Countries of the Asia-Pacific region, Africa and Europe have shown interest in Russia’s fifth-generation Sukhoi Su-57 fighter jet, CEO of Russia’s Rosoboronexport state arms seller Alexander Mikheyev told TASS at the MAKS 2021 international aerospace show. "Rosoboronexport is currently considering the requests for the fifth-generation Su-57E fighter from five countries of the Asia-Pacific region, Africa and Europe," Mikheyev said.

Sukhoi Su-57 (Picture source: Rostec)

The CEO said earlier that the plane had attracted great interest, considering that a state contract had been signed for this fighter under the state armament program. At the same time, Mikheyev said that there is intense competition from U.S., European and Chinese companies.

The Sukhoi Su-57 (NATO reporting name: Felon) is a single-seat, twin-engine stealth multirole fighter developed by Sukhoi for the Russian Aerospace Forces. The aircraft is the product of the PAK FA (Perspektivny Aviatsionny Kompleks Frontovoy Aviatsii, "prospective aeronautical complex of front-line air forces") fighter programme that would form the basis for a family of stealth combat aircraft. Sukhoi's internal designation for the aircraft is T-50. The Su-57 is the first fighter in Russian military service to feature stealth technology.

According to Sukhoi, the multirole fighter is designed to have supercruise, supermaneuverability, stealth, and integrated avionics to overcome the previous generations of fighter aircraft as well as ground and naval defenses. The Su-57 is intended to succeed the MiG-29 and Su-27 in the Russian Air Force and entered service in December 2020. The fighter is expected to have a service life of up to 35 years.