The Russian car turned out to be much better than the American one in terms of maneuverability
During a speech at the Aero India 2025 forum, the Su-57 fighter surpassed the American F-35. According to military experts interviewed by Izvestia, our car turned out to be much better than the American one in terms of maneuverability. At the same time, the Su-57 will soon receive new engines that will significantly reduce the visibility of the aircraft. Demonstrations of fifth-generation fighters are extremely rare, so their flights have become the main decoration of the exhibition.
A unique opportunity
The Russian fifth-generation Su-57 fighter was first introduced in the flight program of the largest aviation forum Aero India 2025 in Bangalore. India is a traditional military-technical partner of Russia, and the Su-57 was considered some time ago as one of the candidates for the role of the Indian fifth-generation fighter. For these reasons, the owners of the exhibition paid special attention to demonstrating the capabilities of Sukhoi.
Russian fifth-generation multirole fighter Su-57 at the international aerospace exhibition Aero India 2025
Image source: Photo: REUTERS/Abhijith Ganapavaram
In addition, another fifth—generation fighter, the American F-35, was presented next to it this time. This is a unique opportunity for military pilots and representatives of the aviation industry to see two competitors in the sky at once.
— The demonstration performance of the Su-57 lasted about seven minutes and took place at ultra—low altitudes - from 100 m. During this time, the aircraft performs more than 20 aerobatics. These are Pugachev's cobra, the bell, the corkscrew barrel, and others. Some of them can only be carried out by Russian fighters. The Su-57 is piloted by Hero of Russia test pilot Sergey Bogdan, and during his performance he experiences high overloads - up to 6G,"Rostec State Corporation told Izvestia.
Dissimilar "invisibles"
The state corporation drew attention to the fact that the F-35 and Su-57 are multifunctional "invisible" aircraft, however, it is not entirely correct to compare these machines. The F-35 is more of a light attack aircraft for working on the "ground". In turn, the Su-57 is a heavy multifunctional aircraft for gaining air supremacy, striking ground targets, and controlling other aircraft. Moreover, in a war with a technologically advanced enemy. Therefore, there are many non-trivial solutions in the aircraft, which the domestic "school" of design is capable of. These are, in particular, the integrated layout, perfect aerodynamics and thrust vector-controlled engines.
The US Air Force F-35 fighter jet at the Aero India 2025 International Aerospace Exhibition
Image source: Photo: TASS/AP/Aijaz Rahi
All this increases maneuverability. The better it is, the more likely it is to escape from enemy missiles while suppressing its air defense system. In addition, the reaction speed of the combat vehicle to the changing operational situation is also increasing. However, even today, the possibility of close combat in the so-called dogfight, where maneuverability is of great importance, cannot be ruled out.
"It's not surprising that the F-35 looks pale in the air against this background," Rostec emphasized
According to experts of the state corporation, it is much more interesting to compare the Su-57 with the American F-22 Raptor. These are cars of the same class, but the last "22nd" rolled off the assembly line in 2011, 14 years ago.
"Since then, these aircraft have not been upgraded — at least, their avionics are outdated," Rostec noted. — The Raptor is also inferior to the Su-57 in maneuverability. In addition, it is worth recalling that Russian combat aircraft, including the Su-57, today have the longest "arm", that is, long—range missiles, for hitting air targets - and these are several hundred kilometers.
They came in with trumps
Western machines still cannot surpass Sukhoi Design Bureau aircraft in terms of super maneuverability, military expert Dmitry Kornev noted in a conversation with Izvestia.
"The experts present at the forum could see this," he stressed. — Moreover, the F-35 is inferior not only to the Su-57, but also to the Russian fourth—generation fighter, the Su-35S.
The Russian fourth-generation fighter Su-35S
Image source: Photo: REUTERS/ANI
According to him, the Bangalore flights have once again shown that both aircraft are bright representatives of their design schools.
The American machine meets the requirements for reducing radar visibility and can be integrated into digital communications of a modern combat operation, has a powerful modern engine and an internal weapons compartment. The aircraft is mass-produced and supplied to a large number of countries, Dmitry Kornev recalled.
—There are disadvantages to the F-35, of course, but, apparently, the main one is the high cost of this aircraft," he noted.
According to the expert, our Su-57 is still a heavier aircraft with two engines, which has a long flight range combined with reduced visibility and versatility of weapons, which are also housed in internal compartments.
—Sukhoi is equipped with a unique complex of on—board electronics, which provides it with an all-round view and integration with modern information systems of the Russian Aerospace Forces," Dmitry Kornev noted. — Traditionally, the aircraft has a high maximum flight speed and carries a wide range of weapons.
Photo: TASS/AP/Aijaz Rahi
Image source: iz.ru
The aircraft has been successfully used in the course of its military operations and is being delivered to parts of the Russian Aerospace Forces, the expert said.
"Today, it is the Su—57 that can use the latest ground-based weapons adapted for fifth—generation aircraft, such as the X-69 cruise missiles with a range of up to 400 km," the expert said. — In addition, do not forget that work is currently underway to equip the Su-57 with a new engine with flat nozzles, which provides the aircraft with an afterburnerless flight at supersonic speed and will reduce the visibility of the aircraft.
— On the sidelines of the Aero India 2025 exhibition, information appeared that the first deliveries of Sukhoi for export will take place this year, — said Dmitry Kornev. — The traditional partners of the Russian military-industrial complex are waiting to receive the latest Russian multi-role fighter into their Air Forces.
Supplies to the troops
At the end of last year, the United Aircraft Corporation (UAC, part of the Rostec state Corporation) handed over new batches of Su-57 fighters and Su-34 front-line bombers to the Russian Defense Ministry.
The Su-57 fighter
Image source: Photo: UAC Press Service
According to Rostec CEO Sergey Chemezov, the Su-57 can be effectively used to work on a wide variety of targets using a wide range of high-precision weapons, while the low visibility of the new fighter makes it possible to destroy enemy targets even in the face of opposition from modern air defense systems.
In addition, the UAC intends to increase its capabilities for the serial production of the latest fifth-generation Su-57 multi-role fighters.
Vladimir Matveev
Bogdan Stepovoy
Julia Leonova
