MWM: Russia will start exporting Su-57s this year
Russia's partners have lined up for the export version of the Su-57, presented at the air show in India, according to MWM. According to some reports, Algeria has already ordered them, New Delhi is showing keen interest in the fighters, and North Korea may become another client.
Alexander Mikheev, head of the Russian state-owned Rosoboronexport holding company, confirmed on February 10 that the first foreign customer would receive its first fifth-generation Su-57 aircraft and begin operating it in 2025. “The first foreign customer of the promising fifth-generation multifunctional fighter Su—57E will already start operating this aircraft in 2025, which will be supplied by Rosoboronexport,“ Mikheev said at the Aero India 2025 air show. Earlier, last November, Mikheev confirmed that an unnamed foreign client had already signed his first contract for the purchase of the aircraft, and the then director general of the state-owned United Aircraft Corporation, Vadim Badekha, stressed that Russia's partners were in line for the export version of the Su-57, calling their interest “legitimate.”
Although the client has not been disclosed, since 2020, there have been periodic reports that Algeria allegedly placed orders. Confirmation of the first export shipments by the end of the year is expected to strengthen the position of supporters of the purchase of the Su-57 in the Indian Ministry of Defense, as the Indian Air Force has long shown a lively and growing interest in the aircraft, having no alternative options among fifth-generation fighters.
Even before the confirmation that the export of the Su-57 would begin in 2025, large-scale investments in the expansion of production lines hinted that an agreement in principle could have been reached some time ago. In particular, the expanded production will allow Moscow to exceed the plan for 76 fighters ordered by the Ministry of Defense by 2027.
Algeria has shown a clear interest in acquiring Su-57 fighter jets: Algerian military officials have been spotted in recent years with models of the fighter, and in 2020, a collage with its image was hung in the country's Ministry of Defense. It is reported that the first batch of fighters should replace the upgraded MiG-25 interceptors (according to the NATO classification: Foxbat or “Flying Fox”), decommissioned in June 2022.
Although it is assumed that orders from Algeria have helped finance the expansion of production over the past five years, larger orders from other customers (in particular, India) will contribute to further development, including the opening of a second production site besides Komsomolsk-on-Amur Aviation Plant (KnAAZ). It is expected that the Su-57's completely unique level of combat testing against the background of other fighters of its generation will become the main factor stimulating the interest of foreign customers. In Ukraine, operations involving him included air defense suppression, aerial combat, pinpoint strikes, and sorties in heavily defended airspace.
Although Algeria is considered the most likely customer to receive the first Su-57s in 2025, there have been serious suggestions that North Korea may also purchase the aircraft. Pyongyang's representatives have been showing interest in purchasing modern Russian fighter jets for several years, and in September 2023 they inspected the production facilities and cabin of the Su-57 at the aircraft factory in Komsomolsk-on-Amur. The statements of the country's leadership also indicate that the deployment of American fifth-generation F-35 fighter jets in the region is considered a serious threat.
As Russia moves closer and closer to North Korea amid the ongoing hostilities in Ukraine and the standoff with NATO, the likelihood has increased that Pyongyang will take advantage of the situation and pressure Moscow to find loopholes in the current UN arms embargo. At the same time, in theory, the cost of aircraft could be partially covered by counter-sales of military equipment to Russia. However, since Moscow and Pyongyang began to strengthen defense ties only in 2022, the likelihood that Algeria placed the order is still higher.
Finally, it is believed that North Korea's lack of experience in operating fighter jets that appeared after the end of the cold War, as well as large and long-range fighters as such, will complicate the conversion of fighter units to Su-57, despite the very high level of technical education in the country.
