Sukhoi Su-57 flight testing and development

Interesting to see one of my old reddit posts pop up here, lol. The loss of that prototype was definitely unfortunate but ultimately the best option to learn a lesson with regards to safety of high value assets. Now though, the Su-57s are stationed at predetermined airfields based on the units that use them. During operation they occasionally rotate between bases or get moved if there's an immediate threat.

On the note of moving them very far away, that's more so a coincidence, although you wouldn't see them stationed on Crimea for example. It's not that big of a deal though as they boast not only decent range and can comfortably refuel within Russia if necessary, but thanks to the Kh-69 they have the necessary stand off range to be used as long range strike fighters against priority targets, which is how they're mostly used according to public information. Although it has been said that they conduct patrols and SEAD as well, on top of also conducting testing under battlefield conditions, like with that malfunctioning S-70 over Ukrainian territory.
 
Bmpd article on the recent Su-57 delivery. If we go by their assessment then there were 35 Su-57 delivered by 2025, plus another 14 now.
bmpd.livejournal.com

ВКС России переданы истребители Су-57 программы 2025 года

ПАО Объединенная авиастроительная корпорация (ОАК, входит в состав Госкорпорации Ростех) 9 февраля 2026 года сообщило , что изготовило и передало Министерству обороны Российской Федерации крупную партию самолетов Су-57 в новом техническом облике. Машины получили обновленные…
bmpd.livejournal.com bmpd.livejournal.com
 
lancer21 said:
Bmpd article on the recent Su-57 delivery. If we go by their assessment then there were 35 Su-57 delivered by 2025, plus another 14 now.
bmpd.livejournal.com

ВКС России переданы истребители Су-57 программы 2025 года

ПАО Объединенная авиастроительная корпорация (ОАК, входит в состав Госкорпорации Ростех) 9 февраля 2026 года сообщило , что изготовило и передало Министерству обороны Российской Федерации крупную партию самолетов Су-57 в новом техническом облике. Машины получили обновленные…
bmpd.livejournal.com bmpd.livejournal.com
Click to expand...
So, 50 total?
 
One serial aircraft was lost in December 2019.
The VKS should currently have 48 serial aircraft (34+14) in service.
If 14 aircraft were produced for the VKS in 2025, as stated by the BMPD, this exactly corresponds to the schedule of remaining deliveries under the current contract for 2026 and 2027 with a target of 76 by the beginning of 2028.
Details of the next contract remain undisclosed, but at least the same production rate as for the Su-35S can already be expected.
 
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EmoBirb said:
But wasn't that replaced by RF-81774? Making it two LRIP jets, but one being a substitute for the one that was destroyed in the accident?
Click to expand...
The crashed aircraft of December 24, 2019 was not handed over to the VKS at that time; the accident occurred at the end of factory tests, when it was the property of the manufacturer.
The Air Force received “this” aircraft, although with a different serial number. The number of 76 serial aircraft to be handed over remains unchanged.
(You're right, my original post was a bit misleading, but that wasn't the intention. Sorry, I've edited it.)
 
Geo said:
The crashed aircraft of December 24, 2019 was not handed over to the VKS at that time; the accident occurred at the end of factory tests, when it was the property of the manufacturer.
The Air Force received “this” aircraft, although with a different serial number. The number of 76 serial aircraft to be handed over remains unchanged.
Click to expand...
Yeah that's how I understood it, that UAC had to replace it out of their own pocket
 
Wotan said:
They seem to have decided to keep them as far away from Ukraina and its long range drones as possible. More than 6.000 km distance make a direct attack almost impossible.
https://militarnyi.com/en/news/russia-concentrates-most-of-its-su-57-fleet/
They are indeed very juicy targets.
Click to expand...

OK than ,that info or source of the info can be the same as MWM ( my fault,sorry @Deino ) .

Citation from the source:

''The Russian Aerospace Forces have concentrated a large share of their Su-57 fighter jets at the Dzyomgi airbase in Russia’s Khabarovsk region.''

15 out of almost 50 produced and delivered so far is not a large share ... Btw, they are part of the 23GvIAP in the Dzyomgi air base as the operational unit of the VKS ,nothing strange. Btw also, Su-57's have been stationed in the next air bases in the western parf of the RF : Lipetsk-2, Akhtubinsk and Privolzhskiy.


Or something like this source of info, citation:

''Russia announced two Su-57 deliveries in 2022, three in 2024, but no batches appear to have been reported in 2025. ''

www.calibredefence.co.uk

Russia receives first Su-57 delivery of 2026

The VKS has received the first batch of Su-57s produced this year, as the force continues to re-equip with Russia’s best aircraft.
www.calibredefence.co.uk www.calibredefence.co.uk

Of course ,it is incorrect in both cases.

Now even 'bmpd' site forgot to mention one detail,citation from the latest article about 09 Feb 2026 delivery: :

''На протяжении 2025 года ОАК не сообщала о передаче истребителей Су-57 новой постройки Министерству обороны. Таким образом, видимо, вся партия истребителей Су-57, изготовленных по программе 2025 года, была окончательно сдана только в январе 2026 года, и о ее передаче объявлено только теперь.''

''Throughout 2025, UAC failed to report the delivery of newly built Su-57 fighters to the Ministry of Defense. Therefore, it appears the entire batch of Su-57 fighters manufactured under the 2025 program was only finally delivered in January 2026, and their delivery was only announced now.''

This is not right because we had chance to see one Su-57 during Su-35S delivery on 26 Dec. 2025 .

Su-57 and Su-35S KnAAZ dec 2025.jpg

Су-35С уничтожили больше всего целей в ходе СВО | Интересный контент в группе Россия - это я! в ОК (Одноклассники)

Очередная партия истребителей Су-35С передана Министерству обороны России, сообщили в госкорпорации «Ростех». Отмечается, что этот истребитель один из самых востребованных в войсках самолетов, способный уничтожать противника на... | Вступай в группу Россия - это я! в ОК (Одноклассники)
m.ok.ru m.ok.ru
 
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Indian military analyst and former Jaguar pilot described some details about the newly delivered fighters.

Decoding the Lethal Upgrade in Russia’s Latest Su-57 Deliveries

''It is possible that the fresh batch of Su-57s delivered is capable of carrying the newly developed air-launched stealthy combat UAV designated S-71, a weapon first unveiled during Army 2024.''

https://twitter.com/x/status/2020797158803578970
View: https://x.com/vkthakur/status/2020797158803578970


Maybe all delivered so far have capability to carry S-71M/K combat drones?
 
The "meat" of the story is

On February 9, 2026, Russia's UAC delivered a large batch of Su-57s which, according to a UAC press release, were “in a new technical configuration.The aircraft have received upgraded onboard systems and a new weapons complex.”
Click to expand...

Everything after that is purely speculation.
 
Ainen said:
Bmpd?
They're insiders, and their data is reliable prima facie, without caveats you make even for TASS/RIA.
Click to expand...

Yes but keep in mind that very common word in their comments is ''предположительно'' or
presumably/supposedly.

I must write that there is so many confusions even in the 'bmpd' comments and in the comments of the site like 'aviation21.ru' etc...

Now 'bmpd' wrote this ( 10.Feb. '26 article) :

''Два из переданных в декабре 2024 года истребителей Су-57 (самолеты с бортовыми номерами «25 красный» и «26 красный») были засняты в начале апреля 2025 года в новосибирском аэропорту Толмачевопри перегоне с завода-изготовителя (КнААЗ) в Европейскую часть страны.''

"Two of the Su-57 fighters delivered in December 2024 (aircraft with tail numbers '25 red' and '26 red') were photographed in early April 2025 at Novosibirsk's Tolmachevo Airport during their transfer from the manufacturer (KnAAZ) to the European part of the country."

Site 'aviation21.ru' also mentioned this:

''В 2025 году истребители этого типа в ВКС не поступали,''

''In 2025, fighters of this type did not enter service with the Aerospace Forces,''

Now logical question will be, what did they do with those two new Su-57's from Dec 2024 until April 2025??? Did they need four months to fly from KnAAZ to Tolmachevo airport? Of course not.

I also mentioned that we all saw one Su-57 during Su-35S delivery on 26 Dec. 2025. I checked some details from the delivery of the first ( lost) serial Su-57 Bort No 01 blue. It was lost on its third KnAAZ test flight on 24 Dec. 2019 three days before planed delivery to the VKS ( 27 dec. 2019). So, KnAAZ ( LIS or letno-ispitatelnaya stantsiya/flight test station) test flights last several days only not a full month if we count that Su-57 from 26 Dec. 2025 was delivered at the end of January 2026.

So this comment from the 'bmpd ' ....

''Таким образом, видимо, вся партия истребителей Су-57, изготовленных по программе 2025 года, была окончательно сдана только в январе 2026 года, и о ее передаче объявлено только теперь''

''Thus, it appears that the entire batch of Su-57 fighters manufactured under the 2025 program was finally delivered only in January 2026, and its transfer was only announced now.''

..is obviously not correct.
 
Fibonacci said:
Hey guys! Sorry for going off-topic, but I'm trying to find the "final" dimensions of the Su-57. Does anyone have any info to share? Thanks in advance!
Click to expand...
The commonly cited wingspan of 13.95 m applies to the 1st Stage airframes. The 2nd Stage airframes that represent the current production aircraft have enlarged wingtips that are also subtly cranked to have a slightly lower sweep angle and slightly increased the overall wingspan to 14.0-14.1 meters.

This can be measured using the spanwise ordinate lines (the image is slightly stretched, so don't use the lengthwise ordinates to measure wingspan). Images from @flanker.
 

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snne said:
I thought all delivered units came with a thick RAM coating?
Click to expand...

Of course ...

aviation21.ru

На КнААЗ ввели в эксплуатацию холодильник для Су-57 » Авиация России

18 августа на Комсомольском-на-Амуре авиационном заводе им. Ю.А. Гагарина для обеспечения круглогодичного и бесперебойного производственного процесса введён в
aviation21.ru aviation21.ru

''На Комсомольском-на-Амуре авиационном заводе (КнААЗ) введен в эксплуатацию специализированный холодильный центр для производства истребителей пятого поколения Су-57. Он предназначен для создания необходимых температурных условий при нанесении радиопоглощающих покрытий, обеспечивающих малозаметность самолета.''

''A specialized refrigeration center for the production of the fifth-generation Su-57 fighter jet has been commissioned at the Komsomolsk-on-Amur Aviation Plant (KNAAZ). It is designed to create the necessary temperature conditions for the application of radar-absorbing coatings, which ensure the aircraft's stealth.''


''Key facts about the system:

Purpose: To equip the shop for applying radar-absorbing materials to Su-57 airframes.
Function: To ensure precise temperature and humidity conditions for proper curing of special coatings.
Significance: This is a critical assembly step that ensures the stated performance of stealth technologies.
Context: Commissioned as part of a production modernization program that began around 2022 to increase aircraft production.''

It is interesting that complete process lasts one month.
 
French Toast said:
That cat is huge man it's tripping me out.
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It's a Maine Coon or Norwegian Forest Cat. Both get absolutely HUGE. 5-6ft nose to tail. They get 15kg with no fat!



NMaude said:
I wonder if it marked its' territory on it;):D?
Click to expand...
If it was anything like my old lug, it absolutely did piss all over the tires.
 
History repeats itself !

After Algerian AF first in the world received than Soviet extraordinary interceptor MiG-25PDE ( flight speed and height) during the late 1970's,now after almost 50 years they received first in the world Russian extraordinary 5th gen stealth fighter Su-57E.

Earlier analysis from DN :

www.thedefensenews.com

Russia Delivers First Su-57E Jets as Export Order; Algeria Emerges as the Secret Customer

Russia has quietly crossed a major milestone in its combat aviation exports delivering the first Su-57E fifth-generation fighters to a foreign customer Officially Moscow will
www.thedefensenews.com www.thedefensenews.com
 
looks like Algeria is now operating six types: Su-24, MiG-29, Su-30MKA, Su-35, and now Su-57E.
I feel their logistics situation would be better if they just consolidated on the Su-30 for multirole and 57 for air superiority.
 
helmutkohl said:
looks like Algeria is now operating six types: Su-24, MiG-29, Su-30MKA, Su-35, and now Su-57E.
I feel their logistics situation would be better if they just consolidated on the Su-30 for multirole and 57 for air superiority.
Click to expand...
Well, that's mini-VKS for you.
Mig-29m instead of su-25, which is very much a positive.
 
helmutkohl said:
looks like Algeria is now operating six types: Su-24, MiG-29, Su-30MKA, Su-35, and now Su-57E.
I feel their logistics situation would be better if they just consolidated on the Su-30 for multirole and 57 for air superiority.
Click to expand...
Su-24s are likely to decomissioned soon. they're old. I'm not sure even Russia operates them aside from it's PMC in Africa.
Also, you forgot Su-34.
 
Title of this thread was slightly edited, so that we can stay with technical details and news, and don't have to delve into current conflicts, too easily drifting off into politics ...

Please, adhere to this. ;)
 

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