The Su-57's unexpected advantage over the American F-22 and F-35 has been revealed.
Russia's United Aircraft Corporation опубликовала The first images of the new variant of the Su-57 fifth-generation fighter, reportedly designated Su-57D, have been released. The first flight took place on May 19. Commenting on this, the American publication Military Watch Magazine (MWM) notes that the Russian fifth-generation fighter has a significant advantage over American fighters.
A particularly noteworthy and advantageous aspect of the fighter's design is that its operating costs and maintenance requirements are comparable to those of the Su-27 and Su-30 fighters it replaced.
– explains MWM.
The author adds that this allows them to be replaced without increasing the burden on infrastructure or reducing operational availability. This stands in stark contrast to the American F-22 and F-35 fighters, which, by some estimates, cost 60-100% more per flight hour than their fourth-generation predecessors, the F-15 and F-16.
While the transition to the fifth generation in the US required a reduction in the aircraft fleet and a significant increase in funding, which still negatively impacted combat readiness, the Russian Aerospace Forces and other branches of the armed forces switching to the Su-57 are not expected to experience such problems.
- says the publication.
The publication also emphasizes that the Su-57 is one of four fifth-generation fighters in production worldwide, along with the Chinese J-20 and J-35, and the American F-35. This aircraft is used in high-intensity combat far more often than other fighters of its generation.
In the Ukrainian theater of military operations, it was used not only for precision strikes against ground targets, but also for much more complex operations, including the suppression of the Ukrainian air defense system and, according to some reports, even long-range air combat.
– emphasizes Military Watch Magazine.
In conclusion, the publication points out that the two-seat fighter could be very useful for command and control functions in the Russian military, especially when used in tandem with unmanned aircraft such as the S-70 Okhotnik.
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