The Sukhoi Su-57 “Felon” is Russia’s first and only fifth-generation stealth fighter. It was designed to challenge American air power, although it has faced immense criticism for being inferior to Western-made stealth fighters.
Despite this, the Su-57 is a well-designed fighter whose strategic impact is mostly limited by the small number of fighters in active service (estimates suggest that fewer than 30 Su-57s are active in the Russian Air Force).
The Su-57 has seen limited combat use, with its combat missions taking place in Syria and Ukraine.
Design and Performance: How Fast is the Su-57 Felon?
The Su-57 made its maiden flight in 2010 and officially entered service with the Russian Aerospace Forces in December 2020. It is designed to combine stealth, supermaneuverability, advanced avionics, and multirole versatility.
The aircraft features a blended wing-body design with internal weapons bays, radar-absorbing materials, and a reduced radar cross-section. While its stealth capabilities are not considered as advanced as those of the F-22 or F-35, the Su-57 still offers a significant reduction in radar visibility compared to older Russian fighters.
In terms of performance, the Su-57 is powered by two Saturn AL-41F1 turbofan engines, which allow it to reach a top speed of approximately 2,458 kilometers per hour, or Mach 2.0. It can also supercruise at around Mach 1.3. The aircraft has a service ceiling of 20,116 meters and a combat range of over 3,500 kilometers. These specifications place the Su-57 among the fastest and most agile fighter jets in the world.
Armament and Weaponry
The Su-57 is equipped with a suite of advanced avionics, including the Sh-121 MIRES radar system, which integrates multiple radar arrays across the aircraft’s surface. It also features the 101KS Atoll electro-optical targeting system and a sophisticated electronic warfare suite. These systems provide the pilot with enhanced situational awareness, target tracking, and survivability in contested environments.
The aircraft can carry a wide array of weapons, including air-to-air missiles like the R-77M, air-to-ground munitions, and potentially even hypersonic weapons such as the Kinzhal missile in future variants.
Despite its impressive specifications, the Su-57’s combat history remains limited. Russia first deployed the aircraft to Syria in 2018 and again in 2020 for combat testing. These deployments were primarily intended to evaluate the aircraft’s systems under real-world conditions, including its stealth performance, avionics, and weapons capabilities.
While Russian officials claimed successful strikes and surveillance missions, there were no confirmed air-to-air kills or significant combat engagements involving the Su-57 during these operations.
Has the Su-57 Seen Combat in Ukraine?
Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine, there have been multiple reports of the Su-57s use in the war, although hard evidence is extremely hard to come by. Open-source intelligence and defense analysts suggest that Su-57s have been employed from standoff distances, launching long-range missiles without entering heavily contested airspace, mainly against air defense targets.
This approach minimizes the risk of losing such a high-value asset while still allowing Russia to test its capabilities against NATO-supplied air defense systems. As of now, there are no confirmed losses of Su-57s in the conflict, indicating that they are being used conservatively and strategically.
In June 2024, the Ukrainian Main Directorate of Intelligence claimed that two Su-57s were destroyed in an attack during a drone strike on the Akhtubinsk air base in Astrakhan Oblast. Satellite footage confirmed that at least one fighter was damaged by shrapnel.
Russian Telegram channels reported that the aircraft was being examined to determine whether it could be repaired.
In another incident, a Felon shot down a Sukhoi S-70 Okhotnik-B drone with an air-to-air missile. The S-70 is an experimental stealth drone that was designed to operate alongside the Su-57.
Interestingly, the incident took place about 10 miles behind Ukrainian lines which seemingly corroborates Russian claims about its stealth features and increased usage of the Su-57 in Ukraine.
The wreckage of the S-70 was reportedly struck with an Iskandr ballistic missile, likely to prevent its design secrets from being leaked to Ukraine and NATO.
Development of the Su-57
The Felon is Russia’s first fifth-generation stealth fighter aircraft, developed by the Sukhoi Design Bureau under the PAK FA (Prospective Aeronautical Complex of Frontline Aviation) program. Its internal designation during development was T-50, and it received the NATO reporting name “Felon.”
The Su-57 was designed to replace older fourth-generation fighters, such as the MiG-29 and Su-27, and to serve as the foundation for a new family of stealth combat aircraft.
The Su-57 is a twin-engine multirole fighter, capable of performing both air-to-air and air-to-ground missions. It incorporates a range of advanced technologies, including stealth features, supermaneuverability, supercruise capability, integrated avionics, and a large internal payload capacity. These features allow it to operate effectively in contested environments, engaging both aerial and surface targets with precision.
Development of the Su-57 began in the late 1990s, with the prototype flying in January 2010. However, the program faced numerous delays due to technical challenges and funding issues, including the loss of the first production aircraft in a crash before it was delivered.
Despite these setbacks, the Su-57 officially entered service with the Russian Aerospace Forces (VKS) in December 2020.
About the Author:
Isaac Seitz, a Defense Columnist, graduated from Patrick Henry College’s Strategic Intelligence and National Security program. He has also studied Russian at Middlebury Language Schools and has worked as an intelligence Analyst in the private sector.
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