Russia's Su‑57 production raises questions of real airworthiness

The Russian industry boasted about the delivery of a batch of Su-57 aircraft, which Russians consider to be fifth-generation machines. Here are the behind-the-scenes details of the two rusty and dusty units that were shown.

The Russian United Aviation Corporation (UAC) in KnAAZ boasted about delivering another batch of Su-57 aircraft, also known as the Felon according to the NATO code. Estimates suggest that the Russians have about 20 units, including prototypes.

The aircraft is also sporadically used to attack targets in Ukraine. Below, you can see a video and photos of the two units most likely being handed over. It is worth noting that they do not look like new production but rather like factory leftovers for which the Russians finally managed to assemble the missing parts.

This is indicated by the matte or dust-covered canopy, which greatly differs from what was seen earlier, such as during the presentation of the Su-57 to Kim Jong Un. Moreover, the engine nozzles have a characteristic rusty coating, which should not be present on new machines.

The Su-57 is the newest and most technologically advanced aircraft in the history of Russia, which is different from another evolution of the post-Soviet Su-27. The first prototype flight took place in 2010, and since then, 10 test units and a similar number of production units have been built.

From the beginning, the Russians promoted the Su-57 as a fifth-generation multirole aircraft, intended to respond to the famous F-22 Raptor and F-35. This meant that the Russian machine, to meet the criteria of the fifth generation, would have to be characterised by low observability, the ability to fly at supersonic speeds without afterburners (so-called supercruise), and the presence of advanced avionics and sensors.

Especially the criterion of low observability was heavily questioned by specialists from the RAND think tank and interestingly by the Indians, who were Russia's partners in the programme for 11 years, expecting a fifth-generation aircraft. However, seeing the minimal progress made by the Russians, and additionally being denied access to technological details, India decided in 2018 to withdraw from the joint venture and allocate funds, among other things, to the purchase of French Rafale aircraft.

The Su-57 is a large aircraft with an empty weight of approximately 18,000 kg and a wingspan of a little over 14 metres. Its maximum takeoff weight is about 30,000 kg, and its armament is carried in internal bays that accommodate six pylons. The aircraft also has six additional pylons on the wings, but using them would increase its radar signature even further.

According to the Russians, the Su-57 is also equipped with a powerful radar with active electronically scanned array (AESA) and a passive IRST system, although the performance of both systems is likely to be worse than Western solutions. It is also possible that new units may even be equipped with older systems due to Russia being cut off from modern electronics, which it cannot produce itself due to its technological lag.

The Su-57, as one of the few Russian machines, can carry powerful long-range R-37 air-to-air missiles known from the modernised MiG-31BM aircraft, capable of destroying targets at distances of up to 300 km (for larger targets like transport planes or AWACS; for fighter jets, the range is lower but still higher than that of the AIM-120 AMRAAM).