"Is russia´s SU-57 the Worst Stealth Fighter on the Planet?" Topic

"Russia's Sukhoi Su-57 is one of only four operational 5th generation fighters anywhere on the planet, keeping the rare company of China's Chengdu J-20 and America's Lockheed Martin F-22 and F-35. Each of these fighters was developed with different specialties in mind, but share a collective focus on a few specific design elements that have come to define their generation of aircraft, including stealth and data fusion capabilities.

There's little doubt that America's stealth fighters are the best in the world, with China continuing work on the WS-15 engine they believe will bring the J-20 on par with America's dogfighting champion, the F-22 Raptor. The F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, on the other hand, isn't an acrobatic prize fighter like the F-22, nor is it a long-range interceptor like the J-20. It is, however, an incredibly sneaky flying supercomputer that can make other platforms in the area more lethal through its presence. Russia's Su-57 is widely seen as the least stealthy of the 5th generation entrants, but there's more to a fighter jet than radar cross-sections…"
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Armand

I'm sure the Su-57 is far more capable than the J-20, in every way excepting perhaps range.

The cheek radars for side-looking are especially interesting, and little ever gets mentioned about those, or its rear-facing radar.

My guess is that the development of the F-35 with its situational awareness sensors all arouond is in response to that, since the Russians have had their Sukhois with both fore and aft for decades.

Thanks!.

Armand

Um… given the unmitigated disaster that is the F-35, I'm not sure that passage is accurate.

Glup!

Armand

I don't think the Su-57 is meant to be a true stealth plane.

Instead it's more like an evolved Flanker based on conventional assumptions of A2A combat.

or its rear-facing radar.

Russians have been including these in the Su-34 and Su-35 both of which are the latest iteration of the Flanker. Su-34 is a long range attack aircraft to replace Su-24 whilst Su-35 is is the air combat version (am loathe to call any Russian fighter an air superiority fighter).