Russian SU‑57 fighter jet fleet shrinks after Ukrainian strike

The destruction of the latest Russian Su-57 fighter jet by Ukrainians in recent days caused the aggressor's army to lose one of the few such machines in its arsenal. But how many of these jets are currently in the ranks of the Russian Federation? Aviation expert Konstantyn Kryvolap has calculated this.

Let's recall that Su-57 jets were elusive to Ukrainians for a long time. Incorporated into the Russian army in 2020, these fighters were expected to appear in battles over the defenders' country after the war broke out. Still, for over two years from the start of the conflict, the Ukrainian armed forces were not successful in damaging or destroying a Su-57.

The scarcity of these valuable jets didn't help, even though the mentioned machines have been developed for many years. Indeed, the Russian arsenal doesn't have many Su-57 units. Consequently, the jets were hidden far from the front and did not often appear in the sky.

Eventually, a breakthrough occurred, and Ukrainians successfully attacked one of the Su-57s. The strike, which took place on Saturday, 8th June, at 5:00 PM GMT, damaged one of these jets parked at an airbase in Akhtubinsk (Astrakhan Region), located about 600 kilometres from the front lines in Ukraine.

In an interview with the "Kyiv 24" channel, Konstantyn Kryvolap explained that the Su-57 occupies the highest position in Russian aviation. The aviation expert from Ukraine emphasises that it is the best aircraft in the Su family and is "really very dangerous." The Su-57 attacked Ukrainian aircraft, causing many losses. Additionally, it is the least visible to radars flying over Ukraine.

Russians currently possess several Su-57 fighter jets. Shortly after production began, about 3 units of these jets left Russian factories, and in subsequent years, another 8 units were produced.

This would mean that the total number of Su-57 is around 10-11, now minus one, calculates Kryvolap. The expert also points out that despite having very few Su-57s, the Russians cannot conduct mass production due to significant problems with sanctions and difficulties in acquiring the necessary radio parts, boards, and monitors.

Let's recall that Russia's military "gold" accelerates to a speed of Mach 2, which is about 2,500 kilometres per hour (km/h) and can operate at an altitude of up to 19 kilometres. Its range is estimated at up to 3,500 kilometres. On 12 weapon stations (six internal and six external), the Su-57 can carry the most modern Russian-made missiles – Ch-59 and Ch-69. This machine's primary weapon for an attack is the 9A-4071K 30 mm calibre cannon. The fighter is also equipped with a radar to detect threats within a range of up to 400 kilometres.