Russia ramps up Su‑57 fighter production with new facilities

The Russians are trying to increase the production capabilities of their fifth-generation Su-57 Felon fighters. New facilities have been established at the Aviation Plant in Komsomolsk-on-Amur, responsible for producing these aircraft. According to Defence Blog, this is not the end of investments in this facility, which are set to enhance Russia's combat capabilities.

At the Aviation Plant in Komsomolsk-on-Amur (KnAAZ), a special building for testing the aircraft’s fuel system has been constructed, among other upgrades. The Russians have also completed the first phase of building a hangar designed for testing and integrating onboard radio-electronic equipment. According to Defence Blog, the investments will continue, and the Russians are already planning to build new facilities.

Alexander Pekarsh, the director of the United Aviation Corporation (UAC) branch in KnAAZ, believes that these efforts will help increase the efficiency and technological advancement of Su-57 production. This, in turn, will enable meeting the Russian Ministry of Defense’s requirements in the field of Su-57 fighter production. Currently, these aircraft are sporadically used for combat missions over Ukraine.

"The modernization and expansion of the production capabilities of the plant in Komsomolsk-on-Amur is part of a multi-year investment program involving significant state funds and the corporation's own resources," said Yuri Slyusar, head of United Aircraft Corporation (UAC), quoted by Defence Blog.

The Su-57 (NATO code Felon) is a Russian fifth-generation fighter aircraft. It was developed in response to the American Advanced Tactical Fighter (ATF) program and the American F-22 Raptor air superiority fighter. The aircraft first flew in 2010, but it was only in 2019, after years of testing and prototype improvements, that the Russian Ministry of Defense signed a contract to deliver 76 Su-57 fighters, assuming that deliveries would be completed by 2028. At the time, Putin presented the Su-57 as "the best military aircraft in the world."

The Su-57 is a twin-engine air superiority fighter built in a conventional configuration. Its length is approximately 66 feet, and its wingspan is nearly 49 feet. Two Saturn AL-41F turbofan engines power the aircraft. The empty mass of the Su-57 is 39,683 pounds, with a maximum takeoff weight of 77,162 pounds. The primary armament of the fighter is a 30 mm 9A-4071K cannon. The Su-57 also has six internal and six external weapon hardpoints for carrying, among other things, missiles, including the R-77, R-37M, and Ch-69 cruise missiles. The Su-57 is often referred to as the most advanced Russian aircraft.