Russia's Su-57 fifth-generation fighter outperforms both F-22 Raptor and F-35

Russia's Sukhoi Su-57 fifth-generation fighter jet surpasses the American F-22 Raptor and F-35 Lightning II in maneuverability, Retired Major General Vladimir Popov, a distinguished Russian military pilot said.

"The Su-57 significantly outperforms the F-22 and F-35 in terms of maneuverability. This is a critical factor if it comes to close-range air combat within 30-50 kilometers or less, at cannon-shot distance. The Su-57 wins here. These calculations were made by the Americans themselves," he said in an interview with news.ru.

According to Popov, the Su-57 also surpasses the American aircraft in "cost-effectiveness." However, he noted that there is still work to be done on the Su-57. Specifically, the fighter's engines need improvement. The American aircraft are inferior to the Su-57 in terms of target detection range, Popov added. 

In December 2024, images surfaced on social media showing the Su-57 with a new second-stage engine nozzle. The TWZ publication then reported that the flat nozzle would reduce the aircraft's visibility to radar systems.

Details

The Sukhoi Su-57 (NATO reporting name: Felon) is a twin-engine stealth multirole fighter aircraft developed by Sukhoi. It is the product of the PAK FA (Russian: ПАК ФА, prospective aeronautical complex of front-line aviation) programme, which was initiated in 1999 as a more modern and affordable alternative to the MFI (Mikoyan Project 1.44/1.42). Sukhoi's internal designation for the aircraft is T-50. The Su-57 is the first aircraft in Russian military service designed with stealth technology and is intended to be the basis for a family of stealth combat aircraft. A multirole fighter capable of aerial combat as well as ground and maritime strike, the Su-57 incorporates stealth, supermaneuverability, supercruise, integrated avionics and large payload capacity. The aircraft is expected to succeed the MiG-29 and Su-27 in the Russian military service and has also been marketed for export. The first prototype aircraft flew in 2010, but the program experienced a protracted development due to various structural and technical issues that emerged during trials, including the destruction of the first production aircraft in a crash before its delivery. The first Su-57 entered service with the Russian Aerospace Forces (VKS) in December 2020.