Russia is suffering huge losses with its Su-75 Checkmate fighter jet program due to Western sanctions that spoil its opportunity to get highly needed investments in the program and manufacturing of components. It entered the market with quite some pomp during the MAKS 2021 international airshow, with the ambitious fifth-generation aircraft yet to advance beyond the prototype stage; only models and computer-generated graphics show it in the development stages.
Originally, the Su-75 was declared a good budget substitution for Western airplanes, such as the Swedish JAS 39 Gripen and Lockheed Martin F-35. However, according to analysts, the latest round of Western sanctions has deeply cut Russia’s ability to get the necessary parts for the jet or to make them.
“The sanctions have hampered Russia in procuring crucial items like precision machining tools and semiconductors needed for the advanced avionics system for the plane,” defense analyst Maya Carlin admitted. This, too, could weigh heavily in deterring prospective buyers: if a potential customer realized that after-market support was nonexistent, the operational capabilities of the aircraft could be jeopardized.
With development delays already, timelines for production of the Su-75 have slipped. Just last month, Rostec Chief Sergey Chemezov told Russian President Vladimir Putin that production planning will only get underway at the start of 2027 — two years later than had been envisioned just a year or so ago. International deals have also fallen by the wayside — always assuming that one overlooks the impact of what is happening in Ukraine, which has caused many such deals to be put on hold for the time being. Among these are potential sales to Egypt, Algeria, and Indonesia.
Yet Russia is optimistic about the Su-75’s export prospects. A recent promotional video hinted at UAE, Indian, Vietnamese, and Argentine pilots as future customers. However the deteriorating situation in Ukraine and underperforming Russian fighters raised concerns about the appeal of this jet. Till now, Russia has failed to gain air superiority over Ukraine. Besides, the loss of such advanced aircraft as the Su-35 may raise doubts among foreign governments in investing in new models such as Checkmate.
The Su-75 applies the lessons learned from the Su-57: it is powered by a single engine, with 24,000 pounds dry thrust and 39,000 pounds in afterburner. Speaking here at the LIMA exhibition in Langkawi, Berthe said the 7.4-tonne payload jet is expected to reach Mach 1.8 maximum speed and cover a combat radius of 1,700 km without fixed tanks. Other selling points include missiles stored in an internal weapon bay and high wing-lift efficiency.
Russia has unveiled three new derivatives of the Su-75: single-seater, two-seater, and unmanned. This new design comes with features for low radar observability, with the two-seater variant having an elongated cockpit similar to the Su-30SM. The unmanned version does not have a cockpit.
Despite these advances, skepticism has remained. A former staffer with the National Security Council under George W. Bush said that they had strong doubts that it would ever establish mass production, with Russia’s actions in Ukraine being a principle one. Meanwhile, publication 19FortyFive noted flaws in comparing the Su-75 to the American F-35 Lightning II and made even stronger comments, calling Russian claims “grossly overstated” and “utterly misleading.”
Although a Su-75 may superficially look cheaper than an F-35, its future is far from certain. Western sanctions and the war in Ukraine have put serious restrictions on the development and export of the program.