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| Russia's Sukhoi Su-57 Will Be Armed With New Air-to-Air Missiles Which Still Undisclosed |
International Military - Russia's Sukhoi Su-57 is known to be in the process of testing an air-to-air missile. The fighter jet has even reached final trials. This was stated directly by the Minister of Defense, Sergei Shoigu.
Quoted from Military Watch Magazine, the first serial production unit for operational service is expected to be delivered by the end of the year. It was developed by the Vympel Design Bureau, the name and performance characteristics of the missile remain secret. However, Shoigu explained that they are designed to complement the advanced Su-57 aircraft platforms and other aircraft carriers.
“This year, we plan to complete the state missile test and deliver the first serial batch for operation. The new armament will help increase the carrier aircraft's combat efficiency in air strikes and increase the range of the air targets involved, including small-sized vehicles based on stealth technology," he said.
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| Russia's Sukhoi Su-57 Stealth Fighter |
The existence of the missile was first made public in November 2019, the K-77M air-to-air armament, as well as the long-range izdeliye 810 originating from the 400 km R-37M.
Quoted from the Eurasian Times, the Vympel State Machinery Manufacturing Design Bureau demonstrated the launch of a new advanced air-to-air missile for the Su-57 fifth-generation fighter aircraft. However, as already mentioned, the name of the missile and its performance specifications are kept secret.
Read Also: Only Have 10 Units, Russia Builds New Facilities For the Production of the Su-57 Fighter
Nonetheless, the missile is claimed to be based on the medium-range R-77 series. The diameter of the new missile is comparable to the standard R-77 but could be wider. Although the new missile from Vympel has a four-fin box design that is generally similar to the R-77, there are some substantial differences.
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| The R-77 medium-range air-to-air missile |
The R-77 medium-range air-to-air missile itself is comparable to the radar-guided US AIM-120 AMRAAM (Advanced Medium Range Air to Air Missile). This missile was first introduced in 1991, but its development took a very long time.
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| US AIM-120 AMRAAM (Advanced Medium Range Air to Air Missile) |
The upgraded R-77-1 entered service with the Russian Air Force in 2015. It has also been used on the Su-35S fighter aircraft in Syria.