Two new production Sukhoi Su-57 stealth fighters have been spotted by spotters in Russia. The aircraft were ed on the 25th and 26th during a stopover at Tolmachevo Airport, in Novosibirsk, in the east of the country.
The two stealth fighters were spotted by the aeronautical photography group NskPlanes and according to the Russian portal Aviation21, they received the red fuselage numbers 53 and 54, with registrations RF-81777 and RF-81778.
With the new planes, the Russian Aerospace Forces (VKS) now has five Su-57 Felon (as the jet is called by NATO) in serial production.
Although series production of the Su-57 was initially planned to start in 2016, the Russians faced a series of delays that pushed the manufacturing start to 2019. the first aircraft fell at the end of that same year, during a test flight before being handed over to the military.
VKS took delivery of its first series stealth Su-57 in December 2020, marked 01. Another two aircraft, marked 02 and 52, were received in December 2021, two fewer than the four aircraft announced by the government for that year .
Sources also claim that VKS would be operating some of the 10 prototypes of the model, called T-50. In all, 76 planes were ordered by Moscow from the UAC, which is expected to deliver them by 2027.
According to a source from the state TASS agency, Russia would be employing the stealth jets in combat in Ukraine.
“The use of the Su-57 aircraft in Ukraine began two to three weeks after the start of the Special Operation. Aircraft are working outside the zone of activity of enemy air defenses. They are using missiles”, said the source of TASS, which did not confirm whether the Su-57 was responsible for attacks.
