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Russia Might Be Slowing Down Its Su-57 Stealth Fighter Production. Here’s Why
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![Photo of Ivan Khomenko]( "Photo of Ivan Khomenko")
According to The Telegraph, Russia’s production of the Sukhoi Su-57 stealth fighter jet has faced significant challenges, primarily due to ongoing sanctions.
The Russian military currently operates only about 30 of these fifth-generation aircraft, with some potentially lacking complete avionics due to shortages of essential components.
Frontelligence Insight, a Ukrainian analytical group, noted that Russia’s military industry relies heavily on Western-made electronics, making it vulnerable to sanctions imposed since the escalation of the Russia’s war against in Ukraine. This has hindered the production capabilities of the Su-57, also known by its NATO designation, “Felon.”
After reviewing an internal correspondence leak from a Russian military electronics plant "Mikropribor", Frontelligence Insight, with data provided by @CyberResUa discovered that the production of the Su-57 is in jeopardy without access to crucial Western components. 🧵Thread: pic.twitter.com/WyjIS29e19
— Tatarigami_UA (@Tatarigami_UA) September 25, 2024
While Western defense manufacturers are ramping up production, such as Lockheed Martin’s F-35s and Korean Aerospace Industries’ KF-21 jets, Russia’s Su-57 program has stalled.
The aircraft, which aims to modernize the Russian Air Force by replacing older models like the MiG-29 and Sukhoi Su-27, first took to the skies in 2010. Since then, only a small number of Su-57s have been produced—10 units delivered in 2022 and 11 in 2023, with only a few additional deliveries in 2024.
Notably, the Su-57 program has faced setbacks, including the loss of two aircraft—one test model and one production unit— due to crashes. A Ukrainian drone strike in June 2023 at the Akhtubinsk State Flight Test Center reportedly destroyed at least two Su-57 on the ground.
The current inventory of operational Su-57s is limited, which has lost approximately 100 front-line fighters since February 2022. The delivery rate of new Su-57s has decreased sharply from 2023 to 2024, a deviation from typical trends where delivery rates generally increase as production stabilizes.
Frontelligence Insight’s investigation into Russian production has identified critical bottlenecks, particularly concerning specific components necessary for the Su-57's electronic systems. Previously sourced from German manufacturers, these parts now must be obtained through illicit means, complicating the supply chain and prolonging production timelines.
