The Sukhoi Su-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.
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| (Грета Коронатуборг) |
The Su-57 is the product of the PAK FA (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.
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| (WarplaneP) |
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 and expected to be available after mid-2020s. The aircraft is expected to have a service life of up to 35 years.
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| (Anna Zvereva) |
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.
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| (Anna Zvereva) |
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.
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| (Creative Common) |
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.
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| (Anna Zvereva) |
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.
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| (Anna Zvereva) |
The T-50 prototype has two tandem main internal weapon bays each approximately 4.6 m long and 1.0 m 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.
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.
The Su-57 has a glass cockpit with two 38 cm 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.
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| (Dmitry Terekhov) |
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.
Specifications (Su-57)
General characteristics
Crew: 1
Length: 20.1 m
Wingspan: 14.1 m
Height: 4.74 m
Wing area: 78.8 m2
Empty weight: 18,000 kg
Gross weight: 25,000 kg typical mission weight, 29,270 kg at full load
Max takeoff weight: 35,000 kg
Fuel capacity: 10,300 kg internally
Powerplant: 2 × Saturn AL-41F1 (initial production) turbofans with thrust vectoring, 93.1 kN (20,900 lbf) thrust each dry, 147.2 kN (33,100 lbf) with afterburner
Powerplant: 2 × izdeliye 30 (in development) turbofans with thrust vectoring, 107.9 kN (24,300 lbf) thrust each dry, 176.6 kN (39,700 lbf) with afterburner
Performance
Maximum speed:
- Mach 2 (2,120 km/h; 1,320 mph) at altitude
- Mach 1.6 (1,710 km/h; 1,060 mph) supercruise at altitude
Range: 3,500 km (2,200 mi, 1,900 nmi) subsonic, 4,500 km from 2 outboard fuel tanks
Supersonic range: 1,500 km (930 mi, 810 nmi)
Service ceiling: 20,000 m
g limits: +9.0
Armament
Guns: 1 × 30 mm Gryazev-Shipunov GSh-30-1 autocannon
Hardpoints: 12 hardpoints (6 × internal, 6 × external)
Air-to-air missiles:
- 4 × RVV-MD
- 2 × R-73
- R-37M
Air-to-surface missiles:
- 4 × Kh-38ME, Kh-59MK2
- 2 × Kh-35E, 31 etс.
Anti-radiation missiles:
- 4 × Kh-58UShKE
- 250, 500, 1500 kg guided bombs
- Anti-tank "Drill" 500 kg cluster-bomb + active homing
Avionics
Sh-121 multifunctional integrated radio electronic system (MIRES)
- Byelka radar (400 km, 60 tracks with 16 targeted)
- N036-1-01: Frontal X-band active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar
- N036B-1-01: Cheek X-band AESA radars for increased angular coverage
- N036L-1-01: Slat L-band arrays for IFF
- L402 Himalayas electronic countermeasure suite
101KS Atoll electro-optical targeting system
- 101KS-O: Laser Directional Infrared Counter Measures
- 101KS-V: Infra-red search and track
- 101KS-U: Ultraviolet missile approach warning system
- 101KS-N: advanced stabilised navigation and targeting system
- 101KS-N: optional external Targeting pod
- 101KS-P: thermal imager for low altitude flying and night landing
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