Russia’s 2nd Stealth Fighter In Advanced Stages Of Development.

Russian state aircraft manufacturer has said that the country’s fifth-generation stealth aircraft—the Su-75 Checkmate—is now in advanced stages of development and expressed confidence in the aircraft’s export potential.

Sergey Korotkov, Deputy General Director of the United Aircraft Corporation (UAC), a division of the state-owned arms manufacturer Rostec, said that the fifth-generation Su-75 Checkmate light single-engine fighter units are now at a high stage of development, Russia’s state-owned TASS News Agency reported. 

Korotkov said, “There are customers among foreign partners that are considering the purchase of fighters in this class. The corporation is still engaged in the development of the aircraft, and the market, in our opinion, is in demand for such equipment. We demonstrated the prototype. But the units are at a good stage of development.”

The Su-75 Checkmate is a fifth-generation light tactical single-engine stealth aircraft developed by PJSC Sukhoi Company (part of Rostec’s UAC). It was first unveiled at the MAKS-2021 Air Show in Russia and made its international debut at the Dubai Airshow 2021 in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Korotkov’s latest remarks come days after Russia’s state arms exporter, Rosoboronexport, announced that it had bagged the first export contract for its fifth-generation stealth aircraft, the Su-57 Felon.

The announcement took the internet by storm since it came after a long, sustained campaign to promote the aircraft amid production-related woes that discouraged any potential buyers.

Like the Su-57, the new Su-75 has also been marred by delays. While the aircraft’s design began in early 2020, it has been hit by a slew of issues, including international sanctions imposed in the wake of Ukraine’s invasion, the absence of any external funding for the aircraft, and no country showing interest in buying it. The Ukraine war has ostensibly forced Moscow to divert resources and focus on urgent military needs, in turn slowing the development of sophisticated platforms like the Su-75.