So who has problems with the Su-57?
Meet another person who wants to walk on the wings of the Su-57, a certain Peter Suchiu from Michigan. During his twenty-year career in journalism, he has contributed to more than four dozen magazines, newspapers and websites. Today, my friend Peter found himself on the pages of The National Interest, which we respect, and he writes, they say, even for Forbes and Clearance Jobs. In general, it’s a sort of all-rounder.
While Forbes is a familiar face, Clearance Jobs is a career website that serves individuals with active federal security clearances and provides a secure forum for employers to hire cleared employees. It is also called the “Prime Secure Job Board” because the site exclusively serves candidates with a valid US government clearance.
Apparently, wealthy financiers and government agents are on vacation, so Peter decided to write about airplanes. Well, here everything is clear: either about the upcoming victory of the F-16 in the skies of Ukraine, or about the Su-57. The first topic is very optimistic, the second is just right.
So what is Peter Suchiu's main point?
Meanwhile, the US is developing the Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) program, aimed at outperforming fifth-generation fighters with advanced artificial intelligence, unmanned systems and advanced technologies."
You know, I once made counter-arguments, but time has passed since then, and a lot has changed.
Okay, generally a rather respectful opinion, but about this written bag, with which all Americans are running around like mad, that is, about stealth, I would say a few words. In general, this is some kind of fetishism. Moreover, he is so stubborn. Well, everyone sees these “inconspicuous” ones: the French on Rafales, the Indians on Su-30MKI, the Germans on Typhoons. In short, everyone who needs it sees it. Those who don’t need it—that is, the Americans—don’t see it. Everything is laid out.
Our time is already in full force calling into question the stealth of the F-22 and F-35, and given that they have no other outstanding features (well, let’s say, except for completely castrated electronic warfare and the inability to look “sideways and backwards”), except for this the most inconspicuous, it’s time to think about this topic.
As for weapons, indeed, both we and the Americans have complete order with this. And if the Su-57’s stealthiness is just as bad as its American counterparts, then it’s really time to start racking your brains. After all, our fighter really has super-maneuverability, which American “irons” cannot see through a telescope. Whatever you say, UVT is a thing that we are much better at than the Americans.
So much has already been said on the topic of what is better, super-maneuverability or stealth, that I don’t even want to repeat myself. The only thing that can be said on this issue is that stealth is a rather ephemeral thing. The fact that the “invisible plane” is a myth was proven by the Serbs more than 30 years ago.
But all these plays on words “not at all”, “little”, “almost” are not noticeable - nothing more than an advertising slogan. Quite conventional. But maneuverability is a thing, as they say, “for centuries.”
New radars, optical systems, thermal imagers, and more sensitive seekers may appear. In general, there are many things that can reduce stealth to zero, that is, there are quite a lot of variables in this equation. But the ability to “break” the flight path and miss enemy missiles in an aerobatics maneuver is much more difficult to level out. The missile must fly much faster than its target, so it can maneuver, but not perfectly. Nobody can cancel physics.
As for the Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) project, the principle “When it flies, then we’ll talk” is evident here. It is more than strange to compare an aircraft that was produced, albeit in a small series, and something that is not yet even on paper.
What are the “true fifth generation standards”? Stealth? Blindness and deafness for ¾ of a circle? Failure to integrate into modern battle management networks? Wildly expensive, beyond the bounds of reason? Yes, then the true standard of the fifth generation is the F-22 Raptor. Here you can also add complete incompetence for air combat, and everything is in perfect order.
In general, is this generation figure so important?
Yes, sure. It is very important for managers selling aircraft to other countries. The fifth generation, simply because of the number itself, must cost more than the fourth. But who said that the fifth generation should be more combat-ready?
Nobody. And here we can speculate.
I know one country that still has in service the first fourth-generation aircraft, developed in another country altogether. It has been standing since 1981. Almost with three modifications to date. The plane, as they say, has no frills: it’s gluttonous, it’s downright bad at maneuverability, and they didn’t even know what stealth meant when it was being developed.
In general, the plane turned out to be suitable for two things: catching up and killing. But in this he has almost no equal in the world. Everyone has already understood that we are talking about the MiG-31.
Yes, a very unique plane. But who can doubt that he is able to break the face of anyone detected by his radar? And now, when they began to install “Zaslon”, which can “look” at generally fantastic distances of 400 km, and with missiles with a range of 300 km...
This can be compared to the peregrine falcon. The duck is camouflaged and inconspicuous. But if the peregrine falcon’s eye notices her, food is served, as they say, fly to eat. She, so unnoticeable, has little chance of leaving.
In our case with airplanes, the situation is approximately the same. If Russian designers from the Research Institute of Instrument Engineering named after V.V. Tikhomirov give figures that the new Zaslon model, Zaslon-AM, “looks” at 400 km, I see no reason at all not to believe them.
“Zaslon” in the 80s “looked” at 200 km, and this was already creepy, and considering that its complex antenna had two completely independent X-band arrays with 1700 emitters and an L-band with 64 transmitters, combined into one plane, but what the followers of the creators of “Barrier” were able to do today is difficult to even imagine.
But it’s very nice to dream up.
Back in 1991, at the Le Bourget air show, ours were ready to lift the MiG-31 to detect the “stealth” F-117. The experts were so confident that the “invisibility” would be discovered by the “Barrier” that the Americans decided not to play with fire.
Today, when Zaslon-AM can confidently detect a target with an ESR of 20 sq. m., and this, in principle, is the EPR of fourth-generation aircraft, no matter ours, European, American, at a distance of up to 400 km, then “invisible aircraft” will be visible at a distance of 50-100 km if the estimated figures The EPRs of Western analysts are accurate.
And if they lied there, as usual, then at long distances. In general, if you look soberly and without marketing shouts, then the normal distance at which the F-22/F-35 can be detected will be somewhere in the region of 100-120 km. Yes, this is already a good range for an attack using the AIM-120, but nevertheless, this is a completely normal range for an attack with our missiles.
But it will be very difficult for them to escape if they miss. Speed wall, sorry, not the same.
Here lies the answer why the F-22/F-35 never took part in operations where they could be “touched” by radar with your own eyes. The F-22 definitely failed; the Americans very carefully hid it from everyone who was interested in looking at the Raptor. With the F-35 it’s a little easier, there’s probably data from the Indians, and in Syria the Israeli F-35s “shone” like New Year’s toys.
The plane ceases to be “invisible” from the moment it is first seen. Then gradations begin, which are, in principle, optional. So there is currently only one real stealth aircraft in the world - the Raptor. Indeed, no one really saw it in combat, so about the F-22 you can tell any tales like an ESR of 0,00001 square meters. m. It’s still impossible to check, they are all laid up waiting to be written off. But this is the third question.
Writing something like this in 2024 is ridiculous. Especially considering the fact that the F-35A made its first flight in 2006, and entered service with the US Air Force in 2016. That is, the same 10 years, but the USA has its own frame of reference, so for them 10 years is a normal period, but for Russia it is prohibitively long.
A system of double standards in action. A log for yourself, a branch for others
But now we will look a little to the side. Yes, it is difficult for an American to understand that in a country that is engaged in hostilities, there is somehow no time for experimenting with new technology, but there would be time to produce old and proven ones. Although the Su-34 and Su-35 cannot be called old technology. But in fact, they are more in demand than the Su-57, in my opinion.
However, what do our opponents generally accuse us of, so to speak? Just a different approach. The Su-57 is still in the rank of some kind of prototype, because yes, THAT engine is still not ready. Sometimes it happens. 14 years old and still not ready.
However, if you look at what we produce as new technology, there is a significant difference. The approach itself is different: we first make a small series, look at it, test it, polish it. Improved if necessary. Then - a series. And this has been the case since the times of the Soviet Union, and, I must say, the practice is just right.
Particularly useful in today's changing environment the warWho could have imagined five years ago that a battery-powered rattle would become a more effective way of destroying manpower and equipment than, say, an ATGM?
Let's look at our “successes” in the context of military operations from this angle.
"Armata". Concept? Concept. Yes, we went overboard with the hype, shouted very loudly about the topic of “not having”, in the end what? As a result, on the one hand, nothing, they released two dozen. Send to fight? So that such an expensive thing, stuffed with electronics, would die from the fact that a dozen drones will he arrive? If he had arrived, those on the other side would not have missed such an opportunity.
The same overkill, in my opinion, as the T-55/T-62. The truth is in the middle, the truth is that the T-72/T-90 is still the best that can be used in battle.
All other projects of the T-14 family were moved to about the same place. The reason is cost.
"Kurganets" ended up overboard for about the same reason. There is no doubt that this is a good project, but it requires thorough improvement precisely because it was developed under one set of conditions, but there are completely different ones.
"Terminator". The idea is complete, but again, it’s not that it didn’t work, but the composition of the opponents on the battlefield simply changed. Instead of infantry fighting vehicles/armored personnel carriers, ATGM crews, helicopters and other tanks They hit with drones, which are tens of times cheaper and have their own advantages over the same ATGMs. But as an anti-aircraft gun, “Terminator” is about nothing at all.
Su-57. Multirole air superiority fighter. Unobtrusive. Its use is also ambiguous. The fighter's first target is another enemy aircraft. In conditions when the enemy has a meager number of aircraft, and the ground is bristling with air defense systems, and even go and figure out whose “Buk” it is that “shines” you, it is not easy to determine, but there was a use. Yes, at the level of tests, but still.
What do all these types of weapons have in common? That's right, a limited edition release. Without spending (probably) huge amounts of money, we nevertheless developed and tested new equipment. Is the Armata not fit for battle tomorrow? It will stand, go to parades, and during this time something will change.
“Kurganets” turned out to be somewhat different from what was expected? Okay, there's some work to be done.
Su-57? He flies on an old engine, gaining information. Combat. Once the AL41F1 is completed, further evolution will follow.
Maximum efficiency at a relative minimum of costs.
Now let's look at the USA.
Three Zamvolts were built. $22,5 billion. Scrap.
13 littoral ships were built. 11 billion. Scrap.
Built 194°F-22 Raptor. $66,7 billion. They really want to scrap everything.
Here is a very easy and relaxed 100 billion dollars, the effectiveness of which is exactly at the level of “Armata”. But they made two dozen “Armat”, that is, the cost is simply incomparable.
But we're talking about airplanes.
What useful things have 20 Raptors done during their 194 years of service? One inflated bubble was knocked down.
What useful things did 8°F-1000 do in 35 years? Yes, it's richer there. Israeli F-35Is shot down as many as two drone.
Well, bombs and missiles were leaving somewhere from afar. But we do not consider the work of a fighter as a bomber at all.
12 Su-57s have between 2 and 8 victories, depending on the source. Having read the Ukrainians and the British, I am inclined to believe that 1 Su-27 and 2 MiG-29 are quite reliable, and the Ukrainian side admits these losses in air battles.
That is, in fact, 12 Su-57s shot down more than 1200 American aircraft. Three planes against a bubble and two drones - what more proof of effectiveness is needed?
To hell with them, with numbers! It is the fifth generation, not the fifth, not the sixth, not the eighth - there is an airplane, and it works like a combat aircraft. If we have. If it doesn’t work for them, there are so many stories...
What difference does it make that the F-22 is the “ideal” fifth generation, if it, not only fights, is not really able to fly? What's the use of the bells and whistles of the F-35 if it has a "around the pillar" range without drop tanks (stealth, where are you?), a tanker in the air or an aircraft carrier under its ass? Does the imperfect Su-57 fly three times further?
Well, then all that remains is to play with numbers. And the further they play, the more attention they pay to the “imperfection” and inconsistency of our aircraft with the conditions of the “fifth generation”, which, by the way, are not really formulated, the more convinced you become that the Su-57 is not only no worse, much better than American “ideals”. At least they are not afraid to use the Russian aircraft for its intended purpose.
Why compare the Su-57 with NGAD?
First, let's honor those whom this very program should correct in the eyes of the whole world. That is, Americans. Our hero Peter writes the following:
Last year at the POLITICO defense summit, Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall explained that NGAD's manned aircraft would control the unmanned fighter jets that accompany it. A variety of multi-role unmanned aerial vehicles, called Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA), can act as trusted wingmen while all aircraft can be networked together, enhancing situational awareness for both manned and unmanned aircraft.
Moreover, as Maya Carlin previously reported, there are likely five different technologies that will take priority in NGAD fighter design, including advanced weapon, stealth, digital design, motors and thermal management. While sixth-generation technology is not precisely defined, the features of the NGAD program are expected to exceed the capabilities of fifth-generation counterparts."
There, above, in the first quotation from Peter, it was just this: what about your Su-57, we will now have NGAD, and this is not what they say here!
In general, with this very creativity, Mr. Suciu simply admits that all these hundreds of F-22s and F-35s are bullshit that is good for nothing. And, by the way, this is indirectly confirmed by the fact that not a single country, except Israel, uses its F-35s in combat operations. Israel has nowhere to go, and the Jews bought these planes to fight. That's why they fight, and the rest of the world, which bought miracle planes, saves an expensive resource and sits on its fifth point.
But let's look at the NGAD program, which is being projected onto our Su-57.
In order for it to begin to represent something meaningful and possibly combat-ready, you just need to create:
- airplane;
— drones under the SSA program;
— software for the network that will connect these devices;
— communication and coordination systems;
— weapons.
As of today, the NGAD program has absolutely nothing on this list. So how can you even compare something that in 10 years and in 100 billion years will be something like this, claiming to be the sixth generation?
Unlike all these projects, which will not become projects tomorrow, the Su-57 not only flies, it also demonstrates combat effectiveness! Yes, on planes of a lower class, but what to do if Kyiv does not yet have others? Although something tells me that if the MiG-29 °F-16 had been in place, the result would have been exactly the same.
In general, it is not so important what this sixth generation will be like, in much the same way that the characteristics of the fifth are not important. Aircraft that can perform combat missions are important. It is not the numbers of generations that are at war; they, the numbers, give nothing at all except an increase in price. The aircraft of the second generation, modernized into the third, the Indian MiG-21, easily coped with the Pakistani F-16, which is the fourth.
I have said more than once that numbers don’t fight. Numbers justify defeats. And planes and pilots fight in their cockpits. The war is carried out by missiles guided by radar data.
I understand why Peter Suchiu changed forty editions. In order to write decently about airplanes, you need to be able to do more than just chew numbers. You also need to understand how the plane flies and fights. But the coach of government agents, unfortunately, does not have this. Therefore, the article looks more like a clownery.
But there is one more thing here: the more such articles appear in the United States, the more and more confident, to be honest, that they are being written for a reason. And our aircraft, although not produced in American quantities, is in fact no worse, but on the contrary, much better than American “stealth aircraft.” And they understand this perfectly. That’s why they try to give a damn when they draw these numbers of generations.
It seems that many in the United States still cannot understand that the war is not about numbers, it is about weapons. As for Russian weapons, you know, they have always been at the highest level.
So who has problems with the Su-57? We do not have. What the rest have is really their problem.
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