Russia's only fifth-generation fighter aircraft is the Sukhoi Su-57 Felon. This aircraft boasts advanced aerodynamics which enable it to fly supersonic even without afterburners. It also includes canted thrust-vectoring nozzles that are designed to increase missile range. Its single-barrel 30mm cannon is capable of firing 1500 rounds per hour. A virtual co-pilot can also be found on the Su-57's Flight Deck, which allows it to gather crucial information from the aircraft sensors.
The Su-57 Russian plane is the first one to be made from scratch. The aircraft was designed and constructed largely using titanium alloys as well as proprietary Russian metals. There have been several versions of this aircraft. Some of the aircraft are expected to be mass-produced, while others are being offered to other countries for export.
Original plans for the Su-57 were to make it the first in a new generation Russian stealth fighters. However, development for the jet was hampered by a lack of funding and technical issues. Although a few prototypes were built, the project's development has been a challenge. There have been many setbacks in the program. The engines of the first stage prototypes cracked during a public display and the test flight that crashed. In an interview with Suvorovsky Natisk newspaper, Lt. Colonel Ilya Sizov, Deputy Regiment Commander, stated that although there has been two Su-57s spotted at Novosibirsk's airbase, it is not clear if there will be a third batch.
Lack of funding is one major obstacle facing the Su-57. Since the Su-57's initial development in 2007, the Kremlin isn't always following through on its orders. Russian defense has faced budgetary woes due to sanctions from the world. India withdrew earlier this year from the program. This has resulted in a reduction of $7 billion in the Su-57’s development budget. Despite the loss, Russia has continued to seek partners for the project. South Korea, Turkey and Brazil have expressed an interest in the jet.
The Su-57 was initially expected to arrive in the Russian Air Force around 2022. The United Aircraft Corporation has now announced expansion plans that will allow the fighter to be produced faster. These plans include additional production lines and the establishment of a motor test facility to support the Su-57 Order. As of today, there have been four aircraft manufactured.
Despite many setbacks and difficulties, the Su-57 continues to be a promising fifth-generation fighter. It can do flat rotations with minimal altitude loss. The future "sixthgeneration" aircraft will likely feature its artificial intelligence system. A unique feature of the Su-57 aircraft is its onboard cluster computer, which turns it into a data center in space. Artificial intelligence can also collect data from the aircraft's sensors, thereby providing essential information to the human operator.
The engine upgrade will be part of the next phase of Su-57 production. The thrust provided by the new "izdeliye" 30 engines will be around 16 tonnes. They are expected to be in service by 2023.