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| Russia Develops 6th Generation Fighter Jets |
International Military - Russia is developing a sixth generation fighter jet, which will be based on the Su-57 Felon fighter. The concept is similar to that of the United States' Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) fighter, which is intended to be a system of systems that will include unmanned drones, manned jets, and a new generation of network technology.
Yuri Slyusar, director general of the United Aircraft Corporation (UAC) part of Russia's state-owned defense conglomerate, said the Su-57 fifth-generation fighter is a step towards the sixth-generation aircraft. "When we talk about the sixth generation, we say that this is no longer a separate aircraft, ... but it is a whole system of interactions between air, space, earth, drones, manned vehicles," said Slyusar, reported by the TASS news agency.
In 2016, Russia revealed that it was working on a new sixth-generation fighter aircraft based on a design proposed by the Sukhoi design bureau. The then commander of the Russian Aerospace Forces, Viktor Bondarev, said that the sixth-generation fighter aircraft was being developed in both manned and unmanned versions.
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| Russia 6th Generation Fighter Concept |
Since then, Russian defense officials have been known to test hardware elements designed for the sixth-generation fighter on a prototype version of the Su-57, dubbed the "PAK FA" (Prospective Airborne Complex of Frontline Aviation) fighter. These include flight and navigation systems, advanced electronic warfare, and radar systems.
According to a senior official from Concern Radio-Electronic Technologies (KRET, a subsidiary of Rostec State Corporation), which is known to develop this particular hardware element, the sixth-generation fighter jet will be equipped with an integrated electronic warfare system, which will serve as a radar, warfare system. electronics, data transmission systems and as communication equipment. It will also serve as a Friend or Foe Identification (IFF) navigation system and transponder.
Russia's approach to the development of a sixth-generation fighter is similar to that chosen by the US for the NGAD fighter, which is also intended to be a system of systems that will include unmanned drones, manned jets and a new generation of network technology.
As reported by the EurAsian Times, the Pentagon said there would be a two-way "technology transfer" between the US Air Force's fifth-generation F-22 Raptor and NGAD. Not only will the F-22s be used for NGAD technology trials, but the Raptors will also adopt technologies developed under the NGAD program, presumably to accelerate these capabilities to the forefront long before the NGAD platforms can deploy them so they can deploy them risk-free.
Meanwhile, Russia continues to improve its fifth-generation combat capabilities, such as the new "stealth-killer" air-to-air missile for the Su-57 fighter jet. Designed and developed by the Vympel Design Bureau, the new missile is a short to medium range air-to-air missile based on the medium-range R-77 series missiles that make up the Su-57's main armament.
Currently, the missile is known to be undergoing trials which are expected to be completed before the end of this year. Delivery of the first serial batch of operational missiles is also scheduled for this year. Last year, Russia announced plans to arm its stealth fighters with new radar-active anti-ship missiles that could be used against maritime threats.
The fifth-generation fighter will also undergo testing with an improved communications suit this fall. In addition, an aircraft carrier-capable version of the Su-57 is also being developed for the Russian Navy, whose sole aircraft carrier, the Admiral Kuznetsov, has been undergoing refit since 2015 and is expected to rejoin its fleet in 2024.