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 features canted thrust vectoring, which increases the missile's range. Additionally, its single-barrel 30 mm cannon has a firing rate of 1500 rounds per minute. 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 design and construction of the aircraft is largely based on titanium alloys and proprietary Russian metals. Several versions of the aircraft have been developed. Some models are set to be mass produced, and others are being sold to other nations as possible exports.
The Su-57 was originally designed to be the first Russian stealth plane. The jet's development was delayed by technical and financial issues as well as a lack of funds. Although there were a few prototypes built, the project's continued development was a difficult task. There have been several setbacks to the program. One was the engines of the prototypes that were in their first stages cracking at a public demonstration and another when a test flight crashed. In a recent interview with the Eastern Military District newspaper Suvorovsky Natisk, Deputy Regiment Commander Lt. Col. Ilya Sizov said that there is no official confirmation of a third batch of Su-57s, though two have been spotted in an airbase near Novosibirsk.
One of the biggest hurdles facing the Su-57 is the lack of funding. Since Su-57's creation in 2007, the Kremlin have not always honored orders. Global sanctions have exacerbated budgetary concerns in the Russian defense apparatus. India pulled out of the program earlier this year. This has reduced the Su-57's development budget by up to $7 billion. Despite the loss, Russia has continued to seek partners for the project. South Korea, Turkey, and Brazil expressed interest in the aircraft.
Initial plans were for the Su-57 to arrive in Russia's Air Force by 2022. The United Aircraft Corporation, however, has announced expansion plans that will accelerate the production of this fighter. These plans include adding more production lines and a motor testing station to support Su-57 orders. Four aircraft were built as of today.
Despite all the setbacks and challenges, the Su-57 remains a promising fifth-generation fighter. It can perform flat-rotations with minimal altitude loss and can be used in high angles of attack maneuvers. Its artificial intelligence system is expected to be a key component in future "sixth-generation aircraft." The Su-57 also has an onboard computer cluster that transforms it into a data centre in the sky. Artificial intelligence can also use the aircraft's sensors to gather data and provide vital information to the human operator.
Next phase of Su-57 manufacturing will see the upgrades of the aircraft's engine. The thrust from the new "izdeliye 30-" engines is approximately 16 tonnes. They will be available for service in 2023.