Su-57 fighter jet officially entered mass production
On June 30, Russia's RIA Novosti news agency announced very remarkable information related to the Sukhoi Su-57 stealth fighter.
The first contract for the supply of 12 fifth-generation Su-57 fighters to the Russian Air Force has been signed, Russian Deputy Defense Minister Alexei Krivoruchko told reporters, RIA news agency reported.
These aircraft are produced by the famous Yu. A. Gagarin Komsomolsk-on-Amur Aircraft Plant (Knaapo), and will soon be delivered to the Russian Air Force. This is also the facility that is assembling the Su-35S multirole fighters.
Mr. Krivoruchko added that the enterprise is doing a great job, and he confirmed that the Su-57 fighter with a new-generation engine is currently being tested.
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| Russian Air Force's Sukhoi Su-57 stealth fighter appeared in the Red Square Parade |
Thus, it can be seen that this is a new milestone for the ambitious stealth fighter program of the Russian Air Force. Since its first flight in 2010, this weapons project has gone through many ups and downs.
The progress of completing the 5th generation stealth fighter Su-57 is said to have received significant pressure from the Russian government, as the original plan was for the country's air force to receive the first 12 aircraft in 2019.
To quickly provide realistic assessments, Russia sent the Su-57 to Syria for testing for 2 days. It flew along the Latakia coast and test-fired the Kh-58MK2 air-to-ground cruise missile from the internal compartment, showing that its ability to use guided weapons has been completed.
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| The first Su-57s serving in the Russian Air Force are not yet fully capable as designed. |
However, through Mr. Alexei Krivoruchko's statement, it can be easily seen that the first 12 Su-57 aircraft of the Russian Air Force have not yet achieved full technical and tactical features as designed.
Its standard 5th generation Izdeliye 30 engine is currently still in the testing phase, so this mass-produced batch of Su-57s still has to temporarily use the AL-41F1S engine of the fourth generation fighter.
The lack of a standard 5th generation engine will certainly significantly affect the Su-57's combat capabilities. Perhaps it will take the second batch of fighters at the earliest for this highly anticipated Russian fighter to have its full power.
