Sukhoi Su-57 (Сухой Су-57, nome in codice NATO: Felon): è in corso la produzione in serie del caccia russo.

Sukhoi Su-57 (Сухой Су-57, nome in codice NATO: Felon): è in corso la produzione in serie del caccia russo.

Il 28 dicembre 2020, il primo caccia seriale Su-57 di quinta generazione è giunto al 929° centro di test di volo (GLIT) ad Akhtubinsk. Doveva essere ancora pronto nel 2019 ma il progetto ha subito dei ritardi. Il programma PAK FA è un progetto difficile e ambizioso per i costruttori di aerei russi.

Il Su-57 di serie con numero 01 blu è stato visto a Novosibirsk in data 25 dicembre dopo aver fatto scalo a Komsomolsk-on-Amur, nella Russia europea. È il primo dei velivolo di produzione di serie del lotto di sviluppo ed ha effettuato il primo volo nell'ottobre 2020.

Il Su-57 è un aereo da caccia di quinta generazione multiruolo bimotore stealth, monoposto, progettato e prodotto dalla società russa Sukhoi. Sebbene la maggior parte delle informazioni siano classificate, fonti all'interno della società Sukhoi e del Ministero della Difesa hanno confermato apertamente che l'aereo deve: 

• essere stealth, 
• super manovrabile, 
• con capacità di supercruise, 
• incorporare notevoli quantità di materiali compositi 
• e possedere avionica avanzata, 
• radar AESA attivo 
• e fusione di sensori opto-elettronici.


Al Flight Test Center hanno ribadito che continuano alacremente le prove del primo jet seriale. I piloti e gli istruttori stanno progettando un programma di addestramento per i piloti. Il ministro della Difesa russo Sergey Shoigu ha confermato ufficialmente che 22 nuovi Su-57 Felon saranno consegnati entro la fine del 2024 e il numero crescerà a 76 entro il 2028.

Il contratto per un lotto importante di aerei da combattimento è già stato firmato dopo un intervento personale del presidente. Prima di esso, le forze aerospaziali dovevano ricevere solo 16 aerei. L'aumento della produzione contribuirà a ridurre del 20% il prezzo di ciascun aereo.

I contratti consentono di armare tre reggimenti aerei con il Su-57. In futuro sono probabili nuovi contratti per ulteriori jet. Oltre dieci prototipi del Su-57 sono attualmente impegnati in prove di volo.

Le forniture di jet seriali aumenteranno gradualmente dal 2021 e la piena capacità prevista sarà raggiunta dopo il 2024 con la produzione a regime di sedici aerei all'anno.

Il ministero della Difesa russo ha ricevuto il primo Su-57 seriale alla fine del 2019, ma un incidente ha interrotto il piano operativo. Il pilota venne eiettato positivamente durante un volo di prova in data 24 dicembre 2019: sarà comunque assemblato un nuovo aereo per sostituire quello precipitato.

La consegna degli aerei da combattimento è stata rinviata di un anno per chiarire le ragioni dell'incidente. Le indagini hanno contribuito a migliorare il Su-57. Il programma di produzione doveva essere adeguato per far fronte al ritardo.

Gli incidenti hanno già ritardato i processi decisionali. Il 10 giugno 2014, il motore del quinto prototipo prese fuoco e l'aereo dovette essere ricostruito completamente.

Il direttore esecutivo della Rostec, Oleg Yevtushenko, ha ribadito che i prototipi avevano già effettuato diverse migliaia di voli di prova entro la primavera del 2020. Nel 2018-2019, i Su-57 sono stati impegnati due volte in Siria per testare armi contro obiettivi reali dell’ISIS; il capo di stato maggiore generale Valery Gerasimov ha confermato di aver portato a termine con successo le missioni.

Nel 2020, il Su-57 ha operato insieme ad altri jet da combattimento e bombardieri ed è stato provato in volo unitamente all'UCAV Okhotnik S-70.

I Su-57 vengono continuamente aggiornati man mano che si sviluppa la produzione nei vari lotti produttivi. Un prototipo aggiornato effettuerà il volo inaugurale nel 2022 e le prove saranno completate alla fine del 2024. La maggior parte dei 76 caccia previsti dal contratto saranno prodotti nella variante aggiornata.

La differenza principale sarà sicuramente un nuovo motore noto come “Izdeliye 30”, progettato specificamente per il Su-57. Finora, i primi jet sono spinti dai motori AL-41F1.

Il Su-57 ha effettuato il primo volo con il nuovo motore nel dicembre 2017: il nuovo motore si caratterizza per gli ugelli a denti di sega allo scopo di diminuire la firma radar e I.R. 

L'Izdeliye 30 avrà una potenza propulsiva molto aumentata e fornirà velocità supersonica nel volo di crociera.

L'opzione potenziata del jet da combattimento avrà una gamma più ampia di armi. Sono in fase di progettazione diversi missili e bombe di precisione che potranno essere  trasportati all'interno del jet.

E’ in corso la ricerca e lo sviluppo di un nuovo indicatore panoramico, display multifunzionali e un mirino grandangolare. I driver elettrici delle superfici di controllo di volo aumenteranno la già eccellente manovrabilità.

Il Sukhoi Su-57 (in cirillico: Сухой Су-57, nome in codice NATO: Felon) noto anche come T-50 durante la fase di sviluppo, è un caccia multiruolo stealth di 5ª generazione di fabbricazione russa e sviluppato dalla Sukhoi con l'obiettivo di dotare le forze aerospaziali russe di un velivolo da superiorità aerea di nuova generazione in grado di condurre missioni di attacco al suolo. In precedenza identificato con l'acronimo PAK-FA, dall'omonimo programma da cui ha avuto origine, ha acquisito ufficialmente la denominazione Su-57 nell'agosto del 2017.

Il 25 dicembre 2020 il primo esemplare di serie, seppur con motori depotenziati rispetto al disegno finale, è entrato in servizio presso le forze aerospaziali russe.

Sviluppo

Lo sviluppo del Su-57 ha avuto origine dal programma PAK-FA (in cirillico: Перспективный авиационный комплекс фронтовой авиации) per la creazione di un Sistema Aereo Futuro di Prima Linea. Sono presenti due versioni: il monoposto designato come Su-57 e il biposto, designato come Fifth Generation Fighter Aircraft (FGFA), al cui sviluppo partecipa anche l'India. Avrà il compito di sostituire i MiG-29 Fulcrum e Su-27 Flanker e confrontarsi con i rivali statunitensi F-22, F-35 e quelli cinesi Chengdu J-20. Lo sviluppo di questo velivolo è curato da un consorzio capeggiato da Sukhoi e la realizzazione avviene insieme con la Novosibirsk Aircraft Production Association (NAPO) e la Komsomolsk-na-Amur Aircraft Production Association (KnAAPO). La base aerea presso la quale vengono effettuati i test di sviluppo è Akhtubinsk, nelle vicinanze della città di Volgograd nel sud della Russia.

Il Su-57 dovrebbe entrare in servizio nel primo semestre del 2019, con quasi tre anni di ritardo rispetto alle previsioni. Secondo le stime russe gli Su-57 dovrebbero essere costruiti in un numero totale compreso tra 800 e 1 000 esemplari, il governo russo ha intenzione di dotarsi di almeno 450 Su-57 entro il 2040; ma vista la difficile situazione economica del paese e l'elevatissimo prezzo dei caccia di 5ª generazione, difficilmente si raggiungeranno tali cifre. Finora 11 prototipi del Su-57 sono stati completati.

Il primo prototipo ha effettuato con successo il volo inaugurale della durata di 47 minuti il 29 gennaio 2010, dalla base della Komsomolsk-on-Amur Aircraft Production Association nell'aeroporto Dzemgi, con il famoso pilota Sergey Bogdan alla guida. Il secondo prototipo ha volato per la prima volta il 3 marzo del 2011. I primi due prototipi erano privi di radar e sistemi d'armamento. Il terzo, dotato di un nuovo radar AESA, ha volato per la prima volta il 22 novembre 2011. Il quarto prototipo ha volato per la prima volta il 12 dicembre 2012. Il quinto prototipo ha volato il 27 ottobre 2013 pilotato da Yury Vashchuk, Sukhoi Chief Pilot ed eroe della Federazione Russa.

Come dichiarato dalla casa produttrice, il nono prototipo dovrebbe essere praticamente uguale ad un aereo di produzione seriale.

Gli undici prototipi costruiti sino ad ora hanno superato i test senza particolari problemi (alla fine del 2013 si è conclusa la fase preliminare dei test, nel 2014 sono cominciati i test statali).

A fine febbraio 2018 la Russia ha inviato 4 prototipi del Su-57 nella base russa in Siria di Hmeimim per probabili test operativi.

Il 15 maggio 2019, Vladimir Putin ha annunciato l'acquisto da parte del Ministero della Difesa della Russia di 76 Su-57, che dovrebbero entrare in servizio con tre gruppi aerei entro il 2028.[6] Il valore del contratto è stimato in 170 miliardi di rubli - circa trentacinque milioni di dollari di valore per singolo esemplare - il che lo rende il più grande nella storia dell'aviazione russa e garantisce il pieno utilizzo della capacità della fabbrica di aeromobili di Komsomol'sk-na-Amure per almeno un decennio. L'accordo definitivo dovrebbe essere sottoscritto alla presenza del presidente alla fiera aerospaziale MAKS-2019 del 19 agosto 2019.

Il 24 dicembre del 2019, durante un volo di collaudo, un Su-57 di pre-serie, a pochi giorni dalla consegna alla VVS russa, è precipitato. Secondo quanto riportato dalle agenzie di stampa russe, il velivolo ha sofferto di un'avaria ai propri sistemi che ha indotto il pilota ad eiettarsi con successo.

Il 25 dicembre 2020 è stato consegnato alle forze aerospaziali russe il primo esemplare di serie. Ne è prevista la consegna di 22 esemplari entro il 2024, dei quali, quelli a partire dal 2022, saranno equipaggiati con il nuovo motore Idzelye-30.

Tecnica - Avionica

Il caccia Su-57 è dotato di un nuovo radar AESA sviluppato dal Tikhomirov Scientific Research Institute of Instrument Design utilizzando nanotecnologie realizzate in Russia, comprende elementi attivi nella banda X anteriormente, ai lati dell'aereo e sul posteriore, e due elementi attivi nella banda L nelle ali. Nella suite dei sensori è stato previsto anche un sensore per gli infrarossi.

Stealth

Il Su-57 sarà il primo velivolo stealth in servizio presso l'aviazione Russa utilizzando geometrie particolari delle ali e degli alettoni, materiali compositi, speciali verniciature, mentre i compressori dei motori sono nascosti da un condotto a serpentina e particolari elementi per bloccare le onde radar ostili.

Essendo l'aereo ancora in fase di sviluppo è difficile determinare la reale efficacia delle soluzioni adottate, ma secondo le analisi di molti esperti dovrebbe avere delle performance in linea con la produzione occidentale.

Armamento

Il progetto del caccia prevede sia l'utilizzo di armamenti esterni collegati alle ali, che di due alloggiamenti interni di ampie dimensioni ricavati nella fusoliera del velivolo, studiati per mantenere al top l'invisibilità ai radar, oltre ad un probabile cannoncino frontale con una capacità di carico di armamenti di circa 7.500 kg.

Motori

I motori attualmente utilizzati dal Su-57 sono una versione modificata degli AL-41F montati sui SU-35; consentono al caccia di ottenere velocità supersoniche senza l'utilizzo di post-bruciatori. L'attuale modello è anche dotato di un sistema vettoriale tridimensionale della spinta, che unitamente al controllo digitale di motori e all’aerodinamica garantiscono al caccia una elevatissima manovrabilità. I motori appositamente progettati per il SU-57 sono gli “Izdeliye-30”, ma sono ancora in fase di sviluppo.

Varianti:

• FGFA - Variante biposto sviluppata inizialmente in collaborazione con l'India per l'Aeronautica militare.
• UCAV - Nell’agosto 2013, l'azienda russa OAK ha dichiarato di avere in fase di sviluppo un drone pesante da combattimento basato sul progetto dell'Su-57.

Utilizzatori:

• Russia - Vozdušno-kosmičeskie sily - 76 ordinati in totale con consegne a partire dal 2019. Il primo esemplare in consegna è precipitato il 24 dicembre dello stesso anno. Il 25 dicembre 2020 è stato consegnato il primo esemplare di Su-57 di serie, seppur equipaggiato con motori di grado evolutivo inferiore al previsto.

Storia operativa - Russia - Test e prove

Il 929th State Flight Test Center (GLITS) ha ricevuto il suo primo prototipo Su-57 per ulteriori test e prove di stato nel marzo 2014, e il comandante in capo dell'aeronautica russa, il tenente generale Viktor Bondarev ha affermato che le consegne del caccia Su-57 di produzione iniziale sono iniziate nel 2016.  I test sulle armi esterne sono iniziati nel maggio 2014.  L'8 febbraio 2018, l'allora vice ministro della Difesa Yury Borisov ha dichiarato che la prima fase dei processi di stato era stata conclusa e che i processi di combattimento erano in programma. Durante l'intervista, ha riferì che il contratto per un primo lotto di 12 velivoli doveva essere firmato nel 2018.  In primo luogo due unità seriali furono ordinate nel mese di agosto 2018, con termine di consegna entro il 2020; prove statali erano da completare nel 2019. Il 27 settembre 2019, il Ministero della Difesa russo ha pubblicato un video che mostrava il primo volo dell'Okhotnik UCAV insieme al Su-57. Secondo quanto riferito, l'UCAV ha operato in modo autonomo e ha volato per più di 30 minuti interagendo con il Su-57 per testare l'estensione del raggio di designazione del radar e del bersaglio del combattente per l'uso di armi aero-lanciate a lungo raggio, lanciate dall'esterno delle difese aeree ostili. 

Il 24 marzo 2020, il Ministero della Difesa russo ha pubblicato un video con la prima dimostrazione del caccia che lanciava un missile aria-aria R-74 / K-74 a corto raggio.

Secondo il direttore esecutivo della Rostec Corporation, Oleg Yevtushenko, i Su-57 sono stati testati in volo per diverse migliaia di ore. L'esperienza dei test di volo, così come i risultati delle indagini sul primo incidente aereo seriale, sono "utilizzati dagli sviluppatori del velivolo".

Il 28 giugno 2020, TASS, con riferimento a fonti anonime all'interno del complesso militare-industriale, ha riferito che era stato condotto un esperimento di squadra di ``sciame'' con un gruppo di Su-35 e un Su-57 che fungeva da velivolo di comando e controllo. Durante l'esperimento, le informazioni sono state scambiate tra i caccia in tempo reale: il sistema di controllo delle informazioni di ciascun velivolo ha elaborato automaticamente i dati dai propri sensori e sensori di altri velivoli, fornendo un'immagine completa dello spazio di battaglia e aumentando significativamente l'efficienza delle missioni di combattimento. Secondo quanto riferito, l'esperimento è stato condotto in "condizioni di combattimento reali”.

Valutazione in combattimento sul fronte siriano

Il 21 febbraio 2018, due Su-57 hanno effettuato il loro primo volo internazionale quando sono stati avvistati mentre atterravano alla base aerea russa di Khmeimim in Siria. Gli aerei sono stati implementati con quattro Sukhoi Su-35, quattro Sukhoi Su-25s, e un Beriev A-50 AEW & C. Tre giorni altri due Su-57 giunsero in Siria.  Lo spiegamento è stato criticato da alcuni esperti come eccessivamente rischioso, specialmente dopo i rapporti di attacchi di droni alla base aerea di Khmeimim. Un corrispondente militare della Komsomolskaya Pravda Viktor Baranetsè ha confermato che i Su-57 hanno svolto "in modo eccellente" la loro missione nella Ghouta orientale.  Il 1° marzo 2018, il ministro della Difesa russo Sergey Shoygu ha confermato che i due Su-57 hanno effettivamente trascorso due giorni in Siria ed hanno completato con successo un programma di prove, comprese prove di combattimento durante le quali sono stati monitorati i parametri del lavoro sulle armi.  Il 25 maggio 2018, il ministero della Difesa russo ha rivelato che durante il dispiegamento del febbraio 2018 in Siria, un Su-57 ha lanciato un missile da crociera in combattimento, probabilmente un Kh-59MK2. Il 18 novembre 2018, il ministero della Difesa russo ha pubblicato un video esteso dei voli dei caccia ed ha annunciato che il Su-57 ha effettuato 10 voli durante il suo dispiegamento in Siria. Tuttavia, il video non specificava quando si fossero svolti i voli di prova. 

Il 18 dicembre 2019, il ministero della Difesa russo ha nuovamente testato il Su-57 in Siria e tutti i compiti sarebbero stati ultimati con successo.

Entrata in servizio

Il 25 dicembre 2020, il ministero della Difesa russo ha annunciato l’introduzione del primo caccia seriale multifunzionale di quinta generazione Su-57, entrato in servizio con uno dei reggimenti dell'aviazione del distretto militare meridionale.

Potenziali operatori:

• Turchia - Nel maggio 2018, i media turchi Yeni Safak hanno dichiarato che la Turchia potrebbe valutare l'acquisto di Su-57 dopo che gli Stati Uniti hanno annullato le consegne degli F-35 a causa dell'acquisto di S-400 da parte della Turchia. Tuttavia, una fonte interna ha affermato che la possibilità di acquisto del Su-57 era basata sull'opinione di esperti e non riflette la posizione ufficiale di Ankara. Nel maggio 2019, il CEO di Rostec Sergey Chemezov ha dichiarato che la Russia era pronta a cooperare con la Turchia per l'esportazione e la produzione locale del Su-57. Il 30 agosto 2019, il presidente Erdogan ha confermato che la Turchia e la Russia stanno negoziando possibili consegne di caccia Su-57 dopo aver ispezionato personalmente l'aereo al salone aereo MAKS del 2019 a Mosca. Il 14 settembre 2019, un caccia Sukhoi Su-57 avrebbe preso parte al festival Technofest 2019 tenutosi a Istanbul.
• Algeria - Il 27 dicembre 2019, secondo quanto riferito, l'Algeria avrebbe firmato un contratto per 14 aeromobili nell'ambito di un grande accordo militare che includerebbe anche l'acquisto di caccia Su-34 e Su-35. Secondo quanto riferito, la decisione è stata presa nell'estate del 2019, quando la delegazione algerina ha ispezionato personalmente il Su-57 al MAKS-2019. Tuttavia, né il governo russo né quello algerino hanno confermato ufficialmente tale ordine.
• Cina - Xu Guangyu, consulente senior presso la China Arms Control and Disarmament Association, ha confermato al Global Times che è probabile che la Cina possa acquisire i Su-57 russi poiché Pechino ha bisogno di analizzare e imparare quanto necessario anche da altri paesi.
• Altri - Durante il Dubai Air Show 2019, il CEO del Rostec Sergey Chemezov ha parlato della possibilità di "localizzazione" di porzioni della catena di approvvigionamento del Su-57 all'interno di altri paesi che decidono di acquistare quei jet, tra cui '... Emirati Arabi Uniti, India o Turchia ... ", dipende dalle capacità della base industriale della difesa del cliente in questione.
• La leadership militare irachena, compreso il suo ispettore del ministero della Difesa iracheno, Imad Al-Zuhairin, ha dichiarato l'interesse del paese per il Su-57.

ENGLISH

Mass production of Russian Sukhoi Su-57 FELON fighter jet underway

According to information published by Russia's Tass news agency on 28 December 2020, the first fifth-generation Su-57 serial fighter has been shipped to the 929th flight test centre (GLIT) in Akhtubinsk. It was still to be delivered in 2019 but has stalled. The PAK FA programme is the most difficult and ambitious project for Russian aircraft manufacturers, writes the Izvestia newspaper.

Su-57 with blue number 01 on board was seen in Novosibirsk on December 25. It made a stopover on its way from Komsomolsk-on-Amur to European Russia. It is the first serial aircraft of the latest jet development batch. It made its first flight in October 2020.

The Su-57 is a fifth-generation multi-role, twin-engine stealth, single-seat fighter aircraft designed and manufactured by Russian company Sukhoi. Although most of the information is classified, sources within the Sukhoi company and the Ministry of Defence have openly stated that the aircraft must be stealthy, super manoeuvrable, have supercruise capabilities, incorporate significant amounts of composite materials and possess advanced avionics such as active phase array radar and sensor fusion.
GLIT (Flight Test Center) sources said that testing of the first serial jet is underway. Pilots and instructors are planning a training programme for its pilots. Russian Defence Minister Sergey Shoigu said 22 Su-57s will be delivered by the end of 2024 and the number will grow to 76 by 2028.

The contract for a major batch of fighter planes was signed according to a personal instruction from the Russian president. Prior to it, the aerospace forces were to receive only 16 latest jets. The increase in production helped reduce the price of each jet by 20%.

The contracts allow three air regiments to be armed with Su-57s. New contracts for more jets are likely in the future. More than ten Su-57 prototypes are currently undergoing flight tests.

Supplies of serial jets will gradually increase from 2021, with full capacity expected to be reached after 2024. Sixteen jets will be produced per year.

The Russian Ministry of Defence was due to receive the first serial Su-57 at the end of 2019, but an accident interrupted the plan. The pilot was ejected to safety during a test flight on 24 December 2019. A new fighter jet will be built to replace the crashed one.

The delivery of the fighter planes has been postponed for a year to clarify the reasons for the accident. The investigation helped to improve the Su-57. The production schedule had to be adjusted to cope with the delay.

Accidents had already delayed the processes. On 10 June 2014, the engine of the fifth prototype caught fire. The damage was great and the aircraft's glider had to be rebuilt from scratch.

Rostec executive director Oleg Yevtushenko said that the prototypes had made several thousand test flights by spring 2020. In 2018-2019, Su-57s were engaged twice in Syria to test weapons against real targets. Chief of General Staff Valery Gerasimov said they had successfully completed the missions.

In 2020, the Su-57 operated alongside other fighter jets and bombers. They were previously tested together with the heavy Okhotnik S-70 drone.

The jets are being upgraded as batch production develops. In October 2018, Megapolis R&D was launched to create an upgraded second-stage Su-57 by 2024.

The upgraded prototype will make its maiden flight in 2022. Trials will be completed in late 2024. Most of the 76 jets under the contract will be produced in the upgraded option.

The main difference is a new engine known as the Element 30 designed for the Su-57. So far, the first jets are powered by AL-41F1 engines.

The Su-57 made its first flight with the new engine in December 2017. The engine has a characteristic saw-tooth pattern of the nozzle. It decreases radar and other signatures. Object 30 will have a larger resource and provide supersonic speed without an increase in cruise flight.

The upgraded fighter jet option will have a wider range of weapons. Several missiles and precision bombs are being designed. They will be carried inside the jet.

Megapolis R&D is also designing a new panoramic indicator, multifunctional displays and a wide-angle viewfinder. Electric steering surface drivers will increase the already excellent manoeuvrability, Izvestia said.

The Sukhoi Su-57 (Russian: Сухой Су-57; unconfirmed NATO reporting name: Felon) is a stealth, single-seat, twin-engine multirole fifth-generation jet fighter being developed since 2002 for air superiority and attack operations. The aircraft is the product of the PAK FA (Russian: ПАК ФА, short for: Перспективный авиационный комплекс фронтовой авиации, romanized: Perspektivny Aviatsionny Kompleks Frontovoy Aviatsii, lit. ''prospective aeronautical complex of front-line air forces''), a fifth-generation fighter programme of the Russian Air Force. Sukhoi's internal name for the aircraft is T-50. The Su-57 is planned to be the first aircraft in Russian military service to use stealth technology. Its maiden flight took place on 29 January 2010 and the first production aircraft has been delivered on 25 December 2020. The fighter is the world's fourth operational fifth-generation stealth fighter aircraft after the F-22, F-35, and J-20.

The fighter is designed to have supercruise, supermaneuverability, stealth, and advanced avionics to overcome the prior generation fighter aircraft as well as ground and naval defences. The Su-57 is intended to succeed the MiG-29 and Su-27 in the Russian Air Force.

The prototypes and initial production batch are to be delivered with a highly upgraded Lyulka AL-31 variant, the AL-41F1, as an interim powerplant, while an advanced clean-sheet design engine, currently designated the Izdeliye 30, is in final stages of development, expected to be available after mid-2020s. The aircraft is expected to have a service life of up to 35 years.

Contents

Development

Origins

In 1979, the Soviet Union outlined a need for a next-generation aircraft intended to enter service in the 1990s. The project was designated the I-90 (Russian: Истребитель, Istrebitel, "Fighter") and required the fighter to have substantial ground attack capabilities and would eventually replace the MiG-29s and Su-27s in frontline tactical aviation service. The subsequent programme designed to meet these requirements, the MFI (Russian: МФИ, Russian: Многофункциональный фронтовой истребитель, Mnogofunksionalni Frontovoy Istrebitel, "Multifunctional Frontline Fighter"), resulted in Mikoyan's selection to develop the MiG 1.44. Though not a participant in the MFI, Sukhoi started its own programme in 1983 to develop technologies for a next-generation fighter aircraft, resulting in the S-37, later designated Su-47. Due to a lack of funds after the collapse of the Soviet Union, the MiG 1.44 programme was repeatedly delayed and the first flight of the prototype did not occur until 2000, nine years behind schedule. The MiG 1.44 was subsequently cancelled and a new programme for a next-generation fighter, PAK FA, was initiated. The programme requirements reflected the capabilities of Western fighter aircraft, such as the Eurofighter Typhoon and F-22 Raptor. In 2002, Sukhoi was selected over Mikoyan as the winner of the PAK FA competition and would lead the design of the new aircraft; Mikoyan continued to develop its proposal as the LMFS (Russian: ЛМФС, Russian: Легкий многофункциональный фронтовой самолёт, Liogkiy Mnogofunktsionalniy Frontovoi Samolyet, "Light Multifunctional Frontline Fighter") which was designed to be smaller and more affordable.

To reduce the PAK FA's developmental risk and spread out associated costs, as well as to bridge the gap between it and older previous generation fighters, some of its technology and features, such as propulsion and avionics, were implemented in the Sukhoi Su-35S fighter, an advanced variant of the Su-27. The Novosibirsk Aircraft Production Association (NAPO) is manufacturing the new multi-role fighter at Komsomol'sk-on-Amur along with Komsomolsk-on-Amur Aircraft Production Association (KnAAPO), and final assembly is to take place at Komsomol'sk-on-Amur. Following a competition held in 2003, the Tekhnokompleks Scientific and Production Center, Ramenskoye Instrument Building Design Bureau, the Tikhomirov Scientific Research Institute of Instrument Design (NIIP), the Ural Optical and Mechanical Plant (UOMZ) in Yekaterinburg, the Polet firm in Nizhny Novgorod and the Central Scientific Research Radio Engineering Institute in Moscow were selected for the development of the PAK-FA's avionics suite. NPO Saturn is the lead contractor for the interim engines; Saturn and MMPP Salyut will compete for the definitive second stage engines. In 2004, the fighter's conceptual design was completed and approved by Russia's Defense Ministry, with Alexander Davidenko selected as the Chief designer. Funding of the programme began in 2005.

On 8 August 2007, Russian Air Force Commander-in-Chief (CinC) Alexander Zelin was quoted by Russian news agencies that the programme's development stage was complete and construction of the first aircraft for flight testing would begin. Three flyable prototypes were planned to be built by 2009. In 2009, the aircraft's design was officially approved.

Design

Overview

The Su-57 is intended to be a fifth-generation multirole fighter aircraft and the first operational stealth aircraft for the Russian Air Force. Although most information is classified, sources within the Sukhoi company and Defence Ministry have openly stated that the aircraft is to be stealthy, supermaneuverable, have supercruise capability, incorporate substantial amounts of composite materials, and possess advanced avionics such as active phased-array radar and sensor fusion.

The aircraft has a blended wing body fuselage and incorporates all-moving horizontal and vertical stabilizers; the vertical stabilizers toe inwards to serve as the aircraft's airbrake. The aircraft incorporates thrust vectoring and has adjustable leading–edge vortex controllers (LEVCONs) designed to control vortices generated by the leading edge root extensions, and can provide trim and improve high angle of attack behaviour, including a quick stall recovery if the thrust vectoring system fails. The advanced flight control system and thrust vectoring nozzles make the aircraft departure-resistant and highly maneuverable in both pitch and yaw, enabling the aircraft to perform very high angles of attack maneuvers such as the Pugachev's Cobra and the bell maneuver, along with doing flat rotations with little altitude loss. The Su-57 has a climb rate ranging from 330 m/s (1,100 ft/s) to 361 m/s (1,180 ft/s). The aircraft makes extensive use of composites, with the material comprising 25% of the structural weight and almost 70% of the outer surface.

Weapons are housed in two tandem main weapons bays between the engine nacelles and smaller bulged, triangular-section bays near the wing root. Internal weapons carriage eliminates drag from external stores and enables higher performance compared to external carriage, as well as enhancing stealth. The Su-57's aerodynamics and engines enable it to achieve Mach 2 and fly supersonic without afterburners, or supercruise, a significant kinematic advantage over prior generations of aircraft. Combined with a high fuel load, the fighter has a supersonic range of over 1,500 km (930 mi), more than twice that of the Su-27. Extendable refueling probe is available to further increase its range. In the Su-57's design, Sukhoi addressed what it considered to be the F-22's limitations, such as its inability to use thrust vectoring to induce roll and yaw moments and a lack of space for weapons bays between the engines, and complications for stall recovery if thrust vectoring fails.

On 27 April, 2020, it was reported by the Izvestia that the Su-57 hydraulic systems were planned to be replaced with electromechanical drives (actuators), improving the aircraft's combat survivability, stealth characteristics, maneuverability and reducing the maintenance complexity. According to the report, the first flight of a modernized Su-57 was scheduled for the middle of 2022, with the trials of the "electric" fighter version to take at least two years.

Stealth

The Su-57 is planned to be the first operational aircraft in Russian Air Force service to use stealth technology. Similar to other stealth fighters such as the F-22, the airframe incorporates planform edge alignment to reduce its radar cross-section (RCS); the leading and trailing edges of the wings and control surfaces and the serrated edges of skin panels are carefully angled to reduce the number of directions the radar waves can be reflected. Weapons are carried internally in weapons bays within the airframe and antennas are recessed from the surface of the skin to preserve the aircraft's stealthy shape. The infrared search-and-track sensor housing is turned backwards when not in use and its rear is treated with radar-absorbent material (RAM) to reduce its radar return. To mask the significant RCS contribution of the engine face, the walls of the inlet ducts are coated with RAM and the partial serpentine ducts obscure most of the engines’ fan and inlet guide-vanes (IGV); the remaining exposed engine face is masked by a radar blocker similar in principle to that used on the F/A-18E/F. According to Sukhoi's radar blocker patent, the slanted blocker grid is placed in front of the IGV at a distance of 0.7—1.2 times the diameter of the duct. The fuselage of the aircraft is coated with RAM to absorb radar emissions and reduce the reflection back to the source.

Due to the extensive use of polymeric carbon plastics composites, the aircraft has four times fewer parts compared to the Su-27, weighs less and is easier to mass-produce. The aircraft canopy is made of composite material and 70-90 nm thick metal oxide layers with enhanced radar wave absorbing to minimize the radar return of the cockpit by 30% and protect the pilot from the impact of ultraviolet and thermal radiation. Izvestia reported that from 2021, Su-57 will be supplemented by a dozen of protective covers - separately for the wheels, the lower, central and rear fuselage, wings, cockpit, nozzle, stabilizers, air intakes and other parts of the structure - to protect the plane from bad weather and hide them from reconnaissance means.

The Su-57's design emphasizes frontal stealth, with RCS-reducing features most apparent in the forward hemisphere; the shaping of the aft fuselage, the seams between parts, and rivets are much less optimized for radar stealth compared to the F-22. However, during MAKS 2019, some observers noted that the craftsmanship of the fuselage was finer than expected from Russian aircraft and looked smooth despite the rivets. The second serial production Su-57 also seemed to have a significantly better tolerance on its skin panel than previous prototype.

The combined effect of airframe shape and RAM of the production aircraft is estimated to have reduced the aircraft's RCS to a value thirty times smaller than that of the Su-27. Sukhoi's patent for the T-50 prototype stealth features cites an intention to reduce average RCS to approximately 0.1 to 1 m2, compared to the Su-27's RCS of approximately 10 to 15 m2. Like other stealth fighters, the Su-57's low observability measures are chiefly effective against high-frequency (between 3 and 30 GHz) radars, usually found on other aircraft. The effects of Rayleigh scattering and resonance mean that low-frequency radars, employed by weather radars and early-warning radars are more likely to detect the Su-57 due to its size. Such radars are also large, susceptible to clutter and are less precise.

Engines

Preproduction T-50 and initial production batches of the Su-57 will use interim engines, a pair of NPO Saturn izdeliye 117, or AL-41F1, augmented turbofans. The engine is a highly improved and uprated variant of the AL-31 that powers the Su-27 family of aircraft and produces 93.1 kN (21,000 lbf) of dry thrust, 147.1 kN (33,067 lbf) of thrust in afterburner, and has a dry weight of approximately 1,600 kg (3,530 lb). The engines have full authority digital engine control (FADEC) and are integrated into the flight control system to facilitate maneuverability and handling. The AL-41F1 is closely related to the Saturn izdeliye 117S engine, or AL-41F1S, used by the Su-35S, with the latter's separate engine control system being the key difference.

The AL-41F1 engines incorporate thrust vectoring (TVC) nozzles whose rotational axes are each canted at an angle, similar to the nozzle arrangement of the Su-35S. This configuration allows the aircraft to produce thrust vectoring moments about all three rotational axes, pitch, yaw and roll. Thrust vectoring nozzles themselves operate in only one plane; the canting allows the aircraft to produce both roll and yaw by vectoring each engine nozzle differently. The engine inlet incorporates variable intake ramps for increased supersonic efficiency and retractable mesh screens to prevent foreign object debris being ingested that would cause engine damage. The AL-41F1 is to also incorporate infrared and RCS reduction measures. In 2014, the Indian Air Force openly expressed concerns over the reliability and performance of the AL-41F1; during the 2011 Moscow Air Show, a Su-57 suffered a compressor stall that forced the aircraft to abort takeoff.

Production fighters from mid-2020s onward will be equipped with a more powerful engine known as the izdeliye 30. Compared to the AL-41F1, the new powerplant will have increased thrust, lower costs, better fuel efficiency, and fewer moving parts; the engine also has glass-fibre plastic IGVs to reduce the aircraft's radar signature. Those features, along with subsequently improved reliability and lower maintenance costs will improve the aircraft performance and reliability. The izdeliye 30 is designed to be 30% lower specific weight than its AL-41F1 predecessor. The new engine is estimated to produce approximately 107 kN (24,054 lbf) of dry thrust and 176 kN (39,556 lbf) in afterburner. Full scale development began in 2011 and the engine's compressor began bench testing in December 2014. The first test engines were completed in 2016. The new powerplant is designed to be a drop-in replacement for the AL-41F1 with minimal changes to the airframe.

On 5 December 2017, the second Su-57 prototype (T-50-2, bort no. 052), fitted with the izdeliye 30 engine, first took off from the Gromov Flight Research Institute. The 17–minute test flight was carried out by Sergei Bogdan, Sukhoi chief test pilot. The izdeliye 30 engine was installed on the port-side engine position while the AL-41F1 remained on the starboard side. The izdeliye 30 features a new nozzle with serrated flaps compared to conventional ones on the AL-41F1 nozzle. On 8 February 2018, Russian Deputy Minister of Defence Yury Borisov said that the new engine's performance was "...difficult to judge, because all we have had is this one flight. Everything seems normal, but... many flights are to be performed. As a rule, such trials take 2-3 years". By 6 December 2019, Rostec has conducted 16 flights of the Izdeliye 30 engine to check its characteristics in various flight modes, specifically, the operation of the vectoring jet nozzle and the oil system at negative overloads.

Armament

The Su-57 prototype has two tandem main internal weapon bays each approximately 4.6 m (15.1 ft) long and 1.0 m (3.3 ft) wide and two small triangular section weapon bays that protrude under the fuselage near the wing root. Internal carriage of weapons preserves the aircraft's stealth and significantly reduces aerodynamic drag, thus preserving kinematic performance compared to performance with external stores. The Su-57's high cruising speed is expected to substantially increase weapon effectiveness compared to its predecessors. Vympel is developing two ejection launchers for the main bays: the UVKU-50L for missiles weighing up to 300 kg (660 lb) and the UVKU-50U for ordnance weighing up to 700 kg (1,500 lb).

For air-to-air combat, the Su-57 is expected to carry four beyond-visual-range missiles in its two main weapons bays and two short-range missiles in the wing root weapons bays. The primary medium-range missile is the active radar-homing K-77M (izdeliye 180), an upgraded R-77 variant with AESA seeker and conventional rear fins. The short-range missile is the infrared-homing ("heat seeking") K-74M2 (izdeliye 760), an upgraded R-74 variant with reduced cross-section for internal carriage. A clean-sheet design short-range missile designated K-MD (izdeliye 300) is being developed to eventually replace the K-74M2. For longer ranged applications, four large izdeliye 810 beyond-visual-range missiles can be carried, with two in each main weapons bay. Reportedly, the fighter will also be able to carry the long–range hypersonic R-37M missile.

The main bays can also accommodate air-to-ground missiles such as the Kh-38M, as well as multiple 250 kg (550 lb) KAB-250 or 500 kg (1,100 lb) KAB-500 precision guided bombs. The aircraft is also expected to carry further developed and modified variants of Kh-35UE (AS-20 "Kayak") anti-ship missile and Kh-58UShK (AS-11 "Kilter") anti-radiation missile. For missions that do not require stealth, the Su-57 can carry stores on its six external hardpoints. BrahMos Aerospace chief A. Sivathanu Pillai stated that there was a possibility of the installation of BrahMos supersonic cruise missile on the Su-57 FGFA derivative. New hypersonic missile with characteristics similar to the Kh-47M2 Kinzhal ALBM is also being developed for the Su-57. The missile is to have intra-body accommodation and smaller dimensions to allow it to be carried inside the Su-57's main central weapon bays. A new missile appeared to be a derivative of R-77, was displayed during Vympel's 70th anniversary on 18 November 2019. The new missile's length was approximately just 2/3 of R-77's 12 feet length, and thought to be designed to fit inside the triangular wing root bays under the Su-57's wings.

The aircraft has an internally mounted 9A1-4071K (GSh-30-1) 30 mm autocannon near the right LEVCON root. The cannon is the lightest in 30mm class with 50 kg weight, and could fire up to 1,800 rounds per minute. The cannon can fire blast-fragmentation, incendiary and armor-piercing tracer rounds and is effective against even lightly armored ground, sea and aerial target up to 800 m for aerial target and 1,800 m for ground target. The cannon is equipped with autonomous water cooling system, where water inside the barrel jacket is vaporized during operation.

Cockpit

The Su-57 has a glass cockpit with two 38 cm (15 in) main multi-functional LCD displays similar to the arrangement of the Su-35S. Positioned around the cockpit are three smaller control panel displays. The cockpit has a wide-angle (30° by 22°) head-up display (HUD). Primary controls are the joystick and a pair of throttles. The aircraft uses a two-piece canopy, with the aft section sliding forward and locking into place. The canopy is treated with special coatings to increase the aircraft's stealth.

The Su-57 employs the NPP Zvezda K-36D-5 ejection seat and the SOZhE-50 life support system, which comprises the anti-g and oxygen generating system. The 30 kg (66 lb) oxygen generating system will provide the pilot with unlimited oxygen supply. The life support system will enable pilots to perform 9-g maneuvers for up to 30 seconds at a time, and the new VKK-17 partial pressure suit will allow safe ejection at altitudes of up to 23,000 m (75,000 ft). In November 2018, the system is said to be at the final stage of test -the stage of state flight tests- and the test pilots are already flying in this equipment. The pilot gear also consisted of a digital helmet which connected to on-board photo and video cameras to improve pilot's situational awareness. It also features pupil's movement detection system to allow automatic targeting unlike previous Soviet fighters. There also a survival kit consisting a pan, antenna, signal mirror, 16 cubes of sugar, first aid kit, two match boxes, a signal pistol with charges, 1.5-liter bottle of water, machete knife, radio beacon, and portable radio. The pilot could use the survival kit's container as a boat or water-proof sleeping bag if necessary.

Avionics

The main avionics systems are the Sh-121 (Russian: Ш-121) multifunctional integrated radio electronic system (MIRES) and the 101KS "Atoll" (Russian: 101КС "Атолл") electro-optical system.

The Sh-121 consists of the N036 Byelka radar system and L402 Himalayas electronic countermeasures system. Developed by Tikhomirov NIIP Institute, the N036 consists of the main nose-mounted N036-1-01 X band active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar, or active phased array radar (Russian: Активная фазированная антенная решётка, Aktivnaya Fazirovannaya Antennaya Reshotka, Russian: АФАР, AFAR) in Russian nomenclature, with 1,552 T/R modules and two side-looking N036B-1-01 X-band AESA radars with 358 T/R modules embedded in the cheeks of the forward fuselage for increased angular coverage. Moreover, the side-looking radar could enable the Su-57 to employ extreme beaming tactic (fighter turns 90 degrees away / perpendicular to an enemy's pulse doppler radar array, so that the enemy's radar would not detect / misinterpret it as a non-moving object) while still able to guide its own missile. The suite also has two N036L-1-01 L band transceivers on the wing's leading edge extensions that are not only used to handle the N036Sh Pokosnik (Reaper) friend-or-foe identification system but also for electronic warfare purposes. Computer processing of the X- and L-band signals by the N036UVS computer and processor enable the system's information to be significantly enhanced.

In 2012, ground tests of the N036 radar began on the third Su-57 prototype aircraft. The L402 Himalayas electronic countermeasures (ECM) suite made by the Kaluga Research Radio Engineering Institute uses both its own arrays and that of the N036 radar system. One of its arrays is mounted in the dorsal sting between the two engines. The system was mounted on the aircraft in 2014. Radio telephone communication and encrypted data exchange among various aircraft and also command centers (ground and sea-based and airborne) will be provided by the S-111 system, developed by Polyot. The system will be based on a modular concept and could be installed not only on the Su-57, but also on various aircraft, helicopter, and drones. "Its effective range of operation is up to 1,500 kilometres (930 mi)" a spokesman said. "The system's reliability is guaranteed by the multiple redundancy of the main functions and cutting edge technical solutions, as well as a wide range of radio channels."

The UOMZ' 101KS "Atoll" electro-optical system consisted of:

The 101KS-V infra-red search and track turret mounted on the starboard side in front of the cockpit. This sensor can detect, identify, and track multiple airborne targets simultaneously.

The 101KS-O Directional Infrared Counter Measures system has sensors housed in turrets mounted on the dorsal spine and forward fuselage under the cockpit and uses modulated laser-based countermeasures to confuse or destroy heat-seeking missiles' tracking mechanism. Judging from its position, the system is allegedly intended not only as a self-protection against MANPADS but also air-to-air missile. In this regard, the Su-57 could be something of a pioneer, while similar DIRCM capabilities haven't been ported over to the latest generations of high-flying western fighter aircraft.

The 101KS-U ultraviolet missile approach warning sensors (MAWS) are used against infra-red homing missiles. MAWS, using ultraviolet technology, can operate under all weather conditions and will not be affected by solar clutter. It provides good directional information of the incoming missile for good decoy dispensing decision making, maneuvering and to cue the DIRCM system into action.

The 101KS-P, a high-resolution thermal imager, provides low-altitude piloting and landing in night conditions. It is installed in front of the short-range missile compartments and is not used for targeting purposes, but for efficient low altitude flight and night landing operations.

The optional 101KS-N is an external navigation and targeting pod. It will have similar function to the AN/AAQ28 Litening and AN/AAQ33 Sniper advanced targeting pods of the US military and will be mounted under the air intake.

In 2014, Concern Radio-Electronic Technologies (KRET) announced it had created an upgraded BINS-SP2M strapdown inertial navigation system, developed by its two enterprises, Moscow Institute of Electromechanics and Automatics (MIEA) and Ramensky Instrument Engineering Plant (RPZ). Built on the basis of laser gyros and quartz accelerometers, it autonomously processes navigation and flight information, determines position and motion parameters in the absence of satellite navigation, and can integrate with GLONASS. It is guaranteed to last at least 10,000 hours, and can be used universally, not only in airborne, but also in marine and terrestrial equipment. In 2016, KRET announced it is developing a multifunctional video processing system called "Okhotnik" (Hunter) to increase the Su-57's target detection range as well as to improve automatic detection and tracking of targets.

In April 2017, UAC announced that a new next-generation integrated avionics suite has started flight-testing. According to Dmitry Gribov, a chief designer of the new complex, the new avionics suite—called the ИМА БК, the Russian acronym for Интегрированная модульная авионика боевого комплекса (integrated modular avionics combat systems)—will replace a system designed in 2004 called Багет (Baguette) used on the Su-35. The still-in-development system has more than 4 million lines of code. The IMA BK makes use of indigenous Russian multi-core microprocessors and a new indigenous real-time operating system called "BagrOS-4000". The new avionic suite also makes use of fiber-optic channels with a throughput of more than 8 Gbit/s, which is up from 100 Mbit/sec for traditional copper wires. The new IMA BK integrated avionics suite is designed to automatically detect, identify, and track the most dangerous targets and offer the pilot the best solution to engage an enemy. The new system will take control of almost all of the key sensors of the aircraft—radar, navigation and communication that in previous aircraft were controlled by separate computers—then simultaneously performs the role of an electronic pilot, electronic navigator and electronic flight engineer.

A monitoring system mimicking a living organism's nervous system will allow real-time assessment of the aircraft's condition and predict the remaining 'life' of the composite parts of the aircraft by combining optical fibers, with sensitivity to mechanical influences, with the aircraft's network system. The information about the aircraft's condition will be transmitted via laser beam through the optical fiber woven into the structure. It will decrease the aircraft's maintenance costs and allow parts to be repaired preemptively, thus improving flight safety.

Unmanned capability

On 16 May 2020, it was reported by RIA that one of the Su-57 prototypes had been tested in an "unmanned mode", with the pilot acting as an observer of the plane's actions.

Possible role

According to the latest Russian military doctrine which considers the Russian Armed Forces as defensive forces meant to protect the country and its allies while maintaining a strategic deterrence capability, this fighter follows a different design philosophy when compared to western fifth generation fighter. With its forward-optimized stealth and infrared sensor, the aircraft could be considered as a counter-stealth fighter meant to get as close as possible to adversary stealth jets before engaging them, diminishing the enemy's stealth advantage and forcing them to a close quarter dogfight, where it has the theoretical advantage due to its 3-D thrust vectoring and supermaneuverability.

According to Bill Sweetman, the Su-57's high operational speed and altitude combined with its standoff weaponry could be hinting at its role as a "sort of airborne sniper", designed to fly fast and high to engage enemy support aircraft. This claim is supported by Russia's intentions to adapt the new R-37M (Izdeliye 810) air-to-air missile with range of more than 300 km to the Su-57's armament, giving it a role similar to the MiG-31BM interceptors. Newly designed anti-ship and hypersonic weapons like Kh-47M2 Kinzhal could also enable the Su-57 to perform as a maritime strike aircraft.

The Su-57 could also serve as a testbed for advanced AI and man-unmanned teaming technologies intended for use in a future sixth-generation fighter program.

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