But Moscow believes this is about to change. One of their complaints was the design of the fighter made it difficult and time-consuming to serviceĮngine troubles have been the Su-57’s weakest link in claiming true fifth generation status. Russian-built aircraft engines have long had a reputation for unreliability and needing extensive maintenance.Īccording to Indian reports, the Su-57 is no different. This enables the pilot to use the Mk1 Eyeball to locate a stealth fighter even if his sensors have provided little more than a general direction. It even has an electrically-enhanced optical sensor (essentially a glorified telescope) in its front cockpit.
It has a wideranging infra-red search-and-track system looking for telltale traces in the skies - be it an engine’s exhaust, or even the friction of a wing cutting through the air. It’s generally expected that if the Su-57 and F-22 wander within 50km of each other, they will detect each other.īut the Su-57 doesn’t just rely on using its opponent’s radar against it, or blasting the skies with its own electronic pulses. And its powerful Active Electronically Scanned Array N036 Byelka transmits on more sensitive frequencies than most. These can sense, and pinpoint, active radars from all directions. It has radar antennas of various frequencies scattered about the aircraft.
Aviation author Piotr Butowski claims that aircraft’s high static instability has “much more maneuverability at supersonic speeds than any previous fighter.” The blended wing design increases internal volume for avionics, fuel and weapons.The Su-57 carries a variety of sensors, many optimised to detect other stealth aircraft. The Su-57, on the other hand, places an emphasis on maneuverability and speed, arguably making it similar to the YF-23 Black Widow II.Įxperts believe the Su-57 is an evolution of the Su-27 Flanker’s shape, modernized for low radar observability but also even greater maneuverability. In the key areas of speed, maneuverability and stealth, the Raptor emphasized maneuverability and stealth. Īlthough both are fifth generation fighters, the Su-57 significantly differs in design philosophy from the F-22 Raptor. The first operational aircraft are slated to join the Russian Aerospace Forces in 2019. What is known is that Sukhoi has struggled to develop the aircraft, particularly key components such as the engine. Despite seven years of test flights, many details about the aircraft remain unknown. Much less is known about the Sukhoi Su-57. Related Link: Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor VS Sukhoi Su-57 The aircraft’s metallic surfaces are also coated with radar-absorbent materials and paint. The F-22 design maximized sensor evasion, with diamond-shaped wings and sharp, faceted surfaces. The speed brake, weapon bay doors and engine exhausts are serrated to minimize the aircraft’s radar signature while the large, vertical, canted tails reduce the fighter’s infrared signature from certain angles. Stealth was a foundation feature of the F-22, and the plane’s stealthy profile was in part dictated by simulations done on the Cray supercomputer, an early supercomputer.
Related Link: AN / APG-77 vs N036 Byelka (F-22 Radar vs SU-57 Radar ) The aircraft was designed and built by Lockheed Martin, which had early experience building the first operational stealth warplane, the F-117A Nighthawk stealth “fighter”. In 1990, the prototype YF-22 fighter engaged in a flyoff with the Northrop YF-23 Black Widow II and won the competition, in large extent due to its emphasis on stealth and maneuverability. The F-22 Raptor started life as a dedicated air superiority fighter in the same vein as the F-15C Eagle, the aircraft it was originally slated to replace. Increased tensions between the United States and NATO on one side and Russia on the other have people wondering: once the Su-57 does become operational, how will it stack up against the F-22 Raptor? Related Link: Super maneuverability Comparison F-22 Raptor vs Sukhoi Su-57 The United States, China, Russia, Japan, and Korea are all working on their own fifth-generation designs, but so far only three planes, the F-22 Raptor, F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, and the Chinese J-20 are operational.