The sky over Ukraine is arguably the most watched airspace in human history, yet one plane is notably missing from the thick of the scrap. We're talking about the Su-57, the flagship Russian fifth generation fighter jet that was supposed to change the balance of power in Europe. It hasn't. Or, at least, it hasn't in the way the glossy brochures from United Aircraft Corporation (UAC) promised back in 2010.
Building a stealth jet is hard. Like, incredibly hard. It isn't just about sticking some angled wings on a fuselage and calling it a day; it’s about material science, software integration, and engine cycles that can handle sustained supersonic flight without melting. Russia found this out the long, expensive way. While the American F-22 and F-35 have been flying for decades, the Su-57—known by its NATO reporting name "Felon"—has spent most of its life in a sort of developmental purgatory. Honestly, calling it a "fifth-gen" fighter is a bit of a localized debate among aviation geeks. Some say it's just a very stealthy 4.5-generation jet. Others argue the maneuverability is so high it doesn't matter.
What Actually Makes a Russian Fifth Generation Fighter Jet?
To understand the Su-57, you have to look at what the Russian Ministry of Defense actually wanted. They weren't trying to build a carbon copy of the F-22 Raptor. They wanted something that could hunt.
The Su-57 is basically a flying sniper rifle. It’s designed for what pilots call "ambush" tactics. Instead of focusing entirely on all-aspect stealth—the kind that makes a plane invisible from every angle—Sukhoi engineers prioritized frontal stealth. The idea is simple: the plane should be hard to see when it's pointed directly at you, giving it enough time to ripple off a long-range R-37M missile before turning tail. This is a massive departure from Western philosophy.
Is it stealthy? Sorta. Experts like Justin Bronk from the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) have pointed out that the Su-57's Radar Cross Section (RCS) is significantly larger than an F-35's. We are talking about the difference between a bird and a medium-sized suitcase. This is largely due to the exposed engine turbine blades and the fit-and-finish of the panel gaps. If you look at high-res photos of the early prototypes, you can see screws that aren't even flush with the skin. That’s a death sentence for stealth.
The Engine Problem
You can't have a true Russian fifth generation fighter jet without "supercruise" capability—the ability to fly faster than the speed of sound without using afterburners. For years, the Su-57 was stuck with the AL-41F1 engines. These are fine engines, basically upgraded versions of what you'd find in an Su-35, but they aren't "fifth-gen."
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The real deal is the Izdeliye 30. This engine is supposed to be the heart of the Felon. It has more thrust, better fuel efficiency, and a reduced infrared signature. But here's the kicker: it’s been plagued by delays. As of 2024 and 2025, only a handful of airframes are actually flying with these new powerplants. Most of the fleet is still using the older "interim" engines, which limits their performance in a high-stakes dogfight.
The Stealth Gap and Real-World Combat
Russian state media loves to brag about the Su-57’s "combat testing" in Syria and Ukraine. In 2018, they sent two prototypes to Khmeimim Air Base in Syria. It was a PR masterstroke. But let’s be real—they stayed for two days and fired maybe one missile at a stationary target. It wasn't a test of the jet’s ability to survive in contested airspace.
In the current conflict in Ukraine, the Russian fifth generation fighter jet has been used with extreme caution. The UK Ministry of Defence confirmed that Felons have likely launched long-range air-to-surface or air-to-air missiles from deep within Russian territory. Why? Because Russia cannot afford the reputational blow of one getting shot down by a 30-year-old Patriot battery or a lucky S-300 shot.
Imagine the headlines.
If a Su-57 falls out of the sky over Kharkiv, the export market for Russian arms—already reeling from sanctions—would basically evaporate. India already pulled out of the joint FGFA (Fifth Generation Fighter Aircraft) program years ago because they weren't impressed with the progress. They saw the writing on the wall.
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Why the Su-57 Still Matters
Despite the flaws, it’s a mistake to dismiss the Su-57 as a "failure." It’s actually a very capable platform for what it is. It features:
- 360-degree radar coverage: Using N036 Byelka AESA radar arrays scattered across the body, the pilot has incredible situational awareness.
- Thrust Vectoring: The nozzles can tilt, allowing the plane to perform physics-defying maneuvers. In a close-range dogfight, it can literally dance around an F-35.
- Massive Payload: The internal bays are huge, designed to carry heavy-duty anti-ship and air-to-air missiles that wouldn't fit in the cramped bays of Western stealth jets.
It’s a "bruiser" of a plane. It isn't subtle, but it is dangerous.
The Su-75 Checkmate: A Second Russian Stealth Jet?
Then there's the little brother. The Su-75 Checkmate. Revealed at the MAKS 2021 airshow, this was supposed to be the affordable, single-engine alternative to the Su-57. It looked cool. It had a weird "chin" intake. It was marketed almost entirely toward foreign buyers in the Middle East and Asia.
But honestly? It’s mostly vaporware right now. With the Russian economy pivoted toward a total war footing, funding for a secondary, unproven stealth jet has largely dried up. While Sukhoi claims the first flight will happen soon, we've heard that for years. It’s a "fifth-gen" project that currently exists mostly as a wooden mock-up and some very high-quality CGI trailers.
Misconceptions People Have About Russian Stealth
One of the biggest myths is that stealth makes a plane invisible. It doesn't. It just shortens the distance at which you can be targeted. If an Su-57 is flying against an F-22, the F-22 will likely see the Su-57 first. But if that Su-57 is backed up by ground-based low-frequency radars, the advantage shifts.
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People also tend to think that Russia has hundreds of these things. They don't. Estimates suggest the Russian Aerospace Forces (VKS) have fewer than 30 serial production Su-57s. Compare that to the nearly 1,000 F-35s flying globally. Quantity has a quality all its own, and in the world of the Russian fifth generation fighter jet, the quantity just isn't there yet.
The Future of the Felon
What happens next? Russia is doubling down on "sensor fusion." They are trying to integrate the Su-57 with the S-70 Okhotnik-B, a massive stealth drone. The idea is that the Su-57 pilot acts as a quarterback, controlling a swarm of drones that fly ahead into the "danger zone."
It’s a smart move. It compensates for the Su-57's lower stealth rating by keeping the manned pilot further back. But again, the software challenges are immense. Integrating AI and secure data links is something even the U.S. struggles with, and Russia is doing it while under the most restrictive microchip sanctions in history.
Practical Realities for Military Observers
If you’re tracking the development of modern airpower, keep an eye on these specific indicators for the Su-57:
- Production Rates at Komsomolsk-on-Amur: This is where the Su-57 is built. Watch for satellite imagery of new airframes. If they can’t scale production past 10-12 jets a year, the program will remain a boutique project rather than a frontline force.
- Engine Serial Numbers: If the Izdeliye 30 engine finally enters mass production, the Su-57 becomes a much more credible threat.
- Export Interest: Watch Algeria and Vietnam. If either of these countries actually signs a check, it provides the R&D cash Russia desperately needs to fix the remaining bugs in the airframe.
Russia’s journey into the fifth generation hasn't been smooth. It’s been a story of brilliant aerodynamic design clashing with struggling industrial capacity. The Su-57 is a formidable aircraft, but it’s a tool built for a very specific type of warfare—one that relies on long-range strikes and high-speed escapes rather than the "invisible" dominance favored by the West.
To really grasp where Russian aviation is headed, you need to look past the "stealth" buzzword. Focus on the missiles. Russia’s strength has always been in its ordnance. A "mediocre" stealth jet carrying a hypersonic R-37M missile is still a nightmare for any AWACS or tanker aircraft. That is the real role of the Russian fifth generation fighter jet. It’s not meant to win a beauty contest; it’s meant to break the back of NATO’s support infrastructure.
Keep watching the flight lines. The number of "yellow" (unpainted) Su-57s spotted at the factory will tell you more about Russia's military future than any state-sponsored news clip ever could. Monitoring the specific tail numbers of aircraft deployed to the Southern Military District provides the clearest picture of operational readiness. Focus on the actual delivery of the "Stage 2" airframes, as these represent the finalized vision of what the Su-57 was always intended to be.