Key Points and Summary – Russia’s Su-57 Felon, its most advanced fighter jet, is severely hindered by a host of critical flaws that undermine its credibility as a fifth-generation platform.
-Its stealth is heavily compromised by design choices, making it a thousand times more detectable than an F-35.
Su-57 Felon Fighter Stealth. Image Credit: Creative Commons.
-The program is a production nightmare, with only a handful of combat-ready aircraft delivered after years of development.
-Furthermore, the jet suffers from immature avionics, chronic engine development bottlenecks, and a near-total lack of international interest, making it an expensive and ineffective “paper tiger” on the modern battlefield.
The 5 Fatal Flaws of the Su-57 Felon Fighter
The Sukhoi Su-57 Felon is currently Russia’s most advanced jet by a significant margin. However, this hardly says much since Russia’s aerospace industry has been stuck in a mire since the collapse of the USSR.
While the Su-57 incorporates several improvements over its Soviet-made counterparts, there are still several issues that hinder its performance.
From stealth companies to production bottlenecks, the Su-57 has a long way to go before it is ready for a war against Western stealth fighters.
Stealth Compromises
When designing the Su-57, the Russians opted for a frame that incorporated stealth features but also retained a high level of maneuverability. This makes the Felon fast and agile but it comes at the cost of advanced stealth capabilities.
Su-57 Fighter From Russia. Image Credit: Creative Commons.
The Su-57’s radar cross-section is considerably larger than that of its Western counterparts. Estimates suggest that the Su-57’s radar cross-section ranges from 0.1 to 1 square meters, whereas the F-35’s is as low as 0.0001 square meters.
This means the Su-57 is potentially up to a thousand times more detectable on radar than the F-35.
Several design choices contribute to this issue. The aircraft features visible rivets and panel seams that reflect radar waves, rounded engine nacelles and air inlets that are less radar-absorbent.
To be completely fair, most commentators who make this criticism reference the T-50 prototype, and not the actual, most recent production Su-57. However, even the production Su-57s are less stealthy than their American counterparts.
Additionally, initial versions of aircraft used worse radar coatings, a mistake which Russia has only recently addressed. These factors collectively undermine the aircraft’s ability to operate undetected in contested airspace, which is a core requirement for fifth-generation platforms.
Slow Production Rates
Arguably, the Su-57’s greatest weakness is its slow rate of production. The aircraft has been in development since the early 2000s, yet as of late 2024, only 31 units had been produced, with just 12 considered combat-ready.
Russia originally planned to deliver 76 Su-57s by 2027, but this target appears increasingly unrealistic.
The production bottleneck is largely due to limited industrial capacity at the Komsomolsk-on-Amur plant, supply chain disruptions, and international sanctions that restrict access to critical components such as advanced avionics and microelectronics. In 2024, Russia aimed to deliver 22 aircraft but had only managed five by September.
Su-57 Felon Artist Image> Image Credit: Screenshot.
As of the time of writing, no deliveries have been made public in 2025.
These delays not only affect the Russian Air Force’s operational capabilities but also damage the credibility of the aircraft on the global stage, especially among potential export customers.
Immature Avionics
Despite its sleek design and theoretical capabilities, many of its onboard systems are still in the process of maturing.
The Su-57 uses the N0-36 Belka AESA radar. This is a significant step up from the Ibris-B PESA radar that the Su-35 uses, but it is still a long way away from the technological sophistication of An/APG-81 AESA radar used in the F-35.
Some reports erroneously claimed that the Su-57 lacked sensor-fusion capabilities; however, this does not appear to be true. According to most sources, Su-57’s computers are able to combine radar tracks, infrared (IRST) detections, and other sensor data into a single, unified tactical picture for the pilot.
While still behind the advanced computational features of the F-35, the Russians have at least made some progress in the field of sensor fusion.
Engine Bottlenecks
The Su-57’s engines have been a significant headache for Russia and remain one of the largest bottlenecks. Early Su-57 models were powered by the AL-41F1 engine, which lacks the thrust and efficiency needed for sustained supercruise.
Su-57 Felon Stealth Fighter Taking Off. Image Credit: Creative Commons.
The intended replacement, the Izdeliye 30 engine, promises improved performance but has faced repeated delays and was only recently added to the latest variants of the aircraft.
Without the Izdeliye 30, the Su-57 cannot fully realize its design potential. Its supercruise capability remains limited, its infrared signature suppression is inadequate, and its thrust-to-weight ratio and fuel efficiency fall short of Western standards.
These engine issues not only affect the aircraft’s performance but also complicate maintenance and logistics, further reducing its operational readiness.
Lack of International Interest
Ultimately, the Su-57 has struggled to attract international buyers, which has undermined its strategic and economic viability.
Initially, Russia aimed to export the aircraft widely, with countries such as India, China, and Algeria considered potential customers.
However, these efforts have largely failed. India withdrew from the joint Fifth Generation Fighter Aircraft (FGFA) program in 2018 due to concerns over cost, performance, and technology sharing.
China has shown little interest, preferring to invest in its own J-20 stealth fighter.
Su-57 Felon Fighter Back in 2011. Image Credit: Creative Commons.
Algeria remains the only confirmed export customer, and even that deal involves a downgraded version of the aircraft with reduced capabilities. Sanctions have further isolated Russia from global defense markets, making it challenging to secure components or support infrastructure for foreign buyers.
Without robust export sales, the Su-57 program lacks the economies of scale needed to reduce costs and improve production efficiency.
About the Author: Isaac Seitz
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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