According to Alexander Mikheev, CEO of Rosoboronexport, at the same time, it is premature to talk about any orders yet
LIMA, October 28. /tass/. Potential foreign customers are showing increased interest in the latest Russian single-engine fighter of the fifth generation Checkmate. This was announced in an interview with TASS on the eve of the international arms exhibition SITDEF 2021 by the Director General of Rosoboronexport JSC (part of Rostec State Corporation) Alexander Mikheev.
"Interest in the new aircraft is quite high," he said, answering the question whether there were any applications for Checkmate from Latin American countries after the presentation of the fighter at the MAKS-2021 air show.
According to him, it is premature to talk about any orders on Checkmate at the moment. "The plane will have to take off and go from a prototype to a production car," Mikheev said.
As the head of Rosoboronexport noted, the new aircraft is in demand in a number of markets. "In the fleets of the air forces of many countries, including South America, there is a need for aircraft of this class," he added.
At the MAKS-2021 air show, the United Aircraft Corporation held a presentation of a new light tactical aircraft (LTS). The single-engine fighter was named Checkmate ("Checkmate" in English). It is planned that it will compete with the American F-35A Lightning II fighter and the Swedish JAS-39 Gripen. Checkmate includes all the most advanced developments, including an open architecture for building in the interests of the customer and unique artificial intelligence technologies. It is expected that the LTS will make its first flight in 2023.
The International Salon of Defense Technologies SITDEF 2021, which opens on Thursday, will be held until October 31 on the territory of the general headquarters of the ground forces in the city of Lima in Peru. The exhibition has been held every two years since 2007. Rosoboronexport JSC is a regular participant of the salon.
