Main characteristics

Briefly

in detail

3.3 / 3.3 / 3.3 BR

4 people Crew

Mobility

9.5 tons Weight

4 forward
1 back checkpoint

Armament

72 shells ammo

5° / 14° UVN

18° / 18° UGN

Economy

Description

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Main characteristics

Armor protection and survivability

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Mobility

Armament

main gun

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Use in combat

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Advantages and disadvantages

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Flaws:

Historical reference

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Media

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see also

• reference to the family of technology;
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• topic at game forum;
• page on Wikipedia;
• page on Aviarmor.net;
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· Soviet self-propelled guns
Based on transport	SU-57 ZiS-30 29-K
Based on LT	SU-76M SU-76M from the 5th Guards. kk
Based on ST

The latest issue of Air&Cosmos magazine published an article by Piotr Butowski and Antony Angrand "Du PAK FA au Su-57", which provides interesting information about the Russian fifth-generation fighter program on the PAK FA theme. Internet portal bmpd provides a translation of this material.

PAK FA will soon get a new name, now the fifth generation fighter will be called Su-57. However, the production of this twin-engine fighter was revised down. Within two years, the prototypes of the fighter underwent a procedure for strengthening the airframe, as well as a number of improvements.

During the first day of the International Aviation and Space Salon MAKS-2017, Russian President Vladimir Putin was supposed to visit the hangar, which contained the [eighth flight] prototype of the fifth-generation PAK FA fighter - a copy of the T-50-9. At the same time, it was supposed to complete the procedure for signing a document on the completion of the first stage of testing and a recommendation to start mass production of a batch of aircraft. However, Vladimir Putin decided to change his route and did not enter the hangar. The new designation PAK FA has not been announced and the fighter is waiting for another opportunity for its official name to be named.

The eighth flight prototype of the PAK FA fighter - the T-50-9 aircraft (tail number "509"), Zhukovsky, July 2017

Since 1982

The Sukhoi Su-57 will be the future serial air superiority fighter with a long range, while being significantly improved compared to existing aircraft. The Su-27 went into production in 1982 and still remains the main fighter of the Russian Aerospace Forces. The Su-37 was an experimental Su-27M, numbered "711", released in 1994, and fitted with variable thrust vectoring engines. The Su-47 Berkut was another prototype aircraft, created in 1997 and was the first attempt by the Sukhoi Design Bureau to create a fifth-generation fighter with a reverse-swept wing. The previous aircraft - Su-7 (1958) and Su-17 (1970) did not belong to this line of development of Sukhoi Design Bureau aircraft.

During MAKS-2017, two T-50 fighters performed synchronized maneuvers, followed by a dogfight. As in previous years, the public could not see them on the ground, they were only visible in the air. The two years that have passed since the end of MAKS-2015 were spent on finalizing the aircraft fuselage after the problems encountered during prototype testing. A possible configuration of the flight control system was also tested. Production of serial aircraft will be carried out in the current configuration, although work on finalizing the machine, including the installation of new engines, will continue.

Three other PAK FA prototypes began testing after MAKS 2015, bringing the total to eight. The sixth T-50-6-2 aircraft (tail number "056") made its first flight on April 27, 2016, followed by the T-50-8 (tail number "058") on November 17, 2016, and the T-50- 9 took off on 24 April 2017. Two and a half years passed between the sixth T-50-6-2 and the previous T-50-5 (first flight - October 27, 2013), and significant improvements were made to the project. The prototype T-50-7 did not fly and is used for static testing of the modified fuselage.

Three new instances differ from the five previous prototypes in internal reinforcements of the fuselage. The panels that cover the fuselage have been partially replaced with composite materials. The rear part of the fuselage (in which the electronic warfare complex is located) was lengthened, the shape of the lower part of the fuselage in the tail section, hatches and technological openings were also changed. The wingspan increased from 14 meters to 14.1 meters, and the length of the fuselage increased from 19.7 meters to 20.1 meters. These data are just estimates, as the "official" numbers have never been announced by the developer.

Changes in the design of the aircraft were caused by technical difficulties, including cracks in the fuselage structure, identified during testing of the first prototypes of the T-50. That is why the first flight prototype of the T-50-1 was under revision for a long time, which lasted almost a year from August 2011 to September 2012 after being damaged during the MAKS-2011 air show. On this aircraft, additional reinforcements of the fuselage appeared. On several occasions it had engine problems and had to land with one engine running.

During the same MAKS-2011 showroom, the second flight prototype T-50-2 became a victim of a surge in the engine compressor during takeoff. Behind the plane, a dream of flame stretched several meters long, and the pilot stopped taking off. The fifth flight prototype T-50-5 caught fire on the runway on June 10, 2014 after landing during a demonstration by the Indian delegation. The repair was carried out in Komsomolsk-on-Amur within 16 months. The aircraft, which received the T-50-5R index, began flying after repairs on October 16, 2015.

With the exception of flights conducted by the developer in Zhukovsky, since February 2014, prototypes of the T-50 aircraft have been tested at the test center of the Russian Ministry of Defense in Akhtubinsk under the control of military pilots. In March 2016, former commander-in-chief of the Russian Air Force Vladimir Mikhailov said on Russian television that the T-50 used weapons from internal compartments for the first time.

Configuration after installation of electronic equipment

On the latest copy of the T-50-9, a set of on-board equipment is installed, which will be installed on the serial Su-57. On previous prototypes, the kit was partially installed, so some cars carried only dummies of electronic equipment.

The location of the elements of the avionics of the Su-57 fighter

All systems and devices are interconnected and controlled by a central processor. The Sukhoi Design Bureau is responsible for systems integration, which is the first time. In the past, their developers were responsible for integrating the fire control system and the navigation system. On Sukhoi fighters, this work was usually carried out by JSC Ramenskoye Instrument-Making Design Bureau. Electronic systems include the Sh121 weapons control system radar complex and the 101KS optoelectronic integrated system.

The Sh121 system was developed by JSC NIIP named after V.V. Tikhomirov" from Zhukovsky and includes the N036 radar and the L402 electronic jamming system. Radar H036 "Belka" includes five antennas with AFAR, three in the X-band and two in the L-band, which control the space in 270 degrees (135 degrees to the left and right of the axis of the aircraft). The use of the L-band in the operation of the air-to-air radar is the main means of detecting stealth aircraft from the T-50. According to the director of NIIP Yuri Belykh, the last N036 radar, produced by the institute's pilot production, was installed on the T-50-9 aircraft. Future aircraft will be equipped with a radar manufactured by JSC State Ryazan Instrument Plant.

The airborne defense complex L402 "Himalayas" developed by JSC "Kaluga Research Radio Engineering Institute" and manufactured by Stavropol PJSC "Signal" has its own antennas, but since it operates on the same wavelengths as the radar, it uses H036 antennas.

Optoelectronic complex 101KS "Atoll" developed by JSC "Production Association "Ural Optical and Mechanical Plant" (UOMZ) in Yekaterinburg allows you to control the airspace in the optical range around the entire perimeter from the aircraft, as well as protect the aircraft from attacking missiles. Atoll consists of an IRST 101KS-V system located in front of the engine nacelles, four ultraviolet missile detection sensors that have a 360-degree view, and two 101KS-O sensors, which, according to UOMZ, are jamming systems in the infrared range. Another sensor - 101KS-P consists of a small infrared vision device that helps the pilot during low-altitude maneuvers or landing. In addition, the development of the navigation container and target designation of the 101KS-N navigation container is underway.

Small series production plans

According to the official document "Program of Action of the Ministry of Defense of Russia for the period 2013-2020", published in 2013, the achievement of initial operational readiness and the start of mass production were scheduled for December 31, 2016. This deadline was not met, although the document did not say who was responsible for this. Before the opening of MAKS-2017, the head of the UAC, Yuri Slyusar, announced that three more T-50 prototypes would be assembled under an R&D contract, and that in 2019 the plant in Komsomolsk-on-Amur would begin deliveries of the first batch of fighters.

According to a press release from Sukhoi in connection with the MAKS-2017 air show, “the first stage of State tests is coming to an end ... The stability and controllability indicators at subsonic and supersonic speeds at high and low altitudes, as well as at supercritical angles of attack have been confirmed” . The first stage of State testing is very advanced in flight testing. But only passing the second stage of testing, during which flight control systems and weapons are tested. Allows you to officially accept the aircraft into service with the Russian Aerospace Forces.

Plans for the purchase of the Su-57 Russian Aerospace Forces have also been revised down. On March 23, 2015, Russian Deputy Defense Minister Yuri Borisov visited a plant in Komsomolsk-on-Amur, where he stated that the Russian Aerospace Forces would be able to purchase a smaller number of T-50s compared to the volume planned in SAP-2020, and purchase Su-30 fighters and Su-35, not so expensive. Russian media cited a source in the Russian Ministry of Defense, who said that by 2020 the Aerospace Forces would purchase only one squadron of T-50s (12 vehicles), instead of the 60 aircraft provided for in SAP-2020.

One of the reasons for the reduction in the number of Su-57s being purchased is internal competition between 4+ generation fighters, primarily the Su-35, whose potential is comparable to the Su-57, with the exception of stealth indicators. In the development of Yuri Borisov's statement, one can add that "the Su-35 generation 4+ fighters, according to military pilots, demonstrated very good performance." The Russian Ministry of Defense has already ordered a total of 98 Su-35S and 116 Su-30SM.

PAK FA 2.0

The press release of the Sukhoi Design Bureau already mentioned above notes that the PAK FA will become “number one in the aviation technology market after 2020.” At this point, the second version of the "second stage" aircraft will be ready. Its fundamental difference will be the installation of "product 30" engines, since the AL-41F ("product 117") engines are actually modernized AL-31 engines installed on the previous generation Su-27 fighters.

In an interesting UAC presentation from 2013, production plans were indicated. Until 2025, the production of 150 engines "product 117" and 340 - "product 30" was envisaged. This allows us to say that the production of the T-50 "first stage" fighter will not exceed the originally envisaged 60 copies (currently reduced to 12 vehicles). The 30 remaining engines will be sufficient for development aircraft and other testing. Another number - 340 units of "product 30" is very interesting. Minus 20 engines for testing, we can talk about the planned release of 160 T-50 "second stage" in the period 2020-2025. To date, these plans, no doubt, have been revised downwards.

The first demonstrator of the izdeliye 30 engine was handed over for testing on November 11, 2016. Tests of the engine in a flying laboratory should begin in 2017, or so it is stated.

"Product 30" is created on the basis of the "clean sheet" concept and should give out 16-17 tons of thrust, compared to 14.5 tons at present. At the same time, weight will be reduced, the number of parts and operating costs will be reduced. The engine will have a certain stealth. The cold end of the engine will consist of a three-stage compressor (compared to the four stages on the 117) and a single-stage turbine. The hot section will be equipped with a five-stage compressor (instead of nine stages) and a single-stage turbine.

New fighters

During the MAKS-2017 air show, various officials spoke several times about new fighter programs in Russia. Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin said that SAP-2025 included a program to develop a light fighter. Ilya Tarasenko, General Director of RAC MiG, added that his company is working on such a project, possibly in a single- and twin-engine version. Deputy Defense Minister Yuri Borisov during MAKS-2017 said that the Russian Aerospace Forces will purchase the MiG-35 generation 4+ fighter as part of the SAP-2025. The initial contract will cover the purchase of 24 aircraft.

Yuri Borisov also spoke about a carrier-based fighter for future aircraft carriers. It will be a VTOL aircraft developed by the Yakovlev Design Bureau. In the past, this design bureau developed the Yak-38 aircraft and two prototypes of the legendary supersonic Yak-41M. At present, the Design Bureau is slowly implementing the initial stage of R&D for the development of a vertical takeoff and landing aircraft. In 2015, Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu mentioned the PMKI (promising multifunctional shipborne fighter).

Characteristics of the Su-57:
Span - 14.1 meters
Length - 20.1 meters
Height - 4.6 meters
Empty aircraft weight - 18 tons
Normal take-off weight - 25 tons
Maximum takeoff weight - 35 tons
Maximum speed - 2M
Cruise speed at supersonic speed - 1.3M
Supersonic flight range - 1500 km
The maximum flight range is 3500 km.

Five letters behind which the future Russian fighter is hidden. PAK FA - Prospective Aviation Complex of Frontline Aviation. The new 5th generation fighter is expected to enter service in 2020. The dates have already been postponed twice, so there is a chance that they will be postponed again. A few words about what the fifth generation is. The generation of fighters is a list of characteristics that a combat vehicle should have. Such a list was formed already in the 80s, and work on the creation of the 5th generation began simultaneously in the USA and the USSR back in the 81st year. In the 90s, flight prototypes were already ready in the States, but due to a number of problems, development was delayed and the first fighter rolled off the assembly line only in 1997, despite the fact that the first flight passed it at the beginning of the decade, and the aircraft was put into series only in 2001. "Five", as you know, everything went even more slowly. The collapse of the USSR and the crisis of the 90s was a serious blow to the Russian aviation industry. The prototypes for the future generation of fighters were at different times the MiG 1.44, work on which was closed due to the termination of funding, the second candidate was the SU-47 Berkut. This aircraft, with a swept wing, did not meet the requirements of the fifth generation, so work on it was stopped, one prototype of the Berkut was built, which is now used as an experimental aircraft.

Development of PAK-FA

Work on the PAK FA began in 2002 within the walls of the Sukhoi Design Bureau. Having had a bad experience working on the Su-47, the design bureau planned to carry out detailed work on the bugs. The new machine received the serial number T-50, and already in 2004 the first mock-up of the aircraft was demonstrated, which was approved, the financing of the project and large-scale work on its implementation began. The first flying prototype took to the skies in 2011. In the summer of 2017, the newest fighter finally received its official name - the Su-57. To date, a number of problems with engines and the development of new weapons remain unresolved, which should be fundamentally different from the currently available R-73 missiles, as well as weapons for hitting various targets. So far, the armament of the Su-57 and its features remain the subject of speculation.

SU-57 vs. F-22 Raptor

There are no performance characteristics of the latest domestic development in the public domain, but for some time now analysts have been comparing the PAK FA with the F-22 Raptor. The States have released two fifth-generation fighters, the F-22 and F-35 Lightning, but the second machine is a light fighter and will be opposed more likely to the future MiG-57, if one can be built. Comparison with the F-22 is logical, because the Su-57 fighter is being prepared as a domestic response to the promising US fighter. What can "Raptor"? Since this is the "five", then by itself it is cruising supersonic speed, AFAR, stealth, and most importantly, this is multifunctionality. Thanks to advanced electronics, the 5th generation aircraft should be able to perform the roles of a fighter, reconnaissance aircraft, attack aircraft, pointing other aircraft at a target, and so on. The F-22 can detect targets at a distance of 500 km, aim and track at 380 km, and can simultaneously conduct about 20 targets. Modern weapons allow hitting targets at such distances and even more. Therefore, from the Su-57 one should expect at least performance no worse than that of the Raptor. The F-35 has more modest characteristics and is in service with a number of NATO countries, while only the United States has Raptors.

TTX SU-57 PAK-FA

Description and specifications are only approximate. At the moment, only the design of the airframe, the approximate weight, information about the engine, electronics and weapons are reliably known. As of today, the Su-57 tests are still using the AL-41F1 first stage engine - a turbojet bypass engine with an afterburner and a controlled thrust vector. On tests, he was able to easily reach supersonic speed. However, already this year it is planned to install a new engine, not a modification, but a fundamentally new model. According to the designers, the engine will have an increased level of thrust, a new turbine, a fully digital control system, and it is also planned to increase the efficiency of the new engine.

AFAR - Active Phased Array Antenna. An integral attribute of any new generation fighter. It differs from the passive version of the HEADLIGHTS by a higher level of technological process during production, which allows you to turn each element of the array into a kind of separate radar. This allows the AFAR to simultaneously conduct many targets, in the future, the AFAR can conduct more than 30 targets and scan the surface to detect ground targets at the same time. Such a system is very expensive to manufacture, so it is hardly possible to install it on other aircraft in the form of modernization, due to economic inexpediency. According to 2015 data, the Su-57 radar will consist of two AFAR X and L bands and two side-looking radars.

Prospects for the SU-57

Since the release of the F-22, a number of tests and simulations of the Raptor's combat with other fighters, including the Su-35, at the moment the "flagship" machine of the domestic VKS, have been carried out. Recall that the Su-35 is a deep modernization of the Su-27, which is the 4 ++ generation, as close as possible to the fifth generation. So, according to experts, the F-22 will lose a 1-on-1 battle, some sources write that with a high probability in some less. This is due to the more perfect maneuverability of "drying". And this is true - the domestic car bypasses the Western fighter in this regard. The Su-35 also carries more weapons, which increases the chances of a successful hit on the target. As always, there is one "but". The Raptor is extremely difficult to detect due to its stealth technology and radars that emit little to no radiation. Thus, the F-22 will be able to enter the battle first, which in most cases will be a decisive factor, because the "drying" will not be able to detect the crouching "Raptor" further than a few kilometers using infrared radar. On the other hand, if the F-22 pilot makes a mistake and unmasks himself, then he will start to have problems. But the fact remains. Betting on "stealth" technology in modern military doctrine will definitely justify itself. Modern weapons, their future modifications, as well as the latest developments will allow fighters to shoot farther, making close combat a relic of the past, which flight instructors will joke about in the future.

The promising aviation complex requires no less promising missiles, which we do not yet have. Despite the fact that the Su-35 has more than formidable weapons, the very design of the missiles provides for their placement outside the fighter, while the fifth generation aircraft, PAK FA, has the ability to carry ammunition inside the hull. This requires the creation of new types of rockets specifically for the latest domestic machine. It is already known for sure that in order to perform the function of an attack aircraft, a 30-mm air gun will be included in the armament of the Su-57.

PAK FA, T-50, Su-57 are the future of our VKS. The Su-35 is an excellent combat vehicle and it is obvious that the 5th generation will be superior to the 4++ in many ways, so the speedy delivery of brand new dryers will be Sukhoi's priority for the next couple of years. In the future, we may see an analogue of the Lightning in the face of the MiG, and the start of work on the PAK DA, a new stealth bomber for the needs of long-range aviation at the Tupolev Design Bureau, has already been announced, the first flight of this machine is expected in 2025.

The JSF (Joint Strike Fighter) program, which involves the replacement of fourth-generation fighters by the United States and its allies with fifth-generation Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II fighters, is considered the most expensive and massive in the history of weapons. Its projected cost is close to $1.5 trillion, of which only $406 billion will go to the actual production of aircraft, while the rest will go to production and operating costs. I found out what was wrong with one of the most expensive fighters in the world and what the Su-57 had to do with it.

According to the announced plans, the F-35 Lightning II should become the main fighter aircraft of the first half of the 21st century in at least twelve countries of the world - the USA, Great Britain, Australia, Turkey, Italy, Canada, Norway, the Netherlands and Denmark, Israel, Japan and South Korea. In the future, Belgium and Finland may join the program.

The leading role in the development of the fighter belongs to the first two states (more than 50 percent of the components are produced by the United States, 15 percent - in the UK). From the third to the ninth countries in the list participate in the production of components for all F-35 Lightning II at once. The assembly of most fighters will take place in the United States, but Italy and Japan have received the same opportunity. The F-35 Lightning II is being created in three main versions - for the air force (A), with a short takeoff and vertical landing (B) and deck (C). The unification of the components of the three options reaches 70-90 percent.

The stated prospects and financial injections into the F-35 Lightning II can only compete with regular delays in the JSF implementation schedule, which actually prevent Lockheed Martin from launching a full-fledged mass production of new fighters. For this reason, the world's largest supplier of military equipment does not send fully functional fighter jets to the military of the United States and partner countries, but aircraft, the components and software of which are to be replaced or upgraded in the future. To what extent can the F-35 Lightning II be considered a success or a failure?

From "Predator" to "Lightning"

In the 1990s, for the US Air Force, under the leadership of Lockheed Martin (until 1995 - only Lockheed), the world's first fifth-generation F-22 Raptor fighter in service was created. It was this aircraft that became the standard for fifth-generation fighters, in fact still remaining the best (or one of the best) in terms of speed, maneuverability and stealth. Meanwhile, the F-22 Raptor was not well adapted to hit ground targets, was too difficult to maintain and extremely expensive. In addition to the US Air Force, the Navy and the ILC needed a new aircraft. All this did not allow replacing all fourth-generation fighters in service with the F-22 Raptor.

That is why the JSF program appeared, providing for the gradual replacement of the McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle, General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon, McDonnell Douglas F / A-18 Hornet and the McDonnell Douglas AV-8B Harrier II attack aircraft with one fifth generation fighter-bomber. Initially, McDonnell Douglas, Northrop Grumman (originally represented by Northrop), Lockheed Martin and . Funding from the Pentagon, which involves the creation of a prototype of a new aircraft, received the last two companies. According to the test results, the Lockheed Martin X-35 seemed to the military better than the Boeing X-32.

One of the reasons for this is the requirement of the USMC for a new fighter, which must include a VTOL (vertical takeoff and landing aircraft) variant, which includes the AV-8B Harrier II. Lockheed Martin implemented the vertical takeoff and landing system better than Boeing, including due to the partial technology of the Soviet Yakovlev Yak-141. Although the F-35 Lightning II is inferior to some fourth-generation fighters in a number of characteristics, the Pentagon, not wanting to waste time creating a more advanced model, decided to stick with Lockheed Martin's proposal. As a result, the F-35 Lightning II turned out to be a compromise, the need for which is not yet so obvious.

Bet on stealth

The F-35 Lightning II is capable of a top speed of Mach 1.6, while the F-15 Eagle is Mach 2.5 and the F-16 Fighting Falcon is Mach 2. In addition, the fifth generation fighter is designed to fly at an altitude of up to 15 kilometers, while the fourth - up to 18. Tests conducted in 2015 showed that the F-35 Lightning II is inferior to the F-16 Fighting Falcon in terms of maneuverability.

The Pentagon does not hide the fact that the F-35 Lightning II is not designed to conduct air combat with another fighter in visibility conditions. This is how the military reacted to the tests involving the F-16 Fighting Falcon. The F-35 Lightning II's stealth technology allows it to use stealth as its main advantage over the enemy, they say. Following this logic, the new aircraft, being at a sufficient distance from an enemy fighter and remaining invisible at the same time, is able to strike first, for example, with an American medium-range air-to-air guided missile AIM-120 AMRAAM (Advanced Medium-Range Air-to -Air Missile) or a similar British long-range Meteor missile.

Lockheed Martin believes that the F-22 Raptor is suitable for air combat in line-of-sight conditions, but not the F-35 Lightning II. However, the implementation of such a scenario in real conditions is considered unlikely. Although during the exercise, for every 15 F-35 Lightning II kills of more maneuverable fourth-generation fighters, there was only one F-35 Lightning II kill by a fourth-generation fighter, the probability of an air-to-air missile launched from the F-35 Lightning II hitting the target from a long distance is, according to the most optimistic estimate, about 50 percent.

Not so ideal is the implementation of stealth technologies in the F-35 Lightning II. The American fighter is hardly noticeable at long distances in the ultra-high frequency range (centimeter wavelengths), on which most radars operate. Meanwhile, it is much easier to detect the F-35 Lightning II in infrared, where it remains vulnerable to modern infrared search and tracking systems. It is likely that direct interception of the F-35 Lightning II is possible with anti-aircraft missile systems with long-wave radars - such systems do not allow to determine the position of small targets at long distances with high accuracy, but are suitable for tracking large and slow objects from short distances. Partly for this reason, the Soviet S-125M Pechora short-range anti-aircraft missile system in Yugoslavia managed to destroy the American Lockheed F-117 Nighthawk stealth strike aircraft.

In the dry matter

Unlike the F-35 Lightning II, the promising fifth-generation Russian fighter Su-57 is not distinguished by outstanding stealth, but promises greater maneuverability in dogfight conditions. The US military acknowledges that the Su-57 is capable of evading a missile strike with a sharp maneuver, but believe that after that the Russian fighter will lose speed dramatically and become an easy target for a second attack. A weighted assessment of the Su-57 was given in May 2018 by The War Zone author Tyler Rogway, who is his "misunderstood aircraft." Russia, unlike the United States, does not currently have the advanced technology to build stealth aircraft, but the approach used in the Su-57 allowed, at least in part, a break with the F-35 Lightning II.

Apparently, one of the most serious problems of the F-35 Lightning II is the high standardization. The Pentagon, having decided to save money, abandoned the development of several fighter models. The resulting F-35 Lightning II turned out to be a compromise option, not without flaws. A separate question from experts is raised by the Ministry of Defense's stake on stealth technologies to the detriment of maneuverability, which in a potential war could turn out to be a mistake. On the other hand, the F-35 Lightning II has virtually no rivals today. Russian Su-57s can be counted on one hand, while the number of Chinese Chengdu J-20s is still small (another Chinese fighter, the Shenyang J-31, is under development). And given that the US and its allies are to receive more than 4,000 F-35 Lightning IIs, the gap will only grow.

The Su-57 is a secret vehicle in many respects. No one will bring the exact characteristics and composition of weapons on a silver platter. The official website of JSC Sukhoi Company has scarce information about the potentially high capabilities of the aircraft, such as good maneuverability, long supersonic cruising, measures to ensure low radar visibility, etc. “The aircraft has a wide range of weapons, both air-to-air and air-to-surface, providing a solution to fighter and strike missions,” the resource notes. There is even less information on the website of the machine manufacturer (KnAAZ). She's almost gone.

One can, of course, recall the numerous statements of officials with lengthy wording and frankly unrealistic deadlines for implementation. Everyone knows the value of such statements. Recall, however, that at one time the general director of the Tactical Missiles Corporation, Boris Obnosov, said that fourteen types of weapons were being developed specifically for the Su-57, including air-to-air and air-to-surface missiles of various ranges and guidance methods. on the target, as well as adjustable bombs.

Saying is one thing, doing is another. Moreover, the release of ammunition from the internal compartment (especially at supersonic speed) requires long tests. This is much more difficult than integrating a bomb or missile onto external mounts.

Surprisingly, some quite respected experts and publications, talking about the Su-57, cite purely conjectural characteristics of the machine, taken from Wikipedia. From everything listed there, it is possible to judge several things with certainty. First, a production aircraft based on the T-50 is likely to have both internal and external holders. With an emphasis, of course, on the first option, because in the second case it will be possible to put an end to stealth. Secondly, and more importantly, the aircraft will receive four internal compartments:

- two side (BGRO). It will house short-range air-to-air missiles;
- two main (OGRO). They will have medium-range air-to-air missiles and air-to-surface weapons.

All these compartments can be seen on the aircraft prototypes. Will anything change on the production version? Probably not. In any case, the number and general arrangement of weapons compartments will remain the same. No wonder some experts proudly call the aircraft "an early pre-production model." Indeed, it has already outgrown the early prototype stage, and will not change conceptually. We are not talking about the installation of engines of the second stage instead of the usual AL-41F1: this is a topic for a separate discussion.

Point one. Concept

By the way, about the concept. There is a misconception that it is impossible to compare the Su-57, F-22 and F-35. Like, different cars. And the default domestic fighter is much more versatile. There is some truth in this, but this idea should not be taken literally. Perhaps the aircraft will be such in the future, but now we do not know all its capabilities. It is worth saying that the "Raptor" and "Lighting", contrary to popular belief, have a fairly wide range of opportunities to hit ground targets. Although they lose somewhat in terms of the total potential of the same F-15E (this is assuming that the enemy does not have modern anti-aircraft missile systems and detection tools).

Let's analyze in more detail. The F-22 fighter, in addition to two 450-kg GBU-32 JDAM bombs, can operate on the ground using GBU-39 Small Diameter Bomb miniature ammunition with a range of more than 100 kilometers. In total, eight units can be placed in the internal compartments. In turn, modifications of the Lightning for the Marines and the Navy - the F-35B and F-35C - should receive an even more advanced GBU-53 / B in the foreseeable future. This is the next generation of the Small Diameter Bomb, which in theory can hit ground targets very effectively using an infrared homing head.

Reset GBU-39

Due to the low price and small size of the Small Diameter Bomb, many experts consider it the most promising aviation strike weapon. In other words, we can say that American fifth-generation fighters and the Su-57 will not differ conceptually. Ideally, each of them should be a multi-purpose machine capable of effectively dealing with both air and ground targets.

Point two. Air-to-air missiles

There are two misconceptions here that cannot be put into one paragraph. Some believe that the aircraft will not be able to carry weapons inside at all, and the compartments exist only "for show." It makes no sense to criticize this unprofessionalism. There is footage from the Ministry of Defense showing a Su-57 launching a missile from an OGRO. There is also information from reliable sources about earlier missile launches during the tests (it is impossible to verify them, however).

Another thesis is perhaps more interesting. A number of experts are trying to "shove" six, and sometimes eight medium-range missiles into the main compartments. Meanwhile, the estimated dimensions of the OGRO, together with the known dimensions of the missile armament, suggest that in the main compartments the aircraft can carry up to four medium-range air-to-air missiles.

During tests on the external holders of the T-50, products of the RVV-AE family (or mock-ups of this missile) were noticed. It is likely that they, or to be more precise, their modifications, item 180 and item 180-BD, will become the basis of the fighter's armament. In each of the two side compartments, most likely, one RVV-MD short-range missile will be placed. Thus, all air-to-air missiles are likely to there will be six. And these will be short-range and medium-range missiles.

RVV-AE

More vague is the integration into the complex of ultra-long-range missiles, such as the R-37M or the semi-mythical KS-172. It seems generally doubtful that the functions of the MiG-31 will be completely shifted to the shoulders of the 57th. These are cars of different classes after all. It is also unknown how many of these ultra-long-range missiles can be placed in the internal compartments of the Su-57.

Point three. Work on ground targets

As we have already noted, the Su-57 was never created as an uncompromising air fighter. And recently, the media said that the aircraft will be able to use the latest Drel aerial bomb, which is capable of planning for 30 kilometers and destroying targets with self-aiming submunitions. The mass of the planning bomb cassette equipped with self-aiming submunitions is 500 kilograms. Recall that homing elements as part of aviation ammunition have previously been used by both the United States and the Russian Federation.

During tests on the T-50, one could see missiles of the X-31 family on the external holders. There are anti-ship (X-31A) and anti-radar (X-31P) versions of the missiles. Earlier, the Ministry of Defense announced that they intend to install the missiles both on external holders and in internal compartments. The rocket, for all its merits, looks too big for such an aircraft. This is not surprising, given that it was developed back in the USSR. It is clear that the fifth generation fighter needs not so much ammunition. Otherwise, either a) stealth is lost (when using external holders); or b) the impact potential of the aircraft will be limited (due to limited space in the internal compartments).

Su-57 with Kh-31

The most intriguing in this regard was the information about the launches of promising multi-purpose stealth cruise missiles Kh-59MK2 from the internal compartments of the aircraft. The Russian Ministry of Defense even presented a spectacular video about this. Contrary to the name, the Kh-59MK2 has little in common with the Soviet Kh-59 Gadfly. The new missile is an analogue of the new American AGM-158 JASSM. It has an inertial guidance system integrated with an optical-electronic homing head and GPS / GLONASS systems. Estimated flight range - 500 kilometers. In other words, the Su-57 will not have to enter the zone of destruction of enemy anti-aircraft missile systems.

Su-57 launches Kh-59MK2

In general, an inconspicuous aircraft equipped with a long-range inconspicuous missile is a weighty argument in any "dispute". Some even suggested equipping the missile with a nuclear warhead in addition to a cluster and penetrating warhead. On the other hand, until there is an analogue of the relatively cheap JDAM and SBD bombs in Russia, it is difficult to talk about mass corrected air-to-surface weapons. The cost of such missiles as the Kh-31, and even more so the Kh-59MK2, is quite high by default.