Russia’s Sukhoi Su-57 Felon is widely considered the worst-performing stealth fighter. Sukhoi’s own patent describes the Su-57 having a frontal radar cross-section of 0.1 to 1 m². That is comparable to a clean F/A-18 Super Hornet or a Tomahawk cruise missile. Neither is referred to as stealth. The Su-57 has a 1,000 times greater RCS than an F-35. The F-35 detects the Su-57 at 6 times the range. The F-35 has a 28-1 kill ratio against 4th-generation fighters at Red Flag and Northern Edge exercises.
The Su-57 Felon Doesn’t Have the Numbers of a Stealth Fighter
Su-57 Felon Fighter from Russia. Image Credit: Creative Commons.
Su-57 Felon from Russian Air Force. Image Credit: Creative Commons.
Su-57 Felon Fighter with Trail. Image Credit: Creative Commons.
While Russian combat aircraft excel in raw speed, maneuverability, and durability for rugged environments, they lack the advanced stealth, radar systems, and multi-role versatility found in Western platforms like the F-35.
This is a significant factor in why Russian aircraft are often considered inferior to Western counterparts, primarily due to lagging, non-stealthy avionics, lower-quality manufacturing tolerances, and a lack of integrated sensor systems (net-centric warfare).
There are three countries currently that claim to have produced 5th Generation stealth fighters: the United States ( the Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor and F-35 Lightning II), the People’s Republic of China (the Chengdu J-20 Mighty Dragon and Shenyang J-35), and Russia (the Sukhoi Su-57 NATO reporting name Felon).
What Is A Fifth-Generation Fighter Aircraft?
A 5th-generation fighter is currently the most advanced class of combat aircraft in operation, developed from the early 2000s to blend stealth, advanced avionics, and high performance.
Key characteristics include low-probability-of-intercept radar (LPIR), integrated sensor fusion for superior situational awareness, internal weapon bays, and C3 (command, control, and communications) capabilities, designed to dominate in modern network-centric warfare.
The next-generation sixth-generation fighter aircraft are already being developed by the US and China, while Russia has claimed it, but with little proof.
The Russian Sukhoi Su-57 is widely considered by many experts to be the worst-performing stealth fighter, particularly compared to its American and Chinese counterparts like the F-22 Raptor and J-20, due to significantly inferior stealth capabilities, limited production, and issues with technology and workmanship.
And a recent article on aviationgeekclub.com by a former E/A-18 Growler pilot points out that, without bias, Western fighter aircraft are vastly superior to Russian aircraft.
Su-57 Felon Stealth Fighter in the Sky. Image Credit: Creative Commons.
Su-57 Felon Screengrab from Russia. Image Credit: X Screengrab.
Su-57 Felon Stealth Fighter Taking Off. Image Credit: Creative Commons.
Iran Air Campaigns Show The Need For Stealth, Russia Doesn’t Have:
“Without bias, it sure does look that way,” said Adam Daymude. “The Su-27 Flanker family is probably the best the Russians have right now (forget their Su-57 or MiG equivalent because they aren’t really operational).
“A Flanker is a huge problem because it’s in the same class of fighters as an F-15C or Super Hornet. It has decent legs and can carry some really formidable weapons. But Russia doesn’t have true stealth and we’re finding out just how important that is in real time.
“The Israelis have decimated the Iranian air defenses in just a couple of days while receiving barely a scratch in return, using these (F-35I) bad boys.”
Daymude pointed out that although Russia (and the Soviet Union) built very good anti-aircraft missiles, the US pilots trained to beat them, the Russians never achieved air superiority, much less air dominance over the skies of Ukraine.
“Where are they in Ukraine, though? Just like what the Israelis did with their attack on Iran, NATO would go in and remove all shooters (SAMs and fighters) so that the follow-on flights wouldn’t have to be bothered by outside threats and could instead hit whatever target we want with impunity,” he said.
“These missions are called SEAD/DEAD (Suppression/Destruction of Enemy Air Defenses). Russia clearly can’t do that, though. I don’t know if it’s money, corruption, or a general lack of planning (probably a combo of all 3).”
The lack of a true stealth aircraft is a major issue in Ukraine.
The Su-57 Felon Has the RCS 1,000 Times That Of An F-35:
Dario Leone, a respected aviation analyst, cites evidence of the Felon’s enormous radar cross-section, according to Abhirup Sengupta, an aviation expert, on Quora.
“Sukhoi’s own patent describes the Su-57 having a frontal RCS between 0.1 to 1 m^2 (-10 to 1 dBsm), which is comparable to that of a clean F-18E Super Hornet or Tomahawk cruise missile. Do you see anyone referring to either as Stealth?” Sengupta asked.
‘“Imagine if Boeing were to market F/A-18 Super Hornets or F-15 Silent Eagles with Enclosed Weapons pod and weapon bays as a ‘Stealth aircraft’ along the lines of 5th gen. aircraft, how do you think they would compare to the F-35?,” he added.The Su-57 has a 1,000 times greater RCS than an F-35 he said, adding that the F-35 will be able to detect the Felon at six times the range of the Su-57.
The F-35 Has a 28-1 Kill Ration Against 4th Generation Fighters:
“We see this time and again in Red Flags and Northern Edge with F-35 having 28–1 kill ratio against modern 4th gen. aircraft backed by AWACS and SAMs. The enormous difference in detection range from Stealth is the primary factor for such a lopsided kill ratio,” Sengupta said.
“The Su-57 is nowhere near the F-35 for similar reasons as to why F/A-18 Super Hornets are nowhere near the F-35. The gap in Stealth and ultimately Situational Awareness is just overwhelming,” he added.
The Su-57 is powered by two Saturn AL-41F1 afterburning turbofan engines, which enable it to reach Mach 2.45. A new engine has been in the works for a decade, but has not materialized.
The aircraft’s armament includes a 30 mm autocannon under the nose and various anti-ship, anti-aircraft, and anti-armor missile configurations, with eight hard points in the storage bays.
According to Air Force Technology, the Russian aircraft is also equipped with 3D thrust vectoring jets, enabling higher maneuverability and the ability to achieve supersonic cruise speed.
Manufacturing Is Years Behind Schedule:
Despite heavily marketing the Su-57E (export version), the only taker appears to be Algeria. The two countries reportedly agreed to a deal for 14 Su-57s in late 2019, but Algeria didn’t publicly confirm it until this year. Why?
Sukhoi is years behind in delivering Su-57s to the Russian military. The Russian Air Force currently only has about 32 to 40 Su-57s. Russia will likely struggle to meet the 2025 deadline for Algeria. As of March 2026, they’ve delivered two Su-57s to Algeria.
Russia’s Wild Claims About The Su-57 Being 6th-Generation Soon:
TASS, the government-controlled news service, reported that an upgraded and even more advanced model of the Su-57 could be in development, and that it would be the world’s first in-service “sixth-generation” aircraft.
TASS quoted Russian Aerospace Force ex-commander and Chairman of the Federation Council Defense and Security Committee Viktor Bondarev, who made an outlandish claim.
“This is actually a splendid plane, and it can embrace both fifth-and sixth-generation features. It has huge modernization potential. Importantly, it is the best among existing versions in terms of its stealth characteristics. It incorporates all the best that is available in modern aviation science, both in Russia and in the world.”
Russia’s Su-57 Debacle In China:
Russia sent a Su-57 to China in November for the 15th China International Aviation and Aerospace Exhibition, which was a public-relations disaster. Chinese social media, which is very pro-China and anti-West, was quick to point out flaws in the Russian design, despite the two countries’ publicly stated “no limits partnership.”
Russia made the mistake of sending a prototype Felon instead of a production model. Meanwhile, the Chinese are trying to drum up business for their own exports. Several aviation enthusiasts were quick to point out numerous design issues and other perceived flaws. That included the numerous exposed bolts and rivets on the fuselage, as well as poorly aligned sections and tolerances.
As to it soon being a “sixth-generation” aircraft? It’s probably a stretch to call it a true fifth-generation stealth aircraft.
About the Author: Steve Balestrieri
Steve Balestrieri is a National Security Columnist. He served as a US Army Special Forces NCO and Warrant Officer. In addition to writing on defense, he covers the NFL for PatsFans.com and is a member of the Pro Football Writers of America (PFWA). His work was regularly featured in many military publications.
