Russia’s Su-57 Has a Command and Control Capability to Support Su-35 Jets in Combat

Russia reportedly tested its Su-57 next generation heavyweight fighter in June 2020 in an altogether new role - command and control to support its currently serving Su-35 jets. Although the Su-57 is now in serial production, which commenced in July 2019, it has yet to enter service in the Russian Air Force and a wide range of next generation technologies are currently being developed to enhance the design. The Su-35 is an older design from the same weight range, and has been in service since 2014. The Su-57 is a fifth generation aircraft which is being developed into a sixth generation platform with integration of a range of new technologies from laser defence systems to hypersonic ballistic missiles and artificial intelligence. The Su-35 is considered a ‘4++ generation’ fighter, and is based on the elite Soviet Su-27 design. The platform was designed to go head to head with American fifth generation jets such as the F-22 Raptor. 

The Su-57 is capable of operating in a single information space with the Su-35, significantly increasing combat efficiency when the two are employed together. Quoting sources from Russia’s military-industrial complex, Russian news outlet TASS reported regarding the new role for the Su-57: “The experiment was carried out in real combat conditions. A group of Su-35 fighters was involved in the flock, the role of the command and control aircraft was performed by the Su-57.” Attempts to use advanced heavyweight combat jets for command and control have been made in the past, including Russia’s MiG-31 Foxhound interceptor and Iran’s F-14A Tomcat fighter in the 1980s which respectively carried the first and second most powerful radars of their time on fighter or interceptor aircraft. The use of the Su-57 for command and control is somewhat unusual, however, given its single seat configuration - although greater use of artificial intelligence and more advanced controls could reduce the burden on the pilot to allow him to both fly the plane and interact with other fighters simultaneously. The F-14 and MiG-31 notably were both twin seat aircraft. The Su-57 can accommodate a radar considerably larger than that of the American F-35 and the large majority of modern fighter designs, and unlike the Su-35 it deploys an AESA radar in its nose cone - the second Russian fighter to do so after the much lighter MiG-35. 

Increasing the options for interoperability between the Su-57 and the Su-35 will not only increase their combat potential, but could also make the newer fighter more attractive for export for clients which already operate the Su-35 or its cheaper twin seat counterpart the Su-30SM. It is unclear whether the Su-57 tested was a production model, or one of the several combat capable prototypes which have been used for testing new technologies for several years. Four prototypes previously deployed to Russia’s Khmeimim Airbase in Syria where they carried out combat sorties against jihadist insurgent forces, although it is unclear whether Su-35s also based there shared data or operated alongside the newer jets. Russia is set to test an upgraded Su-57 from from 2022 and to complete testing of this superior variant within two years. The fighter will reportedly have new engines and avionics, and will get wide-angle heads up display and panoramic display panels. It is uncertain whether the aircraft will be renamed - perhaps as ‘Su-57M’ or ‘Su-60.’ An enhanced variant of the Su-35 has also reportedly been proposed, with a newer version of the AL-41 engine, newer longer ranged air to air missile classes and a nose mounted AESA radar based on that of the Su-57.