Russian Aerospace Forces to get fifth-generation fighter jets on schedule

The trials of Russia’s Su-57 fifth-generation fighter jets continue in normal regime, the aircraft will be delivered to the Russian Aerospace Forces on schedule, Russian Deputy Defense Minister Alexei Krivoruchko has said.

"The delivery of multirole Su-57 fighter jets to aviation units of the Russian Aerospace Forces will be carried out in line with the state arms procurement program until 2027," he said.

According to the official, trials of Su-25S multirole fighter aircraft are scheduled for completion by late 2019. At the same time, nearly 60 aircrft have already been delivered to units of the Russian Aerospace Forces.

Su-57 (also known as Prospective Airborne Complex of Frontline Aviation - PAK FA or T-50) is a Russian fifth-generation multirole fighter jet. It is designed to destroy all types of air targets and strike at ground and surface targets, monitor the airspace at long distances from the deployment base, destroy headquarters, command posts, control systems of the adversary.

The jet can engage a broad range of guided and unguided weapons, including air-to-air short, medium and long-range missiles, air-to-surface guided missiles of various families, smart bombs of 250, 500 and 1500 kg (the latter from outside suspension).

The form of the aircraft, reflecting and absorbing materials and glider coating, as well as electronic warfare decrease the signature of Su-57. Radar signature is trimmed as weapons are carried inside the aircraft.

The measures weaken the signal and deflect it from the source. Adversary radars do not receive information on the location and speed of the aircraft.

Low optical signature is provided by digital (pixel) camouflage painting of the glider. T-50 prototype with first-phase (type 117) engines made its maiden flight in January 2010.

Ten aircraft participated in the flight tests in the framework of PAK FA program. T-50 with second-phase (type 30) engines made the maiden flight in December 2017. In February 2018 two T-50 were tested in Syria where they fired prospective operational-tactical cruise missiles.