In Ukraine, Russia is not only using old Soviet-era tanks and guns, but is also throwing its best weapons into battle, as the British are discovering. “Since at least June 2022, the Russian Aerospace Forces (VKS) have almost certainly used the Su-57 Felon to conduct missions against Ukraine.This is stated in the press release of the Ministry of Defense published on the TV channel on January 9. Felon is Russia’s most modern fifth-generation supersonic combat aircraft that uses stealth technologies and highly advanced avionics.“.
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The fighter, which made its first flight in 2010 and officially entered service with the Russian forces in 2020, would not fly directly over Ukrainian territory. “These missions were likely limited to launching long-range air-to-surface or air-to-air missiles from Russian territory into Ukraine.“, the British write. In particular, for the Russians, the danger of the Ukrainians seeing the flag carrier of their air force, which will seriously affect their reputation. “A priority for Russia is likely to be to avoid the reputational damage, reduced export prospects, and compromise of sensitive technology that could result from the loss of Felon in Ukraine.“, analyzes the British Ministry.
“Aversion to risk”
If this is significant for the Su-57, this caution has been more generally observed among Russian pilots since the beginning of the war. The first strikes in February 2022 prevented Moscow from destroying the Ukrainian navy, however old and ill-supplied, and especially the entirety of Kiev’s air defenses, which can still rely on the original Soviet S-300 or Buk systems to which they have been added. many western short-range missiles such as American Stingers. Despite overwhelming air superiority, the Russians therefore do not dominate the air skies, and their fighter jets are making shallow inroads into Ukraine.
The use of the Su-57 is part of this logic, the British state.This is symptomatic of Russia’s persistent risk aversion to employment in the Russian Air Force.“. The Russians certainly make extensive use of their old and powerful Su-25 ground attack aircraft on the front line, not without risk, as Oryx’s website lists 25 Sukhos as destroyed, as opposed to about 200 in service. The destruction of the Su-57 will have a completely different political effect, especially since the VKS has only a dozen of these fifth-generation fighters.
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“Recent footage shows five Felons stationed at Akhtubinsk Air Force Base, home to the 929th Flight Test Center. As this is Fallon’s only known base, these aircraft were likely involved in operations against Ukraine“, analyzes the British intelligence, which publishes the December 25 commercial satellite image. “Akhtubinsk is not “the only known Felon base”, and even if it was, it would not be proof that the Su-57 was used operationally in the Ukrainian war.“, the specialized website provides nuances War zone who nevertheless believes that,if Felon was used in combat, the UK MoD certainly has far more compelling evidence than has been shared so far.“. Another Russian airbase in Lipetsk also received copies of the Su-57, defense media reported.
The idea that the Su-57 could be involved in Ukraine is not new. Quoted from “defense industry source» anonymous, sending from agency Cup claimed back in May that “The use of the Su-57 in Ukraine began two to three weeks after the start of the special operation“. And in October, the commander of the Russian operation in Ukraine, General Sergey Surovikin, also mentioned Fallon, explaining that the plane that “has a wide range of weapons, solves multiple problems of destroying air and ground targets with each exit“. The Russian fighter jet has already been deployed in Syria for a short time in 2018.
A fifth-generation aircraft, the Felon is stealthier than its predecessors, even if stealth is less sought after by the Russians, who favor their aircraft’s maneuverability than the Americans, like their F-22 or F-fighters. 35:00
Change of situation?
The Su-57 is also an investmentlink to tactical datawhich allows it – on paper – to interact and coordinate with other aircraft or military equipment. “This can help provide intelligence and support other operations in real time“, comments War zone. However, we have seen it since the beginning of the war, what we call three.VS:“- to”Command, control, communication– is the acute weakness of the Russian army.
The fighter jets are also deploying new missiles, particularly long-range air-to-surface or air-to-air weapons, that could be useful in a strike from Russian territory. A Ukrainian MiG-29 pilot quoted by American media cited the R-37M air-to-air missile with a range of 200 kilometers as an example, which he described as:it’s dangerous” weapon: The Kh-69 stealth cruise missile could also be useful for precision strikes against the Russians as Moscow struggles to renew its missile stockpile to continue its bombardment deep into Ukrainian territory.
However, the use of the Su-57.”not going to make much of a differenceIn the war in Ukraine, note War zoneeven if itCombat deployment, even on an experimental basis, can give the Russians very valuable results in terms of evaluating the aircraft’s performance.“. The question is the small number of devices that can be counted on the fingers of one hand, and the conservatism of their use. And the situation is unlikely to change in the short term, as Russia has ordered 76 Su-57s until 2028.
The main question is elsewhere. beyond the point of the sword presented by a few felons, will Russia be able to commit more of its air force? The VKS has about 200 Su-30 and Su-35 fighters, modern aircraft derived from the old Soviet Su-27. And dozens of Russian bombers, which are threatened by the Ukrainian DCA, launch their missiles from a distance, not being able to cover the Ukrainian soil with bombs directly. More than the Su-57 itself, the increased commitment of these Russian air assets will be one of the main challenges for the Ukrainians in 2023.
Source: Le Figaro
I am David Wyatt, a professional writer and journalist for Buna Times. I specialize in the world section of news coverage, where I bring to light stories and issues that affect us globally. As a graduate of Journalism, I have always had the passion to spread knowledge through writing.