The Russian Aerospace Forces are expected to receive a new, upgraded version of the fifth-generation stealth fighter jet Su-57 Felon from Sukhoi very soon. The delivery is scheduled to take place within this year and is expected to shift the balance in the global low-observability fighter market.
Russia entered the "game"
Specifically, Moscow, despite its efforts to enter the global fifth-generation fighter jet market, has so far failed to export its advanced Su-57 fighter to any foreign state.
However, now the Russian Ministry of Defense hopes to convince its international partners with a very attractive and upgraded version of the Su-57 Felon, which is expected to debut in 2025.
The announcement was made by a senior official from the Russian defense industry.
In an interview published on Telegram, the official confirmed that the Su-57, the only fifth-generation fighter in Russia’s arsenal today, is a top priority for the Kremlin.
He confirmed that efforts are being made to increase the production of the Su-57, highlighting the importance of the platform for the country.
"The Su-57 has far more capabilities than all fourth-generation fighters," he said, adding that, "Starting in 2025, we will begin delivering the new version of the Su-57 to the Russian Aerospace Forces."
Although the official did not clarify what will make the new upgraded version of the fighter stand out from previous ones, military observers speculate that the updated Su-57 will be equipped with new AL-51F1 engines. If this estimate is confirmed, the Felon will demonstrate even more remarkable performance in the air.
The Su-57 is one of the most agile fighter jets in the world. With new, more powerful engines, the Russian fighter could exceed all previous limits.
However, the real challenge for Moscow is to achieve mass production of this new version of the Felon. So far, it has not produced the platform in the desired quantity, which is one of the main reasons it has not been able to export it to foreign countries.
At the same time, the Russian official revealed that by 2025, Sukhoi will deliver a technically updated version of the fourth-generation multirole fighter Su-35S to the Russian Aerospace Forces.
This means that Moscow aims to increase its air power while also expanding its customer base in the global fighter jet market.
