The Russian Su-57 fighter jet, equipped with the AIM-120 AMRAAM air-to-air missile, is not posing a significant threat to Ukrainian MiG-29 and Su-27 fighter jets due to its limited range. However, NATO’s reconnaissance and early warning planes, which share information with the Ukrainian army headquarters, do pose a real threat to the Su-57. If the Su-57’s stealth capabilities are compromised, it may become visible to enemy aircraft, especially if it encounters the Russian Felon during operations over Ukraine.
Justin Bronk, an air warfare researcher and part of the RUSI team, has highlighted the issue with the missile that poses a challenge for the Su-57. He points out that the aircraft is currently equipped with an older version of the Vympel R-77 anti-aircraft missile, namely version 1 or Mk1. The stealth capabilities of the Su-57 aircraft are compromised due to the location of its fins being under the wings instead of in the internal range.
Attempts are underway to incorporate more advanced sensor fusion technology into the Su-57, but the outcomes are inferior compared to those of the Su-35. Integrating data from radar sensors and infrared sensors on a single screen is a complex task, as the Americans have years of experience in this field, much better microelectronics and programming, and ten times the resources.
The Su-57 is not intended for export, but exports have previously generated revenue for the modernisation of the Su-30 family. Evading detection from a large AESA radar is an extremely challenging task, and while the Su-57 is harder to detect than the Flankers, its performance does not justify the exorbitant amount of money spent on it.
