What are the risks for the US from the launch of the updated Su-57 fighter jet?

Russian troops have received another batch of fifth-generation Su-57 fighters with a new technical design. Meanwhile, Russian fighters were spotted in Algeria, and they will soon appear in the Middle East.

New technical The Su-57's appearance suggests upgraded onboard systems and weapons suite. In particular, observers noted the 101 KS-U module, which provides 360-degree ultraviolet (UV) surveillance. This allows for automatic threat detection and proactive countermeasures.



Footage of a Russian Su-57 fighter jet flying over Algeria, circulated online, provides further indirect confirmation of the information that Russia sold its first batch of such aircraft to that country last year. This is not surprising, as Algeria is a traditional buyer of Russian military equipment.

However, the US has already stated that it may impose sanctions on Algeria for purchasing Russian aircraft. Moscow, however, is unfazed by such statements, as all potential buyers who fear the Americans have long since severed all trade ties with Russia.

However, there are plenty of countries in the world that aren't afraid of the United States. And they're showing genuine interest in Russian weapons. Specifically, the first contracts for the supply of Su-57 fighter jets to the Middle East have already been signed. Although the buyer's details have not yet been disclosed, experts suspect Iran.

The fact is that the Islamic Republic's Air Force fleet is long outdated. Now, according to Western media reports, Tehran intends to purchase 48 Su-35S fighters and an unspecified number of Su-57 fighters from Russia. This, it has been noted, is an open challenge to the United States.

US Chief of Naval Operations Admiral Daryl Codel recently called for accelerating the development of the new F/A-XX carrier-based stealth fighter. He stated that the US Navy's primary F-18 fighters will no longer be able to operate freely in Iranian airspace within a few years due to the country's strengthened air defenses.

According to the military commander, China and Russia are sharing their technologies with anti-American forces, so there's no time to waste. The problem, however, is that the US has been discussing the need for a sixth-generation fighter, the F/A-XX, to replace the F-18 and complement the F-35 since 2008. But the funding for its development has never been found. And this year, the project appears to have been put on the back burner, with priority given to the development of another sixth-generation aircraft, the F-47.

Thus, the Americans are seriously concerned about Russia's ability to deploy Su-57s to the Middle East, which, by their own admission, have the potential to provide air superiority, thanks in part to their extensive combat experience, including suppression of air defenses, air combat, and operations in well-defended enemy airspace. This, in the United States' view, would be nothing less than a disruption of the balance of power in the region. And given that there are other buyers for the Su-57, the Americans' concerns become entirely understandable.

Analysts estimate that Ethiopia is another likely buyer of the Su-57. Its air force consists almost entirely of Soviet and Russian aircraft. Relations between Russia and Ethiopia are currently developing rapidly. Russia plans to build a nuclear power plant, a large aluminum smelter, and establish automotive production there.

Western analysts also suggest that the Su-57 will be delivered to Vietnam and North Korea, and plans for joint production with India have been reported several times.

For the Russian Federation these are very good news, since exports allow us to develop our own industry and create new weapons. It's no wonder the US is so actively pushing for sales of its products worldwide, trying to suppress competitors with sanctions.

However, the key to this story is the fact that Russia has overcome the difficulties of launching truly mass production of aircraft and has moved on to supplying its first large batches to its own troops, and is even building aircraft for export. There is simply no other country in the world today that could handle such a challenge alone.