The Su-57, Russia’s fifth-generation fighter jet, is back in the reckoning for the IAF. According to the latest reports, the Indian Air Force (IAF) is considering acquiring at least two squadrons of the Su-57 aircraft from Russia.
Furthermore, the IAF is examining a proposal from Russia to manufacture the fighter jet in India, like the earlier MiGs and the Su-30 MKI.
The extended proposal also entails Transfer of Technology (ToT), local manufacturing, the platform’s integration with India’s indigenous weapon systems, and numerous other benefits, making the Russian offer deeply enticing.
However, the question remains as to why India should join the program, which it left in 2018 due to concerns over stealth and super cruise capabilities.
Furthermore, why should the IAF invest in a platform that is described as 4++ generation when India’s adversaries are moving towards fifth-generation fighter jets?
Separately, if Su-57 offers only limited stealth and super cruise capabilities, then should India not opt for the combat-tested Su-35, instead of the Su-57, which has seen only limited action in the Ukraine War?
Russia Renews Su-57 Offer
According to multiple reports in Indian media, the IAF is examining a proposal to purchase two squadrons of the Su-57 aircraft from Russia in fly-away condition, while 3-5 squadrons could be manufactured in India by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) at its Nashik facility.
Notably, the Sukhoi and HAL already have a working relationship, as HAL’s Nashik facility has manufactured Su-30 MKI under license. In December last year, India and Russia signed a contract to manufacture 12 more Su-30 MKI for Rs 13,500 crore (approximately USD 1.5 billion at that time).
Sukhoi is proposing that India can manufacture the Su-57 fighter jets utilizing the existing HAL infrastructure that is used to manufacture the Su-30 MKI.
India’s renewed interest in the Su-57 is ironic, given that New Delhi withdrew from the FGFA (Fifth Generation Fighter Aircraft) deal in 2018 due to concerns over the aircraft’s limited stealth and supercruise capabilities.
The Su-57’s frontal stealth is limited to 60 degrees, and its AL-41F1 engines lack true supercruise, a defining feature of fifth-generation fighter jets.
So, why is India reconsidering Su-57 after abandoning the project in 2018?
India’s Renewed Interest In Su-57
Apparently, in the aftermath of Operation Sindoor, the Su-57 is emerging as a relevant option for the IAF’s operational requirements.
Pakistan’s lack of strategic depth became all too apparent during Operation Sindoor. India was able to hit nine terror camps and 11 air bases throughout the length and breadth of Pakistan in precision airstrikes without entering Pakistan’s airspace.
IAF understood that, given Pakistan’s lack of strategic depth, the whole country could be covered with long-range conventional systems.
Thus, in the new IAF doctrine, stand-off strike capabilities have become paramount. In this doctrine, long-range strike capabilities are more valuable than the capability of stealthy penetration in Pakistan’s airspace.
The IAF is turning to Su-57, not for its stealth features, but for its long-range strike capabilities and its ability to carry heavy munitions.
The most valuable among them is the R-37 M air-to-air missile, which has a range exceeding 300 km. This provides IAF with unmatchable Beyond Visual Range (BVR) capabilities.
According to some reports, one reason the IAF may have suffered combat losses during Operation Sindoor was that Pakistan’s PL-15 missile had a more extended range than the Meteor missile fired by Indian Rafales.
According to a Reuters report published in August, a key factor contributing to India’s alleged combat losses was an intelligence failure concerning the range of the China-made PL-15 missile fired by the J-10 fighter.
“The faulty intelligence gave the Rafale pilots a false sense of confidence that they were out of Pakistani firing distance, which they believed was only around 150 km, the Indian officials said, referring to the widely cited range of PL-15’s export variant.”
“The PL-15 that hit the Rafale was fired from around 200km (124.27 mi) away, according to Pakistani officials, and even farther according to Indian officials. That would make it among the longest-range air-to-air strikes recorded,” the Reuters report claimed without providing any evidence.
India later admitted to losing a Rafale fighter jet due to a technical glitch, with no enemy shootdown. IAF also said it has shot down half a dozen Pakistani aircraft during Op. Sindoor.
The Su-57, equipped with the R-37M AAM (300 km range), will provide the IAF with better BVR capabilities than those offered by the PL-15.
Another important missile that could be fired from the Su-57 is Kinzhal, a hypersonic air-launched ballistic missile.
However, the question remains: Is the combat-tested Su-35 a better option than the Su-57?
Su-57 Vs Su-35: Which Is A Better Option For IAF?
The Su-57 (a fifth-generation stealth multirole fighter) and Su-35 (a 4.5-generation air superiority fighter) are both advanced Russian jets from Sukhoi, and both are extremely capable aircraft.
In fact, in the Ukraine War, while Russia has used Su-35 extensively, the Su-57 has seen only limited action.
The Su-57’s takeoff weight is 35,000 kg, compared to the Su-35’s 34,500 kg, indicating that they both have similar takeoff weights.
The Su-57’s maximum speed is Mach 2.0; however, the Su-35 can fly a little faster at Mach 2.25. However, Su-57 can maintain sustained supersonic flight.
In combat radius as well, the Su-35 has a slight advantage. The Su-35’s combat radius is 1600 km, whereas the Su-57’s combat radius is 1,250 km.
Su-57’s payload capacity is 7,500 kg (internal+external), whereas Su-35’s payload capacity is 8,000 kg.
This comparison reveals that there is very little to choose between these two aircraft; however, the Su-57 outperforms the Su-35 in some crucial capabilities.
First and foremost, the Su-35 was designed in the 1980s, whereas the Su-57 development took place in the first two decades of the 21st century. Thus, the Su-57 is more suited for modern aerial warfare.
The Su-35 was designed to battle fighter jets like the Eurofighter, Rafale, and F-16, whereas the Su-57 was designed with the F-22 Raptor and F-35 Lightning II in mind.
In terms of radar, Su-57 has a clear advantage. It features an AESA radar, as opposed to the Su-35’s PESA radar, offering a greater detection range. The Su-57 also offers more advanced electronic warfare capabilities.
According to experts, the Su-35 has the least capable avionics suite among its competitors. It’s the only major 4th-generation aircraft without an AESA radar or any form of Sensor Fusion. The Irbis-E is marketed as having a 350 km range against 3 m^2 target, however, in normal volume search that range shrinks down to 200 km.
More importantly, Su-35’s radar has a maximum targeting range of 250 km. Therefore, even if the Su-35 is integrated with the R-37M AAM, it will still need another aircraft to guide it to its target.
“In addition to already poor performance, Irbis-E is vulnerable to jamming by modern EW suites owing to a smaller bandwidth, which you can tell from inferior SAR resolution. Combined with substantially short-ranged missiles, the Su-35 is at a significant disadvantage in BVR combat. Especially against an adversary with a capable AESA radar,” aviation expert Abhirup Sengupta said.
The Su-57’s frontal stealth is almost as good as that of the F-35; however, the aircraft is not very stealthy against ground-based radars. Still, it will perform better than Su-35 in this crucial aspect.
The Su-57 features an internal weapons bay, whereas the Su-35 can only carry an external payload.
Furthermore, the IAF already has almost 260 Su-30 MKI. The Su-35 offers minimal advantages over the Su-30 MKI.
The IAF is considering the Su-57 as a stopgap solution until the AMCA becomes operational. In this regard, the IAF’s operational needs will be better met by the Su-57 rather than the Su-35.
- Sumit Ahlawat has over a decade of experience in news media. He has worked with Press Trust of India, Times Now, Zee News, Economic Times, and Microsoft News. He holds a Master’s Degree in International Media and Modern History from the University of Sheffield, UK.
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