World War 3 Vehicle I-D: Sukhoi 57/T-50 PAK, production of The Convict (Felon) ramps up!

Su-57 (Су-57), NATO reporting name Felon.

United Aircraft Corporation photo.

KnAAZ photo.

On 22SEP2022, after the partial mobilization of Russia’s reserve military units against a perceived invasion by NATO, Komsomolsk-on-Amur Aviation Factory (KnAAZ) announced it is ramping up production of the Sukhoi 57: “We understand how important this work is, so the plant is actively expanding and modernizing to increase production of the Su-57. At the moment, KnAAZ is loaded with orders until 2028.”-Sergey Chemezov, State Corporation for Assistance to Development, Production and Export of Advanced Technology (aka Rostec)

Sukhoi 57 (Сухой 57), the version offered for international sales is known as the PAK T-50 (ПАК ФА T-50). Weapons are stored internally, the Felon is able to interact electronically with other Su-57s:“Repeatedly involved, and single sorties, and several aircraft in coordination, in information interaction used aviation weapons, very effectively. Reviews are very good. Intra-fuselage armament worked flawlessly.”-Yuri Borisov, Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation

“As part of the state contract with the Russian Ministry of Defense for the mass production of the Su-57, four aircraft have been built to date. This year it is planned to deliver the next batch of aircraft. UAC with allied enterprises performs work in accordance with the concluded state contract.“-Yuri Slyusar, United Aircraft Corporation (UAC), 16AUG2022

The first mass production (specifically for Russia) Su-57 crashed during a test flight in 2019. The second production Su-57 is being used as a test vehicle. Before the partial mobilization of reserve forces was ordered, it was planned for 76 Felons to be delivered to Russian Aerospace Forces by 2027.

The new helmet to be worn by Russian Su-57 pilots.

This Su-57 pilot is wearing the old Cold War era helmet.

The proposed two seat Su-57E, with insignia for Indian Defense Forces.

Since 2019, flights were conducted with a Su-57 ‘drone controller’ and the S-70 Hunter drone. It is planed that a single Su-57 can control several of the new combat UAVs in one flight.

Video showing a Su-57 flying with a Russian Sukhoi stealth UAV (unmanned Aerial Vehicle), which looks very similar to a U.S. stealth drone:

China has considered testing the PAK T-50 (export Su-57) as a pilotless combat drone.

According to unnamed Russian sources, the prototype T-50 UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle) will still have a pilot, but only as a back-up. The T-50 UAV is part of experiments to create a 6th Gen fighter aircraft.

Promotional video from March 2020:

First mass production Felon, November 2019.

In August 2019, Russia’s Vladimir Putin showed-off the Su-57/T-50 to NATO Turkey’s Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.

Su-57 preproduction/prototype at an airshow with old World War Two aircraft. Development of the Felon began in 1999, first flight in January 2010 (was to be in 2007, but was delayed due to ‘technical’ problems).

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