How Russian 5th-generation stealth Su-57 can help India enhance air combat

India and Russia are expected to discuss the issue of Su-57 fifth-generation fighter aircraft during President Vladimir Putin’s December 4-5 visit.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov confirmed that discussions on the twin-engine stealth multirole fighter aircraft Su-57 will be on the agenda

“The issue of Su-57s certainly will be on the agenda during the coming visit,” Peskov said.

What does the Su-57 fighter offer?

Su-57, NATO reporting name ‘Felon’, is a fifth-generation aircraft developed by the Sukhoi Design Bureau, and part of the United Aircraft Corporation under the Prospective Aeronautical Complex of Front-line Aviation programme.

The jet is made for multirole operations, including both air superiority and ground attack missions, and offers advanced technologies comparable to those found in western fifth-generation fighters such as the US-made F-22 and F-35.

With a blended-wing fuselage and radar-absorbing materials, the aircraft minimises the radar cross-section while maintaining internal weapons bays to preserve stealth, proving an exceptional stealth aircraft.

  The Su-57 is equipped with Active Electronically Scanned Array radar, providing 360-degree area coverage, and an infrared search and track system that enables target detection without emitting radar signals.

It's fitted with a dedicated electronic warfare suite and a directed infrared countermeasures system, which uses laser turrets to disrupt incoming infrared-guided missiles. The Su-57 is fitted with a variety of weapons in its internal bay, including long-range air-to-air missiles, air-to-ground munitions, anti-ship missiles, and precision-guided bombs. Russia has also claimed that the fighter is capable of deploying hypersonic missiles, enhancing its strategic strike capabilities.

The Su-57 delivers exceptional agility in close-range dogfights, due to its unique 3D thrust vectoring nozzles that control pitch, yaw, and roll. This enables the Su-57 to perform advanced post-stall manoeuvres like the Pugachev’s Cobra and Bell manoeuvre with minimal altitude loss, unlike the F-22, which only offers 2D vectoring.

India’s need for fifth-generation fighter jet

India was also part of the Su-57’s development journey through a joint venture between Sukhoi and Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) under the Fifth-Generation Fighter Aircraft (FGFA) programme. Under the FGFA programme, an Indian variant of the Su-57 is to be developed for the Indian Air Force (IAF), with early funding, design feedback and structural inputs.

India formally exited the programme in 2018, citing concerns regarding the aircraft’s stealth characteristics, development timelines, and engine-related issues.

India’s exit from the FGFA programme redirected its priorities towards indigenous and global initiatives, including the Tejas for medium-weight roles, Multi-Role Fighter Aircraft, and the stealth-focused Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft, which is yet to begin the production phase.

With the recent decommissioning of MiG-21 and the delay in Tejas Mk1A delivery by HAL, India is looking for an advanced fighter jet to cover the widening squadron gap of the IAF.