Russia can evolve its 1st fifth-generation fighter, the Sukhoi Su-57, into a 6th generation fighter the former head of the Russian Aerospace Force, chief Col. Gen. Viktor Bondarev recently told Russian News Agency TASS.
“This is actually a splendid plane and it can embrace both fifth-and sixth-generation features. It has huge modernization potential,” Bondarev said. “Importantly, it is the best among the existing versions by its stealth characteristics. It incorporates all the best that is available in modern aviation science both in Russia and in the world,” he added.
Russian defense officials have repeatedly claimed that hardware elements designed for a future sixth generation fighter have been tested on the Su-57 prototype, including flight and navigation systems as well as advanced electronic warfare and radar systems.
Moreover, Russia also revealed the design of a new sixth-generation fighter aircraft for the first time in March 2016.
The new aircraft is slated to be available in manned and unmanned configuration and could take to the air for the first time in the late 2020s, according to Russian defense officials.
The Sukhoi Su-57 is a stealth, single-seat, twin-engine, multirole 5th generation fighter jet that has been developed since 2002 for air superiority and strike operations. The aircraft is the product of the fifth-generation fighter program of the Russian Air Force. The Su-57 was planned to be the first aircraft in Russian military service to use stealth technology. The fighter is designed to have supercruise, super maneuverability, stealth, and advanced avionics to overcome the previous generations of fighter jets. The Su-57 was developed to succeed in the MiG-29 and Su-27 of the Russian Air Force. The purpose of stealth technology is to make an airplane invisible to radar and avoid detection using a variety of technologies that reduce reflection/emission of radar, infrared, visible light, radio frequency (RF) spectrum, and audio, collectively known as stealth technology.
As far as F-35 is concerned, which is state of the art 6th Generation Fighter Jet. It has 3-Varients namely A, B and C. The F-35A is referred to as the CTOL version. This stands for “Conventional Take Off and Landing”. This major difference causes a distinction between it and the B and C variant, which shows how it is operated and deployed. The F-35B is the STOVL version. This stands for “Short Take Off and Vertical Landing”. This is the jump jet version that can operate out of very small airfield or off the deck of carriers that do not have catapults. The F-35C is the Aircraft-Carrier’s variant. This one is developed for catapult launches and short trap landings. These requirements show most but not all of the many differences between the 3 aircraft. The 2 most obvious differences between the 3 variants are the propulsion and the wings.