Russia’s Su-57 Felon has not been revolutionary during the Russo-Ukraine war.
Considered one of Vladimir Putin’s “super weapons,” it had high expectations before the conflict, but it has not lived up to its press clippings to date.
Su-57 Felon Model Aircraft. Image taken on 4/20/2026 by Reuben F. Johnson.
The stealth Su-57 often remains in Russian airspace and launches only air-to-ground missiles from relative safety. Putin does not want to see his baby get shot down.
Stealthiness Is Over-stated
The Russians believe this warbird is more stealthy than the F-22 or F-35. This may be another overrated aspect of the Felon.
The American models simply have greater radar evasion due to the Felon’s lack of full stealthiness. In fact, the Su-57 may be no more than a fourth-generation “+” or “++” and not a full fifth-generation model.
Su-57: Not Enough Airplanes to Establish Air Dominance
Plus, the stealth Su-57 has not been built in the numbers required to make a difference in the war. There may be as few as 24 flying regularly.
The lack of dogfighting experience is a glaring problem.
Su-57 Felon Fighter UAC Stock Photo.
Russia’s Su-57 Felon Fighter
It has not shown it can evade enemy air defenses or conduct ground strikes against Ukrainian radars and command and control centers like the F-22 and F-35 have done against Iran.
The Thrust Vectoring Is a Saving Point
However, the stealth Su-57 does have thrust-vectoring engines, which give it high performance and maneuverability at speeds of MACH 2+. The thrust-to-weight ratio is decent, and the powerplant enables it to climb quickly, with the alacrity that makes pilots happy they are at the controls.
One problem with the Su-57’s original engines is that they detract from the airplane’s overall stealthiness.
They have a high radar return, which limits their evasive capability. The jet’s rear aspect and heat generated from its engines can give away its position on thermal scopes.
The First Engines Had Issues
Early versions of the stealth Felon featured the Saturn AL-41F1 (also referred to as Izdeliye 117). This was a decent early attempt at air dominance.
The Saturns had 32,000 pounds of thrust when afterburners were engaged.
The AL-41 was not seen as an ultra-modern engine, though, and resembled those used on fourth-generation airplanes such as the older versions of the Eurofighter Typhoon and the Dassault Rafale.
Russian Technicians Delivered a New Propulsion System
Russian engineers noted the disadvantage and got to work on a new propulsion system. Out went the Saturn AL-41 and in came the Product 177 (officially called the AL-51F1).
This was tested in 2025 and resulted in greater thrust and climbing ability. Plus, it enhanced the Felon’s overall stealthiness.
New Product 177 Solved Some Problems
The Product 177 also saved fuel and was considered more efficient than the AL-41. The Su-57’s range could be extended, reducing reliance on aerial refueling.
These engines should be better able to take the fight to the enemy, although they are new and not combat-tested in dogfighting or evading enemy surface-to-air missiles.
Serrated nozzles on the Product 177s are better at evading radar and reducing heat signature.
This enhances combat capability and will give pilots a sigh of relief, knowing they can outrun and outfox air defenses.
Let’s See If This New Engine Can Do the Job
The stealth Su-57’s takeoff weight with a full combat load is still over 35 tons, and the Product 177 will have to strain to keep this warbird from having too much drag and not enough lift.
But the Russians are sure that the new engine can deliver the performance needed to survive and thrive in all modes of combat.
Not Forged in Combat
However, the Su-57 is not that battle-tested. Putin and his generals are afraid that the Su-57 could get shot down and its pilot taken prisoner.
This would be disastrous for the war effort and a public relations bonanza for the Ukrainians.
At some point, the Felon will need to regularly run missions over Ukrainian airspace, or this is going down as an overrated airplane that is an expensive paper tiger.
Will Russia Produce More Felons?
Plus, the Russian aerospace industrial base needs to build more Su-57s to allow the airplane to win a fight.
They just have enough for one to two squadrons, and that is not enough to overwhelm the Ukrainians or NATO aircraft, which could outfight them if needed.
Russia Needs to Place More Emphasis on the Felon Program
Russia has some explaining to do regarding the Su-57. It was a good move to swap out engines and increase radar evasion with the new powerplant, but this comes at a time when the Felon should have been used more craftily and robustly in combat.
It doesn’t do anyone any good to launch glide bombs from Russian airspace. That is not what Putin’s air force generals had in mind when they produced the Su-57.
Until we see examples of real combat, the Su-57 may be no more than a bragging point for Putin and not an asset capable of establishing and maintaining air dominance.
About the Author: Brent M. Eastwood, PhD
Author of now over 3,500 articles on defense issues, 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 US 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 US Army Infantry officer. He can be followed on X @BMEastwood.
