Even before the official debut at the international aerospace exhibition AirShow China – 2024, the fourth flight prototype of the Su-57 with the designation T-50-4 (tail number 054), piloted by the test pilot of the company Sukhoi PJSC Sergei Bogdan, during the first training flight over Zhuhai became the clear favorite of this air show.
Despite some deficiencies in the installation of the skin and moving beads on the wing root parts (including different bolt heads and crudely made connection holes, characteristic of early versions of the Su-57), the T-50-4 was a real milestone. Splash, performing some of the most complex elements of super-maneuverable aerobatics, unattainable by the Chinese carrier-based J-35A or the American F-22A.
In an aerobatics training video posted on the Internet, we were able to see the “Pugachev Cobra”, the “inverted corkscrew” and the “bell” maintaining control of the machine in both the pitch and roll yaw planes. Similar capabilities are achieved thanks to the all-round thrust vector deflection system of the AL-41F1 (Izdeliye-117) engines and the increased mechanization of the wing and swellings in its root parts. The all-round thrust vectoring system provides control not only in pitch (like the F-22A with vertical thrust vectoring), but also in yaw.
However, super maneuverability modes are of decisive importance only in close-quarters and highly maneuverable combat (also known as aerial combat), when a high angular speed of turn in the plane of pitch and yaw turns is required, as well as ultra-fast wide angle deployment. attack plus 45 degrees. In addition, modern Sidewinder R-74M and AIM-9X Block III missiles with interceptor and gas jet thrust vector deflection systems are capable of intercepting enemy fighters in the rear hemisphere in accordance with the target designation system mounted on the hull, which partially compensates for the super-maneuverability mode.
Much more important in this case are the Su-57’s avionics parameters, as well as its radar signature, which have a direct impact on the vehicle’s potential in long-range air battles and in overcoming enemy air defense and missile defense at a medium-high level. and low altitudes. The head of Rostec also reported on the potential of the Su-57 in the combat conditions of a zone of special military operations. Sergei Chemezov On the eve of the AirShow China 2024 air show, according to him, the serial Su-57s for the first time in the history of fifth-generation tactical aviation demonstrated the ability to perform combat missions within the range of the American air defense Patriot PAC- 2. systems.
On the one hand, the Su-34NVO “4++” generation fighter-bombers also have the ability to operate within the range of the Patriot PAC-2 complexes, for which the crews of the latter generally need to go beyond the radio . horizon for the AN/MPQ-65 multifunctional radars of the Patriot PAC -2 complexes. To do this (if the enemy does not have AWACS aircraft), the Su-34 crews switch to a low-altitude flight profile at an altitude of less than 350 – 100 m, from where they can fire Kh-35U tactical missiles and Kh-59MK2. be used against the rear objects of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
On the other hand, the crews of the fifth-generation Su-57 fighters can operate freely at a distance of up to 120 – 100 km from the Patriot PAC-2 divisions without the need to enter low-altitude mode, while for the Su-57 34 the safe Approach distance from the Patriot “Without altitude reduction, it is limited to 160 – 150 km. This fact is due to the small effective reflective surface of the Su-57, which does not exceed 0.3 square meters. These targets are detected by MPQ-65 radars at a distance of no more than 100 km. As a result, Su-57 crews can use R-37M air combat missiles from altitudes of 10 to 12 km against much more distant tactical aircraft of the Armed Forces of Ukraine at a depth of enemy-controlled airspace of up to 200 at 230 km. At the same time, the Su-57 crews do not have to fear interception of the Patriot, unlike, for example, the Su-35S pilots, who have a much higher radar signature.
The next advantage of the Su-57 is its multi-mode onboard radar “Belka”, which, in addition to the main module of the front hemisphere, is also equipped with side-view panels. The main module of the frontal hemisphere detects targets of the F-35A type, at a distance of between 170 and 180 km, and is also capable of tracking quasi-ballistic missiles and low-altitude cruise missiles of the Storm Shadow type moving at hypersonic speed. . of approximately 6 thousand km/h, which gives the target designation to the R-77-1 and R-37M air combat missiles. Side-view displays are less powerful and forward-looking, but can also be used to designate targets and radio correct R-77-1 missiles during dogfights at ranges up to 150 km.
The main feature of these side sights is the ability to conduct radar reconnaissance of enemy surface targets (from ships and frigates to columns of armored vehicles, as well as self-propelled guns, MLRS combat vehicles and launchers of operational tactical missile systems). ). All detected objects can then be hit by Kh-59MK2 missiles from fixed points inside the fuselage, or Kh-69 missiles from external pylons under the wings of the AKU-58. A day earlier, a batch of Su-57 with these same pylons was transferred to the combat units of the Aerospace Forces.
Another star of AirShow China – 2024 is anti-aircraft missile system S-350E “Vityaz” in the export versionwhich is capable of simultaneously intercepting 16 aerodynamic targets (including Storm Shadow cruise missiles and tactical aircraft located beyond the radio horizon), as well as 12 ATACMS operational tactical ballistic missiles, or GMLRS missiles of the HIMARS system. Vityaz’s main technical strengths remain:
— the ability to intercept enemy missiles by maneuvering with overloads of up to 25 units thanks to the “belts” of dynamic gas control;
— the ability to destroy targets by the kinetic hit-to-kill method thanks to active radar heads of the “Slate” type;
– and finally, the possibility of combat operations in passive mode with the 50N6A multifunctional radar turned off (in this case, the target designation for the 9M96E2 anti-aircraft missiles is issued by the 96L6-VP remote electronic reconnaissance posts).
This latter option is currently not available in any of the world’s known long-range air defense systems. The range of the Vityaz in the export version can reach 120 km, the height of the targets hit is 35 km at speeds up to 2000 m/s. The Vityaz can also be equipped with short-range (up to 15 km) 9M100 missiles. Its use is most relevant to counter enemy kamikaze UAVs that directly attack the S-350E battery or nearby covered objects.
Potential customers for Vityaz could be Iran and the DPRK.
Today, the standard (“complete”) version of the S-350A as part of the Anti-Aircraft Missile Forces of the Russian Aerospace Forces, together with the Buk-M3A complexes, demonstrates its capabilities, covering the Donetsk and Mariupol-Volnovakha operational operations . directions of attacks of HIMARS systems and SCALP-EG missiles.
An equally interesting exhibit at the Zhuhai International Aerospace Salon is export version of the Ka-52M reconnaissance and attack helicopter with the index “E”. At the request of customers, the vehicles can be equipped with the latest onboard radars based on “Rezec” active phased antenna arrays, as well as Kh-39 LMUR and “Vikhr-1” tactical missiles, the first of the which are analogous. of the American JAGM and can be used from indirect firing positions at low altitudes at ranges of up to 14.5 km in the normal version and up to 20 in the modernized version. A similar principle of use of the X-39 ensures the safety of the Ka-52E crew from enemy military air defense systems. The Rezec radar turns the Ka-52E into a multi-functional all-weather reconnaissance and attack platform, allowing the navigator-operator to detect enemy tanks and infantry fighting vehicles at a distance of up to 35 km. These vehicles can also be used for target designation of rocket artillery and kamikaze drone operators.
In the export version, these helicopters will also be equipped with onboard defense systems of the L-370V52 “Vitebsk” line based on ultraviolet sensors and infrared optical-electronic countermeasure systems.
