Russia's race to ramp up fighter jet production faces scrutiny

The Russian Federation has unveiled a propaganda video that showcases the production of Su-35S and Su-57 aircraft at the Komsomolsk-on-Amur Aircraft Production Association (KnAAPO). This announcement comes in the wake of Russia declaring a shift to a war economy and a ramp-up in armament production. Nonetheless, the Defense Express service experts have scrutinized the released video and suggest it exposes a concerning truth about Russia's war industry capabilities.

Amid a full-scale war with Ukraine, Russia's economy transitioned into a war footing, emphasizing increased weapon production. A former Russian minister even claimed that Russia is outpacing the world in tank production despite international sanctions.

A new video from Russia recently highlighted the manufacturing activities of Su-35S and Su-57 aircraft at the KnAAPO in Komsomolsk-on-Amur. This marks the first production showcase since the onset of the conflict with Ukraine. However, Defense Express experts have detected several elements in the footage that might hint at underlying problems within the Russian industrial sector.

The video displays seven Su-35S fighter fuselages at various assembly stages and single fuselage samples of the Su-57 fighters.

The Su-35S, a versatile fighter jet, is engineered to engage air, ground, and sea targets. It features dual engines with thrust vectoring capabilities, boosting its maneuverability, especially at lower speeds, and can achieve top speeds of 2.25 Mach (about 1,491 mph). Its design supports a payload of roughly 17,637 lbs across various hardpoints.

Since its production started in 2010, the Su-35S's manufacturing pace remained steady until the war, with only seven units produced in 2022 and an estimated ten in 2023. Russia has recently received a new batch of Su-35S jets, which are employed in covert operations targeting Ukraine.

Launched into mass production in 2020, the Su-57, intended to replace aging MiG-29 and Su-27 models, is propelled by two Saturn AL-41F engines. Its maximum speed is 2.0 Mach (over 1,522 mph), and its cruising speed is 1.3 Mach (approximately 994 mph). It has a 30 mm 9A-4071K cannon and 12 hardpoints for missile deployment.

Despite the Su-57's occasional usage in the Ukrainian conflict and promises of ramped-up production, their numbers remain limited. Six units were delivered in 2022, with expectations of twelve in 2023 and potentially fifteen in 2024.

Defense Express analysts have deduced that the production scales of Su-35S and Su-57 aircraft may fall short of Russian propaganda's claims. This discrepancy raises concerns about Russia's ability to secure necessary components and meet its military demands.