Russia’s Su-57 Has a Message for the F-35 Debate: “Stealth” vs. Reality
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).
Meanwhile, India is working on its Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA), but it isn’t expected to be fully operational until 2035.
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.
A recent compelling article on aviationgeekclub.com suggests the Su-57 may not be a stealth aircraft at all, despite being marketed as such by the Russians.
So, is it a true fifth-generation fighter or a fraud?
The 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 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 F-35?” he added.
Su-57 stealth fighter. Image Credit: Creative Commons.
Russia’s Su-57 Stealth Fighter. Image Credit: Creative Commons.
Su-57. Image Credit: Creative Commons.
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 a 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.”
“The Su-57 is nowhere near F-35 for similar reasons as to why F/A-18 Super Hornets are nowhere near F-35. The gap in Stealth and ultimately Situational Awareness is just overwhelming,” Sengupta said.
Su-57 History:
The Felon is capable of aerial combat, ground attack, and maritime strikes. The Su-57 incorporates stealthy characteristics, supermaneuverability, supercruise, integrated avionics, and large payload capacity.
Russia and India signed a contract in 2010 for Sukhoi and Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) to jointly develop a derivative of the PAK FA, called the Fifth Generation Fighter Aircraft (FGFA). Each country was to pay $6 billion, and the development was expected to take 8-10 years.
However, by 2014, the partnership fell apart. The Indian Air Force began voicing concerns about performance, especially regarding the stealth feature, cost, and workshare. India found that the aircraft did not meet its requirements and left the partnership in 2018.
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 vector jets, enabling higher maneuverability and the ability to achieve supersonic cruise.
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 on a deal for 14 Su-57s in late 2019, but Algeria didn’t publicly confirm the deal until this year. Why?
Russian Su-57 stealth fighter. Image Credit: Creative Commons.
Su-57 stealth fighter. Image Credit: Wikicommons.
Su-75 Checkmate and Su-57 stealth fighter. Image Credit: Creative Commons.
Sukhoi is years behind in delivering Su-57s to the Russian military. The Russian Air Force currently only has about 15 Su-57s. Russia will likely struggle to meet Algeria’s 2025 deadline.
Another reason is that Algerian law requires imported military aircraft to be flight-tested in the country first, which, according to Tom Cooper, an expert on Russian military aircraft,the Russians would never allow.
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 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 and poorly aligned sections and tolerances.
As to it soon being a “sixth-generation” aircraft? It probably isn’t even a 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.
