Editing Yakovlev Yak-141 (section)

==Design and development==
Known internally as "Product 48", the Yak-41 was intended to replace the Yak-38 in service with the Soviet Navy. It went through significant design evolution. Configurations studied by Yakovlev included a twin-engine configuration, which was rejected due to asymmetric thrust issues in the event of an engine failure during landing, and a single-engined configuration, with lift jets to allow for vertical takeoff and landing, was selected.<ref name=Gunston/>{{page needed|date=June 2014}}

[[File:Scheme of Yak-141 powerplant.png|thumb|Arrangement of Yak-141 powerplant]]
The engines were controlled digitally; manuverability during the hover was provided by reaction control jets, using excess airflow from the engines, located at the wingtips and under the nose.<ref name=Gunston/>{{page needed|date=June 2014}} The pressurised cockpit was fitted with an automatic [[ejection seat]]; the automatic functionality would be armed when the engine duct was rotated past 30° when at an airspeed of less than {{convert|300|km/h|kn mph}}. The prototypes had a cockpit arrangement similar to that of the Yak-38M; the production aircraft were planned to be fitted with an entirely new digital system including a [[helmet-mounted sight]].<ref name=Gunston/>{{page needed|date=June 2014}} The aircraft's landing gear was of the tricycle type; the nosewheel retracted to the rear, the main wheels retracting forwards.<ref name=Gunston/>{{page needed|date=June 2014}}

[[File:Yakovlev Yak-141 3D model.jpg|thumb|Illustration of Yakovlev Yak-141]]
The wing was mounted high on the fuselage, and was foldable to allow for compact storage on board [[aircraft carriers]]. The main engine was a [[Tumansky R-79V-300]], while the lift jets were a pair of [[Rybinsk (RKBM) RD-41]]s, installed at an angle of 85° in the forwards fuselage behind the cockpit.<ref name=Gunston/>{{page needed|date=June 2014}}

Four prototypes were built; the first was a static-test article, the second a nonflying testbed, while the third and fourth prototypes would be used for flight testing<ref name=Gunston/>{{page needed|date=June 2014}}