Russia’s 5th-Gen Stealth Su-57 Fights in Ukraine – Is it Effective?

By Kris Osborn, President, Warrior

(Washington DC) Video posted on both pro-Ukrainian and pro-Russian social media appears to show a 5th-generation Su-57 operating with Russia’s stealthy Okhotnik S-70 armed drone, a fact which further confirms the now well-known Russian use of Su-57s against Ukraine and its efforts to enable manned-unmanned teaming. 

While the Su-57s have reportedly only been used in a small capacity in the Ukraine war, the presence of the jet on video on social media in the warzone raises significant questions about the maturity and operational capabilities of Russia’s 5th-gen stealth fighter. 

Su-57 vs F-35 & F-22

Is the Russian Su-57 truly a 5th-generation fighter capable of rivaling the F-35 and F-22?  The answer to this simply may not be known, apart from what little detail can be gleaned from the Russian media and a simple observer’s eye view of the Su-57s external configuration. 

The aircraft does look stealthy, and as a dual-engine stealth fighter with tailfins, it does slightly resemble the F-22, if a little wider. 

Su-57 Mystery 

Little is known about how much of a threat Russia’s 5th-generation Su-57 poses to adversaries.