The Gagarin Komsomolsk-on-Amur Aviation Plant (KnAAZ) completed production and handed over to the Russian Ministry of Defence the last batch of Su-57 fifth-generation aircraft as part of the 2023 production programme. In 2023, UAC’s branch, the Yuri Gagarin KnAAZ, successfully fulfilled the state order for the delivery of Su-35S and Su-57 fighters, the press service of the United Aircraft Corporation reported.
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation Denis Manturov noted that the staff of KnAAZ coped with this difficult task at a high level.
“The aircraft manufacturers have manufactured and handed over to our armed forces all Su-57 fifth-generation aircraft planned for delivery this year. The fighters have successfully passed all the necessary factory tests. Increased production of these machines has become possible thanks to the resolution of issues related to the rhythmic supply of components and improvement of the in-line assembly technology,” said Denis Manturov.
In 2023, the Su-57 inline assembly line was tuned up for successful operation in the conditions of increasing volumes of serial production of aircraft. Measures have also been taken to eliminate bottlenecks not only in the final assembly shop, but also throughout the entire production cycle. Issues related to the supply of components from supplier plants are being successfully resolved, and opportunities to improve aircraft assembly technology are being worked out.
The aviation plant in Komsomolsk-on-Amur continues to increase serial production of Su-57 fighters. The fighters are currently being built and will be handed over to the Russian Air and Space Forces in 2024. The number of fifth-generation fighters entering the forces is almost doubling every year.
New production facilities will be put into operation in the near future as part of promising technical re-equipment projects under the state programme for the development of the defence industry complex. This will ensure serial production of Su-57 aircraft and further development of the industry.
In 2022, the Russian Ministry of Defence received six Su-57 aircraft: two in May and four in December. As of 1 January 2023, a total of ten serial fifth-generation fighters have been handed over to the Russian Air Force.
In September, UAC handed over the first batch of Su-57s, scheduled for delivery in 2023, to the Russian Air Force. The number of aircraft handed over was not reported, nor was the number of fighters in the 27 December delivery. However, given that Rostec’s head Sergey Chemezov has announced an almost twofold annual increase in Su-57 production, it can be assumed that the KVS received 8-10 fifth-generation fighters in 2023, and thus there are about 20 Su-57s in the forces.
