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Russia’s Su-57 Felon Stealth Fighter: Would China Buy It?

Image of Russia's Su-57 fighter. Creative Commons.
Image of Russia's Su-57 fighter. Creative Commons.

Key Points and Summary: Russia is seeking to export its Su-57 Felon stealth fighter, but its prospects, particularly with China, are uncertain.

-Despite close ties between Putin and Xi, and previous Chinese purchases of Russian military hardware, the Su-57’s debut at a Chinese airshow was met with criticism.

-China already operates its own J-20 stealth fighter and may not need the Felon. Furthermore, Western sanctions are hindering Russia’s ability to produce the Su-57 in significant numbers.

-While the Su-57 boasts impressive speed and maneuverability, its future as an export success remains unclear, especially given the challenges faced by potential buyers like Algeria in maintaining such a complex aircraft.

Would China Buy Russia’s Su-57 Stealth Fighter?

Russia and China are forging closer ties, and this includes a defense acquisition relationship that grows more each year.

Since 1990, China has bought around $39 billion worth of defense systems from Russia. And this has been reciprocal. China has recently sold “machine tools, microelectronics, and other technology” to Russia for military use against Ukraine. Russia’s Vladimir Putin and China’s Xi Jinping are meeting more often to grow the level of military cooperation.

But, there could be an even bigger sale in the offing: think stealth fighters. 

Not a Big Hit at Major Air Expo in China

Over the years, to name just one example, Russia has sold Su-35 fighter jets to China.

Putin could benefit from more arms sales to China to support fledgling stealth fighters such as the Su-57 Felon

Moscow sent two Felon prototypes to China last fall for an air show in Zhuhai. This went over poorly as the Chinese turned their noses up at the Su-57, and reportedly “mocked [the Su-57s] for their poor workmanship and conditions.”

This was the Su-57’s first appearance in China. One prototype flew from Russia, and the other arrived on a cargo plane. 

At the air expo, attendees were not impressed. Chinese state media said there were “negative comments or complaints” about the Su-57, according to Newsweek that translated the Chinese article. “There were obvious seams on the aircraft’s surface and the weapons bay door could not be completely closed,” the critique said.

Of course, this does not mean all Su-57s coming off the production line in the future will have such problems. The Russians likely rushed the prototypes to meet the air show deadline and left many components in disrepair, but this is an inauspicious start to the Su-57 export program.

Can Russia Build Enough Su-57s for the Foreign Market and Domestic Needs?

One problem the Russians are having is the difficulty in overcoming Western sanctions. 

Advanced electronics are complex to come by, and even if the Chinese were to order Felons tomorrow, Russia could not meet the contract stipulations. 

Russia plans to receive 76 Su-57s by 2028 and it is not clear if that number will be attainable. 

It would make sense for China to purchase the Felon since fifth-generation fighters are nice to have. Still, Xi Jinping’s aerospace industry is producing its own fifth-generation and sixth-generation airplanes already.

Limited Use in the Ukrainian War

Russia’s state media has bragged the Su-57 has done an excellent job flying missions over Ukraine. 

However, the Su-57 has likely done a limited number of missions during the war. 

Su-57 Felon Fighter

Su-57 stealth fighter. Image Credit: Wikicommons.

Russia is worried about the repercussions of losing a Felon to Ukrainian air defense missiles or fighter jets.

 A loss of the Su-57 would make for a public relations bonanza for Ukraine, and Volodymyr Zelensky’s intelligence analysts would pour over the wreckage looking for components they could copy. This information would also be shared with Western intel agencies.

The Algerians Would Have a Difficult Time with the Su-57

One country, Algeria, has been interested in buying the Felon. 

However, the Algerians would have challenges keeping the Felon in the air without more training and expertise. 

Stealth coatings are difficult to maintain, and other systems are technologically beyond the ability of an air force from the developing world.

At the Zhuhai air show, Alexander Mikheev, chief executive officer of Russia’s arms export agency Rosoboronexport, said there was a buyer and a signed contract for the Su-57 with a foreign military. Still, the CEO did not reveal which country agreed to the sale. 

Russia's Su-57

Russia’s Su-57 Stealth Fighter. Image Credit: Creative Commons.

Su-57 Felon Fighter Specs

The Su-57 Felon is 66 feet long with a wingspan of 46 feet. The stealth fighter has two Saturn AL-41 after-burning turbofan engines that push out a top speed of MACH 2. The airplane has a service ceiling of almost 66,000 feet with a range of 2,800 miles. 

It can be armed with precision-guided munitions, cluster bombs, and an assortment of air-to-air and air-to-surface missiles.

What to Make of This Russian Stealth Fighter? 

So far, the Su-57 has mixed reviews. People at the air show panned it. The prototypes were embarrassing. The stealth jet has a mystery buyer, but China may not go for it in numbers. Sanctions slow the production rate. Russia desperately needs hard currency to keep the Su-57 program afloat.

Russian Stealth Fighters Su-57 Felon

Su-57 in 2011

China is not yet the export partner for the Su-57–and might never buy this fighter. The Chinese already have the J-20 stealth fighter similar to the Felon. This situation could always change. The relationship between Putin and Xi is excellent, and the Russian dictator is likely planning to push exports of Felon to the Chinese. The Russians are not getting big-ticket item sales from the Chinese yet; however, the military components they are receiving have been helpful. The Su-57 is very maneuverable and fast, but Xi’s generals will probably keep kicking the tires rather than making a significant order.

About the Author: Brent M. Eastwood 

Brent M. Eastwood, PhD, is the author of Don’t Turn Your Back On the World: a Conservative Foreign Policy and Humans, Machines, and Data: Future Trends in Warfare plus, two other books. Brent was the founder and CEO of a tech firm that predicted world events using artificial intelligence. He served as a legislative fellow for U.S. Senator Tim Scott and advised the senator on defense and foreign policy issues. He has taught at American University, George Washington University, and George Mason University. Brent is a former U.S. Army Infantry officer. He can be followed on X @BMEastwood.

Written By

Now serving as 1945s Defense and National Security Editor, Brent M. Eastwood, PhD, is the author of Humans, Machines, and Data: Future Trends in Warfare. He is an Emerging Threats expert and former U.S. Army Infantry officer.

1 Comment

1 Comment

  1. Jeremiah johnson

    February 1, 2025 at 3:18 pm

    Russia makes a very best fighter , jets and bombers in the world. While america EU, UK was studying the twelve genders. Russia was teaching their use science engineering math and morals and faith.

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