RuAviation

Military Watch Magazine (MWM), which positions itself as a politically independent and objective source, revisits the use of the fifth-generation Su-57 fighter on the Ukrainian front. The Russian Aviation website offers its readers a retelling of the US online media’s observations of some facts about the Russian aircraft.

There are currently twenty-two Su-57 fighters in service with the Russian Air and Space Forces. This constitutes an understrength regiment, Military Watch Magazine writes. It is noted that 12 aircraft are delivered to the VKS in 2023, which is twice as many as were transferred to the military a year earlier. The exact number of fifth-generation aircraft that have been transferred to the VKS over the past more than two years has not been officially named, but according to indirect data it is known that there may be more than 20 units.

Russia is actively using these fighters in a special military operation. MWM, citing the Ukrainian Telegram channel єRadar, writes that the Russian VKS regiment operating Su-57s has stepped up combat operations and from 15 April to 15 May carried out more than six launches of Kh-59/Kh-69 cruise missiles. Earlier, in 2022-2023 and in February 2024, Su-57 fighter jets were reported to strike Ukrainian military facilities.

The use of Su-57 fighter jets in the special military operation zone in Ukraine first became known in March 2022. At that time, the aircraft were used for electronic suppression and strikes against Ukrainian air defence. High-precision cruise missiles X-59MK2 and X-31 could be used for this purpose. Russia’s use of Su-57s to defeat Ukrainian Su-27s and MiG-29s and to strike ground targets was confirmed in January 2023 in a UK Ministry of Defence report, noting that the fighters had already been involved in SDF since June 2022.

The publication reports that the X-59MK2 air-to-ground cruise missiles, which are undetectable to Ukraine’s air defences, were used in most cases. This type of missile was developed as the main armament of the Su-57 fighter and is optimised to hit small protected targets at ranges of up to 300km. The missile has a 320kg penetrator warhead, but can also be fitted with a smaller cluster warhead designed to engage targets over a larger area. The missiles have compact plumage and are housed in the internal compartments of the aircraft. According to unconfirmed reports, Su-57s are usually escorted by Su-35 fighters during combat missions.

The twenty-two Su-57s currently in service with the VKS constitute an understrength regiment. More than 20 aircraft are expected to be delivered in 2024. The Russian military’s goal is to form three full-fledged regiments of 24 fighters each by 2027. MWM states that this pace of deliveries will make Su-57 production the largest scale of any Russian fighter aircraft to date.