First Flight of Russia’s New Su-57D Stealth Fighter Set to Supercharge Export Performance

The Russian state run United Aircraft Corporation has released the first images showing a new variant of the Su-57 fifth generation fighter, reportedly designated the Su-57D, making its first flight on May 19. This occurred just a day after the first image of the aircraft was leaked, confirming its development which Russian officials have alluded to for over half a decade. Compared to the baseline Su-57, the aircraft’s cockpit canopy is elongated significant with a steep elevated position for a second airman behind the pilot. The primary purpose of developing the aircraft remains uncertain, with a twin seater potentially being highly advantageous for command and control roles in Russian service, particularly when operating alongside unmanned ‘wingman’ aircraft such as the S-70 Okhotnik. There are other indications that the aircraft was developed primarily for export, with Russian twin seat fighters having been significantly more popular with clients abroad.

Formally announcing the Su-57D’s development, and its first flight, First Deputy Prime Minister of Russia Denis Manturov reported: “Flight tests have begun on the prototype of the Su-57, a fifth-generation two-seater fighter.  This aircraft, developed independently by our aircraft manufacturers, will, in addition to its unique combat characteristics, also possess the capabilities of a combat trainer and a command and control aircraft.” CEO of the United Aircraft Corporation Vadim Badeha commented:  “We are continuing our work on improving and expanding the capabilities of our most advanced fifth-generation aircraft complex. I am confident that the two-seater version of the aircraft will significantly contribute to its success in foreign markets.” The Indian Defence Ministry in January 2026 confirmed that talks on a deal to produce the Su-57 under license had reached an advanced technical stage, with analysts speculating that it could exclusively procure twin seat variants. 

The Su-57 is one of just four fifth generation fighters in production worldwide, alongside the Chinese J-20 and J-35, and the U.S. F-35.  The aircraft has been deployed for high intensity combat to a much greater degree than others of its generation, with operations in the Ukrainian theatre involving not only air-to-ground precision strikes, but also far more complex operations including suppression of Ukrainian air defences and reportedly even air to air combat at beyond visual ranges. A particularly notable and advantageous aspect of the fighter’s design is that it was designed to have comparable operational costs and maintenance requirements to the Su-27 and Su-30 fighters it was developed to succeed, allowing it to provide a one-for-one replacement without increasing strain or reducing availability rates. This contrasts sharply with the U.S. F-22 and F-35, which  by some estimates cost in the range of 60-100 percent more to fly per hour as their fourth generation predecessors the F-15 and F-16. This while a transition to the fifth generation in the U.S. required both a contraction of the fleet and significant increases in funding, and still negatively impacted fleet readiness, the Russian Aerospace Forces and other services transitioning to the Su-57 are expected to have no similar issues.