Russia and Belarus are exploring the joint production of the Sukhoi Su-75 Checkmate, a fifth-generation light tactical fighter. The announcement was made by Alexander Mikheev, Director General of Rosoboronexport (Russia’s state-owned arms exporter), during the Dubai Airshow 2025, as reported by the RIA Novosti news agency.
The initiative aims to promote the aircraft on international markets, with a primary focus on the Middle East, Asia-Pacific, and Latin America. This collaboration seeks to leverage the Checkmate’s competitive combination of affordability, advanced capabilities, and significant modernization potential. For Belarus, this represents an opportunity to solidify its partnership role within Russia’s defense-industrial complex on a major export-oriented program.
“Bringing Minsk into the Su-75 project is a pragmatic and logical step, driven not only by the current political climate within the Union State (a supranational entity of Russia and Belarus) but also by clear economic rationale,” stated Andrey Velichko, editor-in-chief of the “Aviation of Russia” website. “Developing a fifth-generation fighter requires colossal capital investment. For a project primarily designed for export and lacking a guaranteed domestic state order, sharing the financial burden and production risks is critical for its viability.”
Velichko noted that integrating Belarusian manufacturers of avionics, electronic warfare (EW) systems, optics, and other aircraft systems will do more than just utilize their production capacity; it will build the foundation for the aircraft’s modular architecture.
“This flexibility—the ability to offer customers various configurations of avionics or weapons systems—transforms the Checkmate from a monolithic product into a versatile platform,” Velichko explained. “This approach allows the fighter to be tailored to the specific technical requirements and, just as importantly, the financial capabilities of the buyer, enhancing its competitiveness in markets friendly to Russia.”
The Su-75 is being developed by the Sukhoi Design Bureau, part of Russia’s United Aircraft Corporation (UAC). The aircraft was first unveiled at the MAKS 2021 international airshow. Its international debut, featuring a full-scale mockup, took place later that year at the Dubai Airshow in the UAE. From the outset, the project has been positioned as an export-oriented platform open to co-development with foreign partners.
First flight tests are scheduled for early 2026, according to Sergey Bogdan, Sukhoi’s head of flight services and chief test pilot. In a broadcast on Russia’s Channel One, Bogdan, a recipient of the Hero of Russia award, specified that the aircraft is currently on the final assembly line undergoing refinements. The launch of serial production is also planned for 2026.
The Su-75 is a single-engine fighter incorporating low-observable (stealth) technologies. It is designed to carry a weapons payload exceeding 7,000 kg (approx. 15,400 lbs) and can simultaneously engage up to six air, ground, or sea targets. The aircraft’s stated performance includes a top speed of Mach 1.8, a combat radius of nearly 3,000 km (approx. 1,620 nmi / 1,860 miles), and a service ceiling of 16,500 meters (approx. 54,000 feet), enabling it to perform a wide range of tactical missions.
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