Russia’s most advanced fifth-generation fighter jet dazzled audiences at the 2019 MAKS Air Show, blasting into the air for one of its first public appearances and awing the crowd with its aerobatic maneuvers.
The United Aircraft Corporation’s Sukhoi Su-57 took to the skies every day at MAKS 2019, held at Moscow’s Zhukovsky International Airport for the last week. The twin-engined stealth fighter – envisioned by Moscow as a rival to the US F-35 and Chinese J-20 – engaged in a range of mind-bending maneuvers over the airport, including a vertical ascent into a crushing, g-force-inducing loop.
The loop was followed by a screaming nosedive, before pulling up into a flat spin, a difficult aerobatic stunt that few modern jets can achieve.
The Su-57 has been in development since 2002, and is Russia’s first jet fighter outfitted with stealth technology. Due to enter service this year, the jet has already been combat-tested in Syria, and roared over Moscow’s Victory Day parade last year.
Also on display at MAKS was an export variant of the new jet, displayed publicly for the first time. Exporting the Su-57 is a top priority for the Kremlin, and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan was among those viewing the aircraft earlier this week. Erdogan later said he was in talks with Moscow on purchasing the jet, after Turkey was booted from the F-35 project by Washington.
This year’s MAKS is set to finish up on Sunday. More than 800 companies from all corners of the world took part in the air salon, where more than 200 aircraft were exhibited.
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