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.
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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.