The state-owned United Aircraft Corporation (UAC), which controls Russia’s main planemakers, revealed on Tuesday that an improved version of the Sukhoi Su-57 fighter jet had made its maiden flight on October 21. The 5th generation aircraft took off from Gromov Flight Testing Institute’s airfield for a 56-minute flight.
The company did not detail improvements to the stealth fighter, only claiming that the aircraft “is testing a suite of onboard equipment with extended functionality, intelligent crew support and the possibility of using a wide range of new types of weapons”. The updated Su-57 is also prepared to be equipped with the new Izdeliye 30 engine, the UAC suggested.
The fighter, known as the Felon, entered production a short time ago after a long and troubled development. UAC plans to deliver four aircraft to the Russian Air Force this year as part of an order for 76 supersonic jets.
The flight of the new version of the Su-57 comes about a week after unconfirmed reports that the new fighter would have made its baptism of fire.
Russian blogs have credited the Su-57 with the launch of an R-37M missile that brought down a Ukrainian Su-27 in the Poltava region on October 13, but there has been no proof of this so far.
