Russia anticipates signing a contract for the Su-57, a fifth-generation fighter jet, in 2018.
Speaking at the Army-2017 military exhibition, Russian Deputy Defense Minister Yuri Borisov said, “We are now considering signing a contract for the delivery of a pilot batch of these fighter jets in 2018 with their dispatch to the troops in 2019.”
He referred to the Su-57, which is the military designation for the PAK FA, a stealth fighter jet under development.
It is likely that the pilot batch will consist of 12 jets. Serial production is expected to begin after the completion of the pre-production batch.
Russia will also continue testing the Su-57 as the plane’s ‘second stage’ engine sees further development progress. A flight test with the advanced engine could begin as soon as the end of 2017, though the engine will not be ready in time for integration onto the pilot batch.
Deputy Defense Minister Borisov also noted that the plane was attracting foreign interest, saying, “The forum’s visitors displayed great interest in the latest Russian aircraft, including Su-34 and Su-35 planes, and also the cutting-edge fifth-generation fighter jet which has been named as the Su-57.”
Military markets analyst, covering Eurasia, Middle East, and Africa.
