Rosoboronexport, the agency that oversees the exports of Russian defense material, has announced the signing of the first export contract for the Su-57E, the international version of Russia’s fifth-generation fighter jet, the Su-57 Felon.
During the Zhuhai Airshow 2024, China’s largest aviation event, Rosoboronexport CEO Alexander Mikheev revealed to the Russian news agency TASS that negotiations with other potential buyers were currently in advanced stages.
“We already have signed contracts for the Su-57, the first ones for this aircraft,” Mikheev stated, without disclosing the customer’s identity, the specifics of the contract, or the number of aircraft involved.
The Su-57E was showcased at the air show as part of Rosoboronexport’s efforts to attract international buyers for Russia’s most advanced fighter jet.
Speculation over buyers
Among potential clients, Algeria has been one of the most discussed candidates. Reports in December 2019 suggested that the North African country had placed an order for 14 Su-57Es, alongside 14 Su-34 bombers, of which it was already the first foreign buyer, and 14 Su-35 fighters. However, these claims were never officially verified.
Other countries, including Egypt and Vietnam, have previously expressed interest in acquiring advanced Russian military aircraft.
The Su-57, designated by NATO as ‘Felon’, is a fifth-generation multirole fighter developed by Sukhoi, part of United Aircraft Corporation. It has been designed with passive stealth characteristics, features internal payload bays, and can achieve speeds over Mach 2. The Su-57 first flew in 2010 and looked poised to compete with other fifth-generation fighter jets, such as the US-made Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor and the Chinese Chengdu J-20.
On November 11, 2024, the state-owned Russian conglomerate United Aircraft Corporation (UAC) announced the delivery of a new batch of Su-57 fighters to the Russian Aerospace Forces.
