The five most promising design characteristics of the Su-57 — from artificial intelligence to ballistic missiles
The Su-57 will become the basis for the Russian tactical manned aviation of the next generation, writes MWM. It is assumed that a number of ambitious modernization programs will significantly improve its characteristics.
The Su-57 has been in service since December 2020, but today the Russian Air Force has only five new-generation aircraft from the total order of 2019 for 76 vehicles. At the same time, it is expected that the first Russian fighter of non-Soviet design will be produced by hundreds, and production will accelerate in 2027 at the end of the current State Armament Plan. The volume of production in 2025-27 will be about 14 fighters per year.
Since this aircraft will become the basis for Russia's next-generation tactical manned aircraft, it is assumed that a number of ambitious modernization programs will significantly improve its performance compared to early production variants and allow it to compete at the level of the sixth generation and resist future Western developments under programs such as FX. Although an improved version of the Su-57M will be produced after 2025, it remains unclear which of the promising new features will distinguish it from its predecessor. Below we will look at the five most notable design characteristics of the new generation Su-57.
Saturn-30 engines
It is reported that by the end of 2022, the Su-57 will receive the next-generation Saturn-30 engine, which means that less than a dozen fighters will be produced with the older AL-41 engine, which the current models are equipped with. Delays in the launch of the Su-57 into mass production are partly dictated by attempts to minimize the number of fighters in service with older AL-41 engines. At the same time, it is expected that the Saturn-30 will provide the Su-57 with more thrust than any of its competitors. There are numerous reports that it will easily surpass the F119 engine on the American F-22 Raptor in terms of power. At the same time, it is claimed that the new engine will not only be more powerful than the AL-41, which is already leading in thrust among engines up to the fifth generation, but will also be much easier to maintain and more economical, while providing both a higher availability factor and a longer flight range.
Thanks to this, the Su-57 will be able to fly at a supersonic speed of 1.6 Mach without the use of afterburners, and possibly at speeds over 2 Mach. However, the official statements of the Russian side that the Saturn-30 will become the most powerful fighter engine in the world are very doubtful: the F-35 is powered by a single F-135 engine, whose thrust is 33% greater than that of the AL-41, an unattainable level for the Russian design. Another contender for this title is the Chinese WS–15, which first flew a fighter in January 2022.
Hypersonic ballistic missiles based on the X-47M2
In 2019, it was announced that a miniature modification of the X-47M2 hypersonic ballistic missile was being developed for the Su-57. In 2020, it was reported that the rocket had reached the prototype stage, and in early 2021 – that the first serial Su-57 would test hypersonic weapons, presumably derived from the X-47M2. The X-47M2 missile entered service at the end of 2017 and is in service with the MiG-31K interceptors. It has a range of 2,000 km and provides high accuracy for both ships and ground targets with high maneuverability and a speed of Mach 10. It is expected that the modification of this missile for the Su-57 will have a shorter range, although it remains unclear whether it will be placed in internal compartments to maintain low visibility or outside. Since the Su-57 significantly exceeds the MiG-31 in flight range and stealth, these characteristics fully compensate for the limited range of the missile. The new armament will make the Su-57 a world leader among fifth-generation fighters in terms of strike capabilities, as well as provide a prospect for a nuclear strike.
Co-pilot with artificial intelligence, UAV control and unmanned mode
The first Russian fighter with advanced artificial intelligence support was the MiG-35, which entered service in 2019. It is expected that the Su-57 will use the most complex auxiliary forms of artificial intelligence available to sixth-generation fighters. They can go beyond hints and advice up to the complete replacement of the weapons systems officer, who usually takes the place of the co-pilot on two-seat fighters, and will be able to hit ground targets while the pilot is engaged in control or aerial combat. Although Russia lags far behind the world leaders China and the United States in the development of AI, cooperation with Beijing will accelerate its development. Since the two-seat versions of the Su-57 are reportedly already under development and will presumably receive control and control functions over the accompanying unmanned aerial vehicles, artificial intelligence will be able to assume the role of a dispatcher and provide optimal guidance data to both the operator and the accompanying UAVs. It is expected that in the future the Su-57 itself will be able to perform unmanned tasks – this will significantly improve its flight characteristics and allow it to maneuver beyond human capabilities.
R-37M and K-77M air–to-air missiles
The R-77 with active radar guidance and earlier models with semi-active radar guidance of the R-27 are currently used for air combat by all Russian fighters. At the same time, the R-77-1 with a flight range of 110 km was first used in 2015 in Syria on Su-35S heavy fighters during a period of high tension in relations with NATO in the region. The missile entered service only that year, although it was originally planned that it would be on duty back in the 1990s. But even the formidable P-77 is significantly inferior in power to American and Chinese competitors AIM-120D and PL-15.
To bridge the gap in performance, Russia has developed the K-77M. The new missile supposedly has a range of 200 km (versus 200-300 km for the Chinese PL-15 and 160-180 km for the American AIM-120D), but benefits from the inclusion of an active phased array antenna (AFAR), which was previously used only in Chinese and Japanese air–to-air missiles. The most remarkable feature of a missile with shortened wings to fit into the Su-57 weapon compartments is the use of an AFAR antenna installed in its nose, which overcomes the traditional problem of the "field of view" of missile radars and leaves virtually no chance for the enemy to evade. It is expected that this will significantly increase the damage zone of the aircraft and allow it to threaten even small maneuverable targets at a distance of over 150 km. It is expected that the missile will enter service before 2025 and will be supplemented with the R-37M without AFAR, but with a higher speed of Mach 6, a longer range of 400 km and a much larger charge weight (60 kg), while there will be fewer of them on board each aircraft.
Laser protection and energy weapons
The design of the Su-57 airframe has several apertures for detecting missile launches, thanks to which the aircraft receives warnings about enemy missile attacks. At the same time, a completely unique additional feature is the use of laser turrets that can blind approaching missiles. This function can be fully implemented on the current Su-57, but it is expected that it will be improved in the future as the further the aircraft goes beyond the initial operational capabilities. The turrets are mounted at the rear and below the cockpit and are considered particularly effective against infrared-guided missiles of the AIM–9X type, which are launched from American fighters, as well as the 9K32 Strela-2 surface-to-air missile system.
Since infrared–guided missiles are the main armament for aerial combat in visual contact conditions, the development of this system reflects the emphasis of Russian aviation on melee capabilities: measures to counter long-range missiles in a large-scale war will make short-range battles almost inevitable. It is known that no other fighter has similar protective systems even under development.
In addition to laser protection, the Su-57 will receive a directed energy weapon and, possibly, lasers also being developed for the lighter MiG-35. In the future, they will be able to replace its main cannon and provide a more accurate way of hitting fast–moving targets - missiles and enemy aircraft. Currently, all the rival powers are developing directed energy weapons, and the programs of the United States and China have reportedly moved a little further, although it is expected that these systems will become effective in miniature form, that is, suitable for fighters, only by 2030.
