The Russian-based United Aircraft Corporation (UAC) officially announced that two stealth fighters had rolled out of the assembly line: the expensive and long-sheltered Su-57!
Russian state media is notorious for touting the delivery of practically every new piece of equipment to the Kremlin. It has regularly been touted when the latest “batches” of fighter planes enter service with the Russian Aerospace Forces, even though the number of actual aircraft is usually not revealed.
It is thus somewhat surprising that Russia’s pro-Kremlin military bloggers were hyping the presence of two newly manufactured Sukhoi Su-57 multirole fighters this month.
Neither the state-owned military-industrial conglomerate Rostec nor its subsidiary, the United Aircraft Corporation (UAC), officially announced that two stealth fighters had rolled out of the assembly line. Yet, images of Su-57s with the markings “Red 25” and “Red 26” quickly circulated on the Telegram social messaging app.
“The visible new markings suggest they are newly built units, potentially part of an expanded effort to scale production following earlier delays and losses during combat operations,” the Defence-Blog reported, while adding, “The aircraft spotted this week are believed to be among the newer series configured with improved avionics and structural modifications.“
The Number of Su-57s Is Currently Unknown
It is believed that the Kremlin had 22 and 42 Su-57s in service at the end of 2024. While Rostec and UAC had announced that they had reached full-rate production (FRP) with the fifth-gen fighter, it is believed that fewer than twenty, and likely not more than a dozen, were manufactured last year.
The last time UAC officially announced it had delivered any Su-57s was in November, when it also announced that a new “batch” of Sukhoi Su-35S (NATO reporting name Flanker-M) fighter aircraft had been delivered to the Russian Aerospace Forces. As noted, the number of aircraft in a batch isn’t known, but this is likely a case of intentional vagueness on UAC’s part.
The Su-57’s Slow Roll Out and Bank-Breaking Development
Several factors are at play, including the fact that Russia can’t source many of the components, notably the computer chips and other advanced systems, for the aircraft due to the sanctions that were imposed following its unprovoked invasion of Ukraine more than three years ago.
“Western sanctions have severely hampered Russia’s ability to produce the Su-57 fifth-generation fighter, complicating the acquisition of critical high-tech components.
However, Russia has circumvented some of these challenges by obtaining dual-use goods, such as the Siemens KLE 360 CNC, vital for manufacturing the fighter jet,” Harrison Kass wrote for The National Interest last year. “The Siemens KLE 360 CNC is one prime example of a dual-use good. The machine is commonly found in automotive and medical settings, yet is vital for producing a fighter aircraft.”
Other components can’t be so easily obtained, however.
In addition, technical challenges with its engines and stealth capabilities have also slowed production. However, last year, Moscow sought to expand the Komsomolsk-on-Amur Aviation Plant (KnAAZ) production facilities to increase output. It is unclear how far along those efforts are, or if that will solve the delays.
Cost has also been another issue. Even before the war, the Kremlin struggled to pay for its highly touted systems, such as the Su-57 and T-14 Armata main battle tank (MBT).
Still, the ongoing conflict has been far more expensive than Russian President Vladimir Putin may have anticipated. As losses outpace its ability to replenish its forces, the Kremlin has had to draw from stocks of old tanks, armored vehicles, and other equipment.
The Su-57’s high cost has been the main driver of UAC’s efforts to attract foreign buyers, which explains why it has been presented at numerous air shows and military trade events in the past year. While the Su-57 remains a crowd pleaser at those events, the fighter also received unexpected scrutiny on Chinese social media just before the China International Aviation and Aerospace Exhibition last November.
Though we can believe that two Su-57s have been delivered, it likely doesn’t mean much for the Kremlin, which has remained cautious almost to the point of absurdity in not employing the Su-57 in combat.
Numerous songs have suggested that two is a magical number, but it may take more than two to make a difference for the Russian military. Then again, it simply has two more aircraft on the flightline that aren’t likely to be deployed in combat.
Still, Moscow will continue to tout the Su-57 as the most capable fighter in service, and UAC and Rosoboronexport will continue to try to find foreign buyers. So far, only Algeria has agreed, but given the slow production, it could be years before the first Su-57 is in service in the skies over North Africa.
About the Author: Peter Suciu
Peter Suciu is a Michigan-based writer. He has contributed to more than four dozen magazines, newspapers, and websites with over 3,200 published pieces over a twenty-year career in journalism. He regularly writes about military hardware, firearms history, cybersecurity, politics, and international affairs. Peter is also a Contributing Writer for Forbes and Clearance Jobs. You can follow him on Twitter: @PeterSuciu. You can email the author: [email protected].
Image: Shutterstock/ ILya Oslyakov.
