Russia has sent two prototypes of its latest fighter jet in service, the stealth Su-57, to China for an airshow, where they were reportedly mocked for their poor workmanship and conditions.
The Su-57, also known as “Felon” in NATO‘s reporting system, is the first Russian military aircraft in service designed with stealth technology, which is a key characteristic of fifth-generation fighter jets such as the American F-22 Raptor and F-35 Lightning II.
The arrival of the Su-57 came before the J-35A, the second and latest Chinese stealth fighter jet, makes its debut at next week’s Airshow China 2024, the Chinese military announced on Tuesday. The country’s first stealth fighter jet, the J-20, has been in service since 2017.
The Russian military received its first twin-engine, single-seat Su-57, which is capable of reaching supersonic cruising speeds, in 2020. This was the jet’s first visit to China, and it is expected to join the Airshow China, which is scheduled to be held from November 12 to 17.
A Su-57 prototype numbered 054 made a fuel stop at Taiyuan city in the Chinese province of Shanxi, in the northern region of China, before arriving at Zhuhai on Monday for the airshow in the southern Chinese Guangdong province.
This aircraft was piloted by Sergey Bogdan, the senior test pilot for aircraft designer Sukhoi. Another Su-57 prototype, numbered 057, was transported to Zhuai by a cargo aircraft.
A Chinese media article published on Tuesday said there were “negative comments or complaints” after people observed the prototypes up close. There were obvious seams on the aircraft’s surface and the weapons bay door could not be completely closed, the article said.
According to specialist outlets The Aviationist and The War Zone, the 054 first flew in 2012 while the 057 was just a static prototype for ground testing and was unflyable.
Prototypes are used for testing and are not necessarily representative of the aircraft in serial production. Russian manufacturer The United Aircraft Corporation, the successor of Sukhoi, announced in September that it had delivered the first known batch of the Su-57 this year.
The Telegraph reported in October, citing Ukrainian analysis group Frontelligence Insight, that Su-57 production had stalled as Western sanctions had crippled the supply of electronic components. Russia has said it would purchase 76 Su-57 jets before 2028.
The sanctions were put into place after the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine war in February 2022. The Su-57 has joined the so-called “special military operation” against Ukraine, according to the Russian news agency TASS. The United Aircraft Corporation claimed that the aircraft had shown its “best qualities” in combat.
In June, Ukraine declared it had damaged an Su-57 around 365 miles away from the front line inside the Russian territory, saying it was the “first such case in history.”
During his trip to Russia in September last year, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un visited a Su-57 factory. He has been supporting Russian President Vladimir Putin‘s war against Ukraine, including the reported deployment of 8,000 to 12,000 North Korean soldiers to the front lines.
