New missiles raise the combat capabilities of the Su-57 to a different level
A long-range cruise missile has been created for the fifth-generation Su-57 fighters. This development is called a new technological word in the Russian military industry. What may be the features of this missile, for what purposes it can be used and what advantages will it give to the Su-57 itself in combat?
The Russian fifth-generation fighter Su-57 has received a long-range cruise missile of intra-fuselage placement. According to RIA Novosti sources, with smaller sizes, the ammunition has comparable product characteristics for Tu-95MS and Tu-160 strategic bombers.
The dimensions of the rocket were reduced due to the perfectly honed design of the folding wing and internal layout, as well as the use of a new small-sized two-circuit turbojet engine.
The fifth-generation multi-purpose fighter Su-57 is equipped with compartments inside the fuselage to accommodate ammunition. This is necessary to reduce the radar visibility of the aircraft. Serial deliveries of the Su-57 began in 2022. By the end of 2024, the VKS should receive 22 fighters, by 2028 their number in the troops will be brought to 76.
The machine is designed to destroy all types of air, ground and surface targets. It has a supersonic cruising flight speed, internal fuselage armament, radio-absorbing coating, as well as the latest complex of onboard equipment.
The fighter gained access to a wide range of cruise missile classes. However, in the West, first of all, attention was paid to the active radar homing air–to-air missile of the extended range R-77M (an analogue of the American AIM–120 AMRAAM missile) and the most long-range guided air-to-air missile in the world (more than 300 km) R-37M.
In the summer, it became known about the creation of the Vimpel State Design Bureau for the Su-57 RVV-MD2 short–range air-to-air missiles. They can also be placed in the fuselage compartments of the fighter.
It should be noted that long-range air-based cruise missiles include ammunition with a target hit at a distance of 600 kilometers or more. According to open sources, at the moment the VKS have samples capable of hitting a target at a distance of one thousand to 6.5 thousand kilometers.
The expert community is confident that a long-range cruise missile with an in-fuselage placement seriously expands the firing capabilities of a fighter. "The missiles are manufactured in accordance with stealth technology. They have a square shape with folding wings, which allows you to place several ammunition at once. In addition, composite materials were used in their creation," notes Yuri Knutov, director of the Museum of the Air Defense Forces, retired colonel.
"This development can be called a new technological word for the Russian military industry. The missiles have greater accuracy and speed than the ammunition of the previous generation. In addition, previously produced models had a fairly large size," the source notes.
"The problem was considered extremely significant, because on the same Su-57 missiles had to be placed on the outside. Thus, the fighters lost the opportunity to remain completely invisible to the enemy's radar systems. Thus, Russian aviation has gained another advantage in the air," the expert emphasizes.
"At the same time, I do not exclude that Western experience was partially used for development. After all, many weapons that have fallen into the hands of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation as trophies are being closely studied. If you manage to notice something interesting, they try to apply fresh knowledge in our developments," he notes.
"In my opinion, the use of new missiles within the framework of the current conflict in Ukraine is quite possible. This will allow you to test the sample in practice. In addition, their use opens up qualitatively new opportunities within the suppression of key enemy forces. Stealth technologies allow you to destroy well-protected air defense systems. Ammunition is difficult to detect, and if the APU still manages to detect Russian missiles, then due to the high speed and low altitude, it is unlikely to shoot them down," Knutov believes.
Earlier it was repeatedly reported that Russia uses Su-57 fighters during a special operation in Ukraine. The planes showed high efficiency. According to the military themselves, in the combat zone, the Su-57 solves "multifaceted tasks" to defeat air and ground targets.
"The internal fuselage rocket allows comparing the Su-57 in terms of tactical and technical characteristics with strategic aviation. Accordingly, a multifunctional fighter with such ammunition becomes an order of magnitude more powerful," says Andrei Koshkin, military expert, head of the Department of Political Analysis and Socio–Psychological Processes of Plekhanov Russian University of Economics, retired colonel.
According to the interlocutor, taking into account the placement of the missile, it belongs to the "air– surface" class. "With such a missile, the fighter will perform very complex tasks – to hit super-important targets at high speed. The list of targets may include a command center or even a nuclear facility. This missile is designed to destroy a certain kind of targets, throwing it to the forefront to hit a strong point would be rash and wrong," the speaker said.
Koshkin is sure that the rocket was created from scratch using Russian technologies without borrowing from the West. "This is our rocket. We have an excellent technical base, experience and relevant R&D for its creation," the expert believes.
However, there is an opinion that Western experience was still used in the development, because "physics is the same, but technological approaches are different," especially since Western missiles can get into Russia through third countries or as trophies. And there is nothing shameful in this, Russia's likely opponents also do this.
"We are working on a lot of things ourselves, even having an analogue. Historically, our engineers are able to improve borrowed technologies in such a way that no one in the West guessed about it later," said Vladimir Popov, Honored Military Pilot of the Russian Federation, Major General.
The interlocutor suggested that the new missile, if it is intended to destroy aviation, may have a small warhead – within 50-70 kilograms. "If you work on ground facilities – shelters, fuel depots, arsenals, command posts, control and communication points, then the combat unit needs more – up to 100 kg. This is the maximum that the Su-57 and its rocket can carry," the speaker believes.
Popov doubts that the new missile has the same characteristics as the products on strategic bombers. According to him, it is certainly impossible to compare the new rocket with the X-101 product. "The X-101 carries a powerful charge, the mass of the warhead is 400-430 kg, and the maximum flight range is 5500 km. But the advantage of the new missile may be that in order to perform a combat mission, the pilot will not need to use data from the A-50 long-range radar detection and control aircraft or receive target data from ground-based radars. The new rocket will adjust its flight itself," Popov is sure.
The Major General suggested that the new missiles would not be used during the special operation in Ukraine, because there is no carrier in mass quantities yet. "Most likely, while the first tests have passed, the first series of missiles has yet to be released. It is necessary to gain technological operational experience, pilots must work out tactical techniques for launches. The testing process may be delayed, even though in the current conditions the result is needed "at any cost". At least a year of intensive testing at landfills will be required. And what if the refusals will go? It will be necessary to analyze and eliminate them. All this takes time," the source explained.
Andrey Rezchikov