Russia’s 5th generation stealth fighter Su-57 “Felon” is coming to India! There are speculations that the US F-35 Lightning II aircraft will participate in the Aero India Air Show like last time.
F-35A landed at Aero India 2023 in Bangalore. Since then, curiosity has grown about “what its presence at the event symbolizes.” Maj. Gen. Michael L. Baker, the defense attaché at the U.S. Embassy in India, said New Delhi is in the “very early stages” of deciding to adopt the F-35.
Regarding the Su-57, Russian President Vladimir Putin is expected to reiterate his intention to provide the Su-57 to India in order to stem the decline in India’s fighter jet capabilities, and this will be the first appearance of a stealth fighter.
India hosts the Aero India Air Show at the Yelhanka Air Force Base in Bangalore. This will be the first appearance of the Su-57 in India. In early November 2024, the company participated in its first foreign air show, the Zhuhai Air Show in China.
Russia’s most advanced front-line aircraft, the Su-57, is produced at the Komsomolsk-on-Amur Aviation Plant in Russia’s Far East. Russia hopes its sophisticated Su-57 fighter jet, a counterbalance to the US F-35 and China’s J-20 Mighty Dragon, could prompt the IAF to reconsider stealth aircraft. .
The Su-57 is Russia’s first new fighter jet since the end of the Cold War. Despite being in development for nearly 20 years, it is unlikely to be mass-produced any time soon, as the invasion of Ukraine has placed a heavy burden on Russia’s economy.
The Su-57’s air show debut is likely to coincide with President Vladimir Putin’s long-awaited visit to India. There is speculation that President Putin may make a new offer to provide Su-57s to India with the possibility of joint production under the ‘Make in India’ initiative.
Russia’s new pitch for the Su-57 includes proposals for improved stealth, avionics and combat capabilities, including the integration of hypersonic weapons. Russia may accept its own payment mechanism in Indian rupees to reduce aircraft costs and woo New Delhi.
Russian fighter jets are the mainstay of the IAF’s fighter fleet. The two countries have had a symbiotic relationship in the defense sector as Indian funds supported Russia’s defense sector and Russian products helped modernize the Indian military.
The Su-57 has been damaged due to limited production. Fourteen years have passed since the first flight in 2010, and less than 40 aircraft have been delivered. This is primarily due to design and development delays and Western sanctions that have slowed production rates. Actual production didn’t even begin until 2019, reflecting the industrial bottlenecks hampering Russia’s war effort.
India already operates more than 250 Su-30MKIs, and Indian aircraft manufacturer Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) has experience producing Russian fighter jets under license. Successful production of the Su-57 could herald a new era of defense cooperation between the two countries.
The cooperation on the Su-57 is the culmination of cooperation that began in 2007, when the two countries signed a contract to develop a fifth-generation fighter jet.
Under the agreement, Indian aerospace manufacturer Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) was envisaged to work with Russia’s Sukhoi Design Bureau to develop an improved version of the Su-57 stealth fighter. .
However, the project stalled over the years.
In 2018, the US$8.63 billion deal was officially halted after the Indian government communicated its decision to the Russian side. Russia has been asked to proceed with the mega-project alone, with India potentially joining the project at a later stage or purchasing the completed jet once it is in service with the Russian Air Force.
The stealth fighter, also known as the T-50 or PAK FA, was supposed to be the basis of India’s jet fleet. However, the deal fell through due to cost and technical issues. India now has leverage to negotiate an increased technology share in the development of the Su-57.
The idea is that the IAF’s way out of its current predicament is to bring on board risk-sharing partners. This partner will not only fill the gap in the development of the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Mk-2, but also the development of the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) that will follow.
Feron’s long flight to development
The Feron was first unveiled to the world in 2010 and was billed as an aircraft capable of both air-to-air and air-to-ground missions while evading enemy radar.
The aircraft was sent to Syria for “real-world missions and testing” in 2018 and 2019, but is still far from fully operational. However, reportedly no combat missions were carried out.
In January 2023, reports claimed that Russia had achieved “excellent” results in the war effort in Ukraine, as its Feron fighter jets succeeded in missions such as disabling Ukraine’s air defense system.
But Britain’s Ministry of Defense dampened the euphoria, saying that while the Su-57 aircraft was likely flying over Ukraine, the mission was likely completed within Russian territory.
The Sukhoi Su-57 is designed to destroy all types of air, land and naval targets. Extensive use of composite materials improves stealth and allows it to reach supersonic cruising speeds.
It is said to be equipped with state-of-the-art onboard radio electronics, including a powerful onboard computer (the so-called electronic second pilot). The radar system is spread throughout the body, and the weapons are located inside the torso.
The Su-57 AI system takes over some of the pilot’s functions, such as maneuvering and preparing to use weapons.
The Su-57 will be equipped with a beyond visual range missile and two short-range missiles for air-to-air combat missions. The active radar homing K-77M (Izdeliye 180) missile is the primary medium-range missile of fighter aircraft. An upgraded version of the R-77 medium-range missile, the K-77M is a beyond visual range (BVR) radar-guided missile with an active electronically scanned array radar seeker. Russia also plans to add a new R-37M long-range hypersonic missile to the aircraft’s firepower.
Russia is also considering deploying the S-70 Okhotnik (Hunter B) attack drone alongside the Su-57 as a “loyal companion” to its stealth fighters. UAC CEO Yuri Slyusar previously said that the Su-57 fifth-generation aircraft is a step toward the sixth-generation aircraft and will be used in the development of the family.
Ritu Sharma has been writing about defense and foreign affairs for nearly 17 years. She holds a master’s degree in conflict studies and peace management from the University of Erfurt, Germany. Her areas of interest include the Asia-Pacific, the South China Sea, and aviation history. Contact her at ritu.sharma (at) mail.com.
