Su-57 (fighter)

2025: Artificial intelligence and powerful radar equipment that sees the enemy further. Revealed the capabilities of the new Su-57M fighter

In mid-May 2025, the capabilities of the Russian fifth-generation multi-purpose fighter Su-57M, created by the P.O. Sukhoy Design Bureau, were disclosed. The aircraft is equipped with artificial intelligence and advanced radar equipment.

Sergey Bogdan, a test pilot of the Sukhoi Design Bureau, spoke about the features of the modernized Su-57, equipped with new AL-51F1 engines. According to him, the fighter received improved onboard systems. The aircraft computer starts working as soon as the pilot got into the chair and pressed only one button: after that, all systems are checked automatically. Thanks to the wide glider, lift is increased and stability at supersonic speeds is improved. Ammunition is placed inside the airframe.

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Фото: Rostec

The Su-57M is already other engines, onboard systems, artificial intelligence, powerful onboard radar equipment that already sees the enemy further. A flat fuselage gives stealth. Moreover, our 5th generation fighter constantly continues to improve, "Bogdan notes.

The power unit AL-51F1 has a thrust of 11 thousand kilograms-forces (18 thousand - on the afterburner). The supersonic cruising speed of the Su-57M with such engines reaches 1,95-2,1M. The aircraft can be used around the clock, including in difficult weather conditions, in a difficult interference situation, when countering enemy air defense systems, both under external control and autonomously. The machine has a number of unique features, combining the functions of a fighter and an attack aircraft. The fifth generation model is equipped with a fundamentally new complex of deeply integrated avionics, which has a high level of automation of combat applications and intelligent crew support.^[1]

2024

Russian virtual reality helmet for fighter pilots presented

The newest Russian helmet augmented reality with for fighter crews SU-57 is first shown in the announcement of the documentary "The Lords of the Sky" on December 11, 2024. The device allows controlling the means of destruction in flight by turning the pilot's head. More here

Recognition as the most tested aircraft in combat conditions

The Center for Analysis of the World Arms Trade (TsAMTO) in its report called the Su-57 fighter the most tested fifth-generation aircraft in the world in real combat conditions. This became known in September 2024.

Taking into account the combat use in Syria and Ukraine, the Su-57 is the fifth generation aircraft most tested in a real situation of armed confrontation. This is also recognized in the West, "the Center said in a statement.

The fighter is able to gain dominance in the air and hit ground and surface targets with high-precision strikes. It has supersonic cruising speed, in-body armament, radio absorbing coating, as well as the latest complex of onboard equipment. The number of fifth-generation fighters entering Russian troops is increasing annually.

As of September 2024, only three countries own a full range of technologies to independently create fifth-generation aircraft: Russia, the United States and China.

2023

Su-57 fighter received the latest digital communications complex with protection against interference and reconnaissance

The fifth-generation multifunctional fighter Su-57 received the latest complex of on-board digital communications, developed by Roselectronics NPP. Flight The implemented technology, according to the developers, will improve the quality of information transmission, according to Rostec"" (this state corporation includes Roselectronics) in early August 2023.

It is noted that the complex of on-board means of digital communication operates in the ranges of high and very high frequencies, has increased interference and intelligence protection. Reliability of information transmission is ensured due to noise-resistant coding, interleaving of symbols in a message, single time synchronization during signal processing. The range of stable communication has also been increased.

Su-57 fighter

In the future, the new communication complex in the future can be used on any aircraft, including previous generations. The complex includes noise-resistant coding and decoding devices, a signal receiver of global navigation satellite systems and a digital signal processing and synchronization bus.

On August 4, 2023, it was reported that new RVV-MD2 short-range missiles were created for the Russian Su-57. They are 5-10 years ahead of American developments. The development and testing of the air-to-air missile was carried out in a short time. By now, the adoption of ammunition for service has begun.

On July 30, 2023, the American edition of Military Watch recognized that the fifth-generation Russian fighter Su-57 is the most dangerous military aircraft of the Aerospace Forces (VKS) of the Russian Federation. The material noted the value of such characteristics as exceptional maneuverability, high power of air-to-air missiles R-77M and R-37M, as well as access to a wide range of cruise missile classes.^[2]

Creating a communication complex that encrypts data using artificial intelligence

NPP "Flight" has developed a complex of on-board means of digital communication using artificial intelligence technologies. The equipment is designed for the fifth generation Su-57 aircraft. Its use, according to the developers, will improve the quality of information transmission between aircraft and ground complexes. The press service of Rostec (this state corporation includes Roselectronics, which, in turn, owns NPP Polet) announced this in April 2023.

The complex operates in the high and very high frequency bands. The use of cognitive radio technology makes it possible to significantly increase interference and intelligence protection of on-board complex communication. It is stated that the system provides reliability of information transmission due to noise-resistant coding, symbol interleaving in a message, single time synchronization during signal processing, the possibility of simultaneous transmission of messages over parallel channels, increasing the range of stable communication, as well as the use of artificial intelligence technologies.

SU-57

Complex includes computing devices, interleavers and deinterleavers, antenna matching devices of RF-band, units of digital signal processing, devices of noise-resistant coding and decoding, as well as receiver of signals of global navigation satellite systems with antenna and bus of digital signal processing and synchronization.

According to the general director of "Flight" Alexei Komyakov, such complexes allow solving many functional problems that increase the effectiveness of aviation. They are widely used to exchange messages between airborne electronic equipment and ground services.

Our new complex is an initiative development and is planned to be introduced as part of a complex of communication means, S-111 Komyakov said.[3]

2022: Russia began to use in Ukraine links of Su-57 fighters connected to one information network

During a military special operation in Ukraine, Russia involved a link of four Su-57 fighters connected to a single information network in order to destroy air defense systems. This was reported on June 9, 2022 by RIA Novosti, citing an informed source.

According to him, the aircraft were combined into a network through automatic communication systems, data transmission, navigation and real-time identification. The unification of the sides helped to increase the effectiveness of identifying and hitting targets, the agency's interlocutor noted.

Igor Korotchenko, editor-in-chief of the National Defense magazine, in an interview with Izvestia, commenting on the tactics of uniting fifth-generation fighters, noted that they were identifying enemy air defense targets. We are talking about the development of new tactical techniques for fighters and the implementation of concepts for the exchange of data - both among themselves in the group and with the reception center for the processing of ground information, the expert said.

According to him, tactics are beginning to be practiced and should bring success. New fighters by June 2022 are only entering the troops, which means that it is possible to show their real combat effectiveness in order to solve the task of identifying and destroying enemy targets, in particular air defense, Korotchenko concluded.

On May 20, 2022, a TASS source in the military-industrial complex reported the use of the Su-57 during a special military operation in Ukraine. According to him, these fighters appeared in Ukraine "two to three weeks after the start of the special operation."

The Su-57 is a fifth-generation Russian multifunctional perspective fighter. It was created using stealth technologies and is able to fight with any enemy fighters, as well as destroy enemy ground and surface targets.^[4]

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