The Sukhoi Design Bureau is planning to retrofit some of the electronics into the future production version Su-57 fighter, which is under development by the Rostec, reported Russian newspaper iz.ru.
According to the latest report by iz.ru, the Russian Su-57 is yet to achieve any electronic countermeasures, reconnaissance, electronic attack and precision strike capability.
Read More Russia’s Su-57 is a gloried fourth-gen fighter, far from a stealth fighters:
Russia wants to develop the current production version of Su-57 using the electronics from Su-35. Rostec is on the hunt for a potential buyer who will invest in the development of an AESA radar and electronics of the Su-57 fighter.
Michael Kofman serves as Director of the Russia Studies Program at the CNA Corporation and a Fellow at the Kennan Institute, said the current production version of Russian combat aircraft does not possess any attributes that would allow it to be ranked as a fifth-generation fighter.
None of the Russian fighters achieved any intelligent features such as networking, onboard sensors, off-board data input and lock after launch capability. The most modern European and American 4.5 generation already achieved networking capabilities such as Gripen E, Rafale FR3, F-16V, Super Hornet Block III and F-15EX.
Justin Bronk is the Research Fellow for Airpower and Technology in the Military Sciences team at RUSI said that the accepted characteristics of the fifth-generation fighters, the aircraft should be able to be supercruise, internal weapons bay, modern sensors suite, AESA radar, electronic warfare, data link, networking and most importantly, stealth is a must attribute.
Today the Su-57 fighter possesses none of the attributes to make it a fifth-generation fighter. Under the current state of Su-57, the airframe of Su-57 is different than Su-35, but entire electronics, avionics and powerplants are identical to that of Su-35, reported iz.ru newspaper.
Russian designers are implementing their plans to provide Su-57 with some attributes of a fifth-generation fighter, such as supercruise, if they can find an investor like India or China.
Algeria is a launch customer of Su-57, but Algeria refused to invest in the development of Su-57 fighter and hand in billions of dollars to Rostec, ultimately selling the design to China and India, not Algeria.
The serially produced Su-57 is experiencing significant difficulties making its prospects uncertain. The preliminary dates for the Initial Operational Capability (IOC) are set to 2028; meanwhile, Sukhoi is working on a deck version of the Su-57.
According to Avia pro newspaper, a carrier-based version of the Russian Su-57 fighter may be feasible after 2030. Sukhoi Design Bureau is indeed working on the development of a carrier-based version of the Russian Su-57, while the development stage is not indicated; however, preliminary dates for the appearance of the carrier-based version of the Su-57 is set to 2030.
GDC reported earlier that Rostec made an unsuccessful attempt to gain funds from China to develop a maritime strike aircraft based on Su-57.
Russia aims to increase the capability of the current version of the Su-57 by 2030; after 2030, Russia plans to offer a modernized version of Su-57 to China, Myanmar, Egypt, Vietnam, Venezuela and Algeria as potential export customers.
© 2021, GDC. © GDC and www.globaldefensecorp.com. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to www.globaldefensecorp.com with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.
