Su-57 Felon: The great stealth fighter failure for Russia

Maya Carlin March 26, 2024
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Originally published by The National Interest

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The Kremlin hopes to garner enough international interest to sell an export variant of its fifth-generation Sukhoi Su-57 platform. According to state-run media outlets, the Russian Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation has received requests from potential client states, including Algeria, India, and Turkey.

In 2023, the fighter debuted at the Aero India Show in Bangalore. Trading company Rosoboronexport has referred to the Su-57 as a “promising fifth-generation multi-role fighter,” while the Kremlin often touts the airframe as better than its American counterpart.

An Overview of the Su-57

The Su-57 can be traced back to the height of the Cold War when the former Soviet Union first outlined its need for a robust next-generation fighter. The resulting I-90 program was designed to meet this requirement, prioritizing ground attack capabilities and speed.

The USSR wanted the new fighter to replace aging Su-27 and MiG-29 jets. Work on the I-90 program was halted when the Soviet Union collapsed, and the Russian Ministry of Defense did not pick up the project again until the late 1990s. The new PAK FA competition became a race between leading manufacturers Sukhoi and Mikoyan. Eventually, the Ministry of Defense selected Sukhoi as the winner, and work to design the next-generation fighter began.

Specs & Capabilities

The Su-57, designated by NATO as “Felon,” hosts a range of improvements over its predecessors. But the fighter is not as solid as the Kremlin would like to claim. Early on, the project suffered a series of mishaps that resulted in structural and technical issues. In 2019, the Su-57 crashed during a trial flight.

The first Su-57 didn’t enter service with Russia’s Aerospace Forces until 2020.

The first Felons were equipped with two Saturn/Rybinsk AL-31F1 after-burning turbofan engines for power. Later on, the Izdeliye 30 was incorporated, generating even more thrust. The fifth-generation platform can reach Mach 2.0, which is much faster than the American-made F-35 Lightning II fighter. However, while the Su-57 may be faster, it certainly is not as stealthy as its American counterparts, including the F-22 Raptor. The fighter’s radar cross section is larger than its near-peers, making it easier for enemy airframes to detect.

What About the Export Variant?

The Su-57E export variant will feature Russia’s most advanced avionics. While other details surrounding the new prototype remain sparse, production and sale of these fighters are very unlikely in the near future. Currently, Russia hardly possesses its own full fleet of Felon fighters.

As Moscow continues to drain its resources and production output in Ukraine, it is difficult to see how it could build additional fighters for other nations.

Maya Carlin
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