VBs placed in 2020.
 * Merala: The Meralan Armed Forces have around 12 ViS-18SMs and 3 ViS-18VBMs in active service, an additional order of 12 ViS-18SMs and 3 ViS-18VBMs is expected to be produced by late 2021.
 * Ahras: The Ahrasi People's Armed Forces have placed an order for 10 ViS-18Es and 4 ViS-18VBEs in 2020, expected to be delivered by 2022.