Synopsis: The Su-57 “Felon” is Russia’s ambitious attempt to bridge the 5th-generation gap, yet in 2026, it remains hampered by a critical lack of scale.
-Boasting a blended-wing body and a top speed of Mach 2, the jet features AESA radar and IRST targeting similar to the U.S. Navy’s Block III Super Hornet.
-However, while it “looks” stealthy, its tolerances and exposed rivets raise questions about its actual radar cross-section (RCS) compared to the F-22.
-With fewer than 20 operational units, the Su-57 serves primarily as a stand-off missile platform, avoiding direct engagement with advanced Western-backed air defenses.
The “Numbers Problem”: Why Russia’s tiny Su-57 Fleet Can’t Challenge NATO’s 1,000+ F-35s
Russia has reportedly only used its Su-57s in a small capacity in the Ukraine war. Yet the presence of the jet in recent social media videos from the warzone raised significant questions about the maturity and operational capabilities of Russia’s 5th-gen stealth fighter.
Is the Russian Su-57 truly a 5th-generation fighter capable of rivaling the F-35 and F-22?
The answer to this may not be known, apart from what little detail can be gleaned from the Russian media and a simple observer’s view of the Su-57’s external configuration. The aircraft appears stealthy, and as a dual-engine stealth fighter with tail fins, it resembles the F-22, albeit slightly wider.
Su-57 Mystery
Little is known about how much of a threat Russia’s 5th-generation Su-57 poses to adversaries.
Russian media reports extensively on the airframe’s performance parameters, yet little is known about its computing, weapons interfaces, sensing, and manned-unmanned teaming capabilities.
Certainly, given its configuration, the Su-57 does look stealthy, with its blended-wing body and rounded fuselage. However, how might it compare with the F-35 regarding sensing and high-speed, AI-enabled computing that can gather sensor input from disparate data sources and perform immediate analysis and organization to present integrated information to a pilot?
Su-57 vs F-22
Additional specs on the Su-57 suggest it can reach Mach 2 and travel up to 2,200 miles. This makes the jet slightly slower than an F-22, which reportedly reaches Mach 2.25. The Su-57 may also not have a thrust-to-weight ratio that rivals an F-22’s, meaning it may not be as competitive as a true air-dominance platform such as the F-22.
It is reported that the Su-57 has an AESA (Active Electronically Scanned Array) radar and a phased-array radar, supported by extensive electronic countermeasures. Further details suggest the Su-57 uses an F/A-18-like Infrared Search and Track targeting technology, which, among other things, enables fighter jets to operate in a high-threat “jamming” environment.
Su-57 artist rendering. Image Credit: Creative Commons.
Su-57 stealth fighter. Image Credit: Creative Commons.
Russia’s Su-57 Stealth Fighter. Image Credit: Creative Commons.
Regardless of the extent to which the Felon can truly rival U.S. 5th-generation aircraft, Russia’s next-generation aircraft primarily suffers from a numbers problem. There are just not that many of them, as multiple public reports say there are currently between four and 15 operational Su-57 aircraft, and Russia’s TASS news agency has reported plans to acquire 76 Su-57s over the next five years.
A very recent report in Aviation Week and Defence Industry Europe suggests that Russia may have just received an unknown number of Su-57s, but no details were available. The U.S., for example, operates as many as 300 F-35s, and that does not include the fast-arriving NATO and European F-35s, giving the U.S. and NATO a sizeable margin of superiority in a possible air superiority war with the Su-57.
Manned-Unmanned Teaming
There is also the question of manned-unmanned teaming, as Russian media reports have mentioned efforts to connect drones with manned fighter jets using what the U.S. Air Force refers to as a “loyal wingman” scenario. The U.S. Air Force, for instance, has demonstrated that its Valkyrie drone can share real-time data with an F-35, and it is not at all clear that Russia’s Su-57 is in any way capable of such technology. Russia’s Izvestia news reported that the Su-57 is working to network with Russia’s S-70 Okhotnik B-drone. The extent of Russian progress on this may be unknown, including whether the Su-57 can operate drones in real time.
Su-57 Mach 2
Nevertheless, the Felon may present a significant threat to both Ukraine and the West, given its reported specs, technologies, and stealthy configuration. The aircraft certainly looks stealthy with its flat, rounded-wing, body-blended fuselage, has a reported range of up to 2,200 miles, and reaches speeds of Mach 2.
The quality of its computing, sensing, weapons, and targeting is likely more difficult to determine.
Yet, answers to those questions are likely to indicate whether the Su-57 can, in fact, rival an F-35.
What kind of range and resolution do the Su-57’s sensors have? What about mission systems, onboard computing, and weapons guidance?
The F-35 has, for instance, shown in wargames that its computing and long-range, high-fidelity sensors can detect and destroy large numbers of enemy fighters from stand-off ranges, where it remains undetected. How does the Su-57 compare in this respect?
Available data indicate that the Su-57 operates with an Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar and a phased-array radar, supported by extensive electronic countermeasures and infrared search-and-track (IRST) targeting technology.
The IRST on the Felon may or may not be similar to the one currently operating on the U.S. Navy’s Block III Super Hornet. The F-18s’ IRST is designed to operate effectively in a “jamming” environment
About the Author: Kris Osborn
Kris Osborn is the President of Warrior Maven – Center for Military Modernization. Osborn previously served at the Pentagon as a highly qualified expert in the Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Army—Acquisition, Logistics & Technology. Osborn has also worked as an anchor and on-air military specialist at national TV networks. He has appeared as a guest military expert on Fox News, MSNBC, The Military Channel, and The History Channel. He also has a Masters Degree in Comparative Literature from Columbia University.
