The Sukhoi Su-57 Felon was Russia’s ambitious attempt at the fifth-generation stealth fighter elite — a craft packed full of advanced tech to place Russian aerospace once again in the news and challenge America’s best and brightest fighter planes like the F-22 and F-35. But it’s not all smooth sailing.
The Su-57 project dates back to the early 2000s with the PAK FA program. The aim was to come up with a single multi-purpose fighter that would be able to not only conquer the aerial space but also invade the opponent’s territory and do reconnaissance work. Included were the stealth technology, a great number of light-weight composite materials, concealed weapons compartments, and highly advanced avionics.
The plane was designed to be incredibly maneuverable in the air, with smart systems onboard — some went so far as calling the flight computer an “electronic co-pilot” — and radar spread all across the airframe to watch out for threats coming in from all angles.
Artificial intelligence was built into its communication and data systems so that pilots could get ahead of their competition and make fast decisions under difficult conditions. Russia’s state producers asserted that the technology made it possible for the plane to send encrypted information at high rates, helping to increase reconnaissance and combat effectiveness.
On paper, the Su-57 is impressive. It has a top speed of twice the speed of sound, a range of over 2,000 miles, and can accommodate hypersonic missiles and precise smart weapons. Its sensors can track multiple targets at once, and its artificial intelligence can learn from mission results to be a more effective tactician and help maintain the plane out of harm’s way. Its slender, angled shape with radar-absorbing materials and engines concealed within is intended to make it invisible to enemy radar, especially head-on.
But in reality, it has not been smooth sailing. Sanctions from the West have bitten Russia, keeping it from accessing key components like cutting-edge electronics and special materials employed in order to attain stealth. The Su-57’s radar, which was initially built based on German technology, is most affected. Efforts to replace these components with imports from other countries have not been straightforward, and there is doubt about the availability of these alternatives.
Because of these problems, very few Su-57s are operational. By late 2024, only about 22 had been delivered, including test and production models. Official targets for attaining higher numbers in subsequent years now seem unrealistic. Every Su-57 is a treasure — when one of them was hit in an attack in the Astrakhan region, it was losing an expensive part of Russia’s cutting-edge fighter capability. Replacing these planes is time-consuming and expensive, with limited spares, while Russia churns out more proven aircraft like the Su-30SM2 and Su-35S to fill gaps.
In action, the Su-57 has had a limited role in the war in Ukraine. Russia has been cautious about risking its precious few jets in contested airspace, not wanting to lose expensive, advanced technology and damage the jet’s global reputation. That self-restraint has meant the Su-57 has had little impact so far. Instead, Russia employs upgraded older jets, which may not be as advanced but are abundant and less expensive to repair.
As for exports to foreign nations, it has taken some time. Algeria has been the first customer, buying six Su-57E fighter aircraft, with pilots training in Russia, and talks of follow-on purchases. It is partly a question of keeping pace with fellow regional actors who possess advanced fighters.
But the order is small, and there are no other sizable sales in the offing. India, which had initially planned to co-design with Russia a fighter jet, pulled out in 2018, unhappy with the Su-57’s stealth and electronic features. The reputation of the aircraft has also been tarnished by sightings of blatant flaws at airshows and problems concerning the overall quality of manufacture.
Compared to Western rivals, the issues of the Su-57 are more noticeable. Besides, a huge supply chain and quality assurance support the U.S., which already has more than a thousand F-35s in production all over the world. Both the F-22 and F-35 are the gold standards for stealth and sensor technologies with a successful combat record and stable flight profiles. Russia is secretly wishing that its aircraft could easily neutralize Western air defense technology, but the majority of experts say that it is still in its early days of stealth technology.
With that in mind, the Su-57 is still a major part of the Russian military strategy for the future. The Kremlin sees it as a symbol of national pride and a way of staying at the same level as other great powers. But the Su-57 is very likely to become a prestige program rather than one of the front-line game-changers because of the continuous sanctions and production problems. The global arms market is keeping an eye on this, but for now, Russia’s leading-edge fighter is having trouble with both flying on the runway and worldwide.