It’s in this light that the capabilities of modern fighter jets have come to the fore since the outbreak of the Russo-Ukraine War. With Ukraine still waiting on its Western allies for F-16 Fighting Falcons, attention now turns to Russia’s most advanced offering: its fifth-generation Su-57 “Felon” fighter jet, whose deployment numbers are less than a handful in the conflict.
While having very impressive design features, it has accrued many production delays and tech issues. Only 32 were handed over to the Russian Air Force since its first flight in 2010, and production only kicked off in 2019, pointing to significant development and industrial bottlenecks. Certainly, the jet has been wracked by problems with its engines—it still uses the Al-41F1 engines that power the Su-35S—and its sensor suite remains unfinished, likely due to international sanctions following Russia’s 2014 invasion of Crimea.
The Su-57 radar cross-section has also been controversial. Independent expert estimates put it at around 0.5 square meters, comparable to a ‘clean’ fourth-generation F/A-18 Super Hornet, and far bigger than the F-22 Raptor. That would place the Su-57 well behind US fifth-generation fighters in terms of stealth capability.
The Su-57 is nevertheless an effective fighter despite these challenges. In this respect, defense expert Christian Orr remarks that any pilot flying the F-22 or F-35, and even those flying fourth-generation fighters, cannot underestimate the Su-57. Equipped with 360-degree thrust vectoring for complex maneuverability, this jet can reach Mach 2.
The Russian Defense Ministry has ordered a doubling of the Su-57 production rate for 2024. United Aircraft Corporation Chief Executive Officer Yuri Slyusar said the volume of the orders increased significantly, so more work has to go into production. UAC delivered 12 Su-57s in 2023, more than doubling the figure from 2022. Projections show that UAC could hand over more than 20 Su-57s in 2024 but 76 units until the year 2028.
For Ukraine, acquiring F-16s from NATO allies Denmark, the Netherlands, and Belgium would mean serious upgrading of its air force. The F-16 Fighting Falcon is an aircraft famous for its versatility, maneuverability, and long history of success in combat, initially designed as a lightweight air superiority day fighter but has evolved into a successful all-weather multirole aircraft.
The F-16 can exceed Mach 2 and climb to 50,000 feet; the Su-57 has a still higher ceiling. It also features a combat radius of about 340 miles, burning only internal fuel, and a ferry range of over 2,000 miles with external tanks. Equipped with such advanced radar systems as the AN/APG-66, this aircraft was able to detect both air and ground targets over 60 miles away. It is capable of holding more and a variety of weapons than either the Soviet MiG-29 or the Su-57; under its wings and belly racks, it can carry missiles, bombs, and anti-radar weapons.
But the F-16 also has its own unique set of maintenance headaches. A U.S. study last year from the General Accounting Office listed the F-16 as one of the most difficult Air Force planes to maintain. Mark Cancian, a retired U.S. For the F-16s to be usable, Ukraine needs to develop comprehensive support and logistics infrastructure that incorporates training pilots and fielding the systems needed for maintenance, fueling, and munitions supply,” said Marine Colonel and senior adviser with the Center for Strategic & International Studies Security Program.
As Ukraine prepares to integrate the F-16s into its air force, it hopes these jets will be instrumental in realizing parity with Russia’s aerial capabilities. For that matter, the Su-57 is riddled with problems related both to production and performance. Compared to that, the F-16 brings much-needed reliability and versatility to Ukraine’s defense but does at a significant cost in logistical support.
In a few months, it will be obvious how the two aircraft are faring in this conflict; therein lies the future of air combat in this region.