Russia's new Su-57 'stealth' fighter already looks like a disappointment

[Zarvan]

On August 11, Russia named its new stealth fighter the Su-57, but despite having a name, a finalized design, and a tentative date for its delivery, it already looks like a huge disappointment.

Russia first flew the Su-57 in 2010, demonstrating that it would enter the race towards fifth-generation aircraft after the US revolutionized aerial combat with the F-22, and later the F-35.

But in the years since, the Su-57 has failed to present a seriously viable future for Russian military aviation. Russia already fields some of the most maneuverable planes on earth. It has serious firepower in terms of missiles and bombs, and long-distance bombers and fighters. But what Russia doesn't have is a stealth jet of any kind.

While Russian media calls the Su-57 an "aerial ghost," a senior scientist working on stealth aircraft for the US called it a "dirty aircraft," with many glaring flaws that would light up radars scanning for the plane.

Additionally, two of the plane's most fearsome weapons, the Kh-35UEm a subsonic, anti-ship cruise missile, and the nuclear-capable BrahMos-A supersonic cruise missile, can't fit in the internal weapons bay and must hang from the wings, as the Diplomat's Franz-Stefan Gady reports.

Since a stealth plane needs every single angle of the jet to perfectly contour to baffle radars, hanging weapons off the wings absolutely kills stealth.

But stealth is just one of the Su-57s problems. The other is the engine. Unlike US stealth jets that have new engines, the Su-57 currently flies with the same engine that power's Russia's last generation of fighters.

Russia has lots of experience building capable jets and missiles, but no experience building a fifth-gen fighter. Anton Egorov

Russia plans to get new engines in the Su-57 by the end of 2017 for testing, but it likely won't be ready for use by 2025, The National Interest's Dave Majumdar reports.

Additionally, Majumdar reports that Moscow will only buy 12 of the planes by 2019 and perhaps never more than 60 in total.

Though Russian media boasts the Su-57 can be piloted remotely and handle extreme G forces, the combination of a lack of stealth and a lack of truly modern propulsion has caused critics to say the plane is fifth-generation "in name only."

Whatever the plane's performance is, the low buy numbers out of Moscow indicate that the budding Su-57 is already a flop.

http://www.businessinsider.com/russ...urce=facebook.com&utm_campaign=buffer-defense

 

[Hassan Guy]

They've built 9 prototypes and building 2 more.

 

[Arsalan]

We may see India going for F35 soon and ditch Russians on Su-57 in the process. The Russians have not been successful in the fifth generation fighter aircraft program. As far as i can see, Chinese were better than the Russians in this.

 

[wiseone2]

We may see India going for F35 soon and ditch Russians on Su-57 in the process. The Russians have not been successful in the fifth generation fighter aircraft program. As far as i can see, Chinese were better than the Russians in this.

I doubt China will succeed with their 5th generation aircraft

 

[Arsalan]

I doubt China will succeed with their 5th generation aircraft

Ok

 

[Guynextdoor2]

We may see India going for F35 soon and ditch Russians on Su-57 in the process. The Russians have not been successful in the fifth generation fighter aircraft program. As far as i can see, Chinese were better than the Russians in this.

Highly unlikely. The Russians will eventually get it right. But this also shows why India has been dragging its feet and pushing the program so much. It means we have a detailed understanding of the jet pushing our Russian friends hard to get the project right.

 

[wiseone2]

Highly unlikely. The Russians will eventually get it right. But this also shows why India has been dragging its feet and pushing the program so much. It means we have a detailed understanding of the jet pushing our Russian friends hard to get the project right.

With stealth there are different generations
f-117
b-1, b-2
f-22, f-35

getting f-117 class stealth gives an edge versus 3rd world air force
you would be a sitting duck against 1st world air force with f-35s

 

[Guynextdoor2]

With stealth there are different generations
f-117
b-1, b-2
f-22, f-35

getting f-117 class stealth gives an edge versus 3rd world air force
you would be a sitting duck against 1st world air force with f-35s

our most important enemies are china and Pakistan. For all the bluster Chinese jets are junk. And so are Pak jets. So unless you plan to go to war with the US or Russia (highly unlikely), even current Pak Fa is a great addition.

 

[StraightShooter]

We may see India going for F35 soon and ditch Russians on Su-57 in the process. The Russians have not been successful in the fifth generation fighter aircraft program. As far as i can see, Chinese were better than the Russians in this.

India is not ditching SU-57/FGFA.

The contract negotiation between Russia and India have been completed.

Indian assessment/recommendation report was also completed.

The deal is expected to be signed anytime in the next 3 months.

 

[Papa Dragon]

We may see India going for F35 soon and ditch Russians on Su-57 in the process. The Russians have not been successful in the fifth generation fighter aircraft program. As far as i can see, Chinese were better than the Russians in this.

It is highly unlikely that India may go for F35 as we need ToT or co-development and there is no way US is gonna agree with that, maybe not even for the F16s and also we would be last in the list if we ever order them which may take 10-15 years to receive our first.

Regarding PAK-FA, there are certain issues which the article mentioned like the engines and weapons like Brahmos being too big for the internal bay, but the new izdeliye 30 is being tested which is highly likely to go into the production models and variants of Brahmos are being developed like the Brahmos-NG which can be carried in internal weapons bay and Su-30MKIs without modifying them.

 

[wiseone2]

our most important enemies are china and Pakistan. For all the bluster Chinese jets are junk. And so are Pak jets. So unless you plan to go to war with the US or Russia (highly unlikely), even current Pak Fa is a great addition.

how much of an improvement is it over the su-30 ?

 

[ptldM3]

We may see India going for F35 soon and ditch Russians on Su-57 in the process. The Russians have not been successful in the fifth generation fighter aircraft program. As far as i can see, Chinese were better than the Russians in this.

Thanks for that anylysis, when did Sukhoi release classified information to you regarding the radar, engines, weapons, ECM, maneuverability, navigations, targeting, datalink, RCS, etc for you to make that claim?

 

[vostok]

Thanks for that anylysis, when did Sukhoi release classified information to you regarding the radar, engines, weapons, ECM, maneuverability, navigations, targeting, datalink, RCS, etc for you to make that claim?

Why do you even answer in such topics?

 

[ashok321]

On August 11, Russia named its new stealth fighter the Su-57, but despite having a name, a finalized design, and a tentative date for its delivery, it already looks like a huge disappointment.

Russia first flew the Su-57 in 2010, demonstrating that it would enter the race towards fifth-generation aircraft after the US revolutionized aerial combat with the F-22, and later the F-35 .

But in the years since, the Su-57 has failed to present a seriously viable future for Russian military aviation. Russia already fields some of the most maneuverable planes on earth. It has serious firepower in terms of missiles and bombs, and long-distance bombers and fighters. But what Russia doesn't have is a stealth jet of any kind.

While Russian media calls the Su-57 an "aerial ghost," a senior scientist working on stealth aircraft for the US called it a "dirty aircraft," with many glaring flaws that would light up radars scanning for the plane.

Additionally, two of the plane's most fearsome weapons, the Kh-35UEm a subsonic, anti-ship cruise missile, and the nuclear-capable BrahMos-A supersonic cruise missile, can't fit in the internal weapons bay and must hang from the wings, as the Diplomat's Franz-Stefan Gady reports .

Since a stealth plane needs every single angle of the jet to perfectly contour to baffle radars, hanging weapons off the wings absolutely kills stealth.

But stealth is just one of the Su-57s problems. The other is the engine. Unlike US stealth jets that have new engines, the Su-57 currently flies with the same engine that power's Russia's last generation of fighters.

Russia plans to get new engines in the Su-57 by the end of 2017 for testing, but it likely won't be ready for use by 2025, The National Interest's Dave Majumdar reports .

Additionally, Majumdar reports that Moscow will only buy 12 of the planes by 2019 and perhaps never more than 60 in total.

Though Russian media boasts the Su-57 can be piloted remotely and handle extreme G forces, the combination of a lack of stealth and a lack of truly modern propulsion has caused critics to say the plane is fifth-generation " in name only ."

Whatever the plane's performance is, the low buy numbers out of Moscow indicate that the budding Su-57 is already a flop.

 

[bdslph]

come on guy its not a build a plane
look at usa f35 how much invested and how many country also joined in
its aint easy its going to take a lot more time to make it perfect