The fifth-generation fighter market is going to get more competitive, as evidenced by Russia’s formal designation of the PAK-FA/T-50 jet as the Sukhoi Su-57. All six countries—the United States, China, Russia, Japan, and Korea—are developing fifth-generation designs of their own, but only three of them—the F-22 Raptor, the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, and the Chinese J-20—are already in service. People are questioning how the Su-57 will compare to the F-22 Raptor once it becomes operational given the rising tensions between Russia and the United States, NATO on the one hand, and Russia on the other.
Similar to the F-15C Eagle, which it was initially intended to replace, the F-22 Raptor began life as a dedicated air superiority fighter. The F-117A Nighthawk stealth “fighter” was the first operational stealth warplane constructed by Lockheed Martin, who also designed and built the aircraft.
Due in significant part to its emphasis on stealth and mobility, the YF-22 fighter prototype beat the Northrop YF-23 Black Widow II in a fly-off in 1990. The F-22 was built with stealth as a core component, and the plane’s stealthy profile was partially determined by simulations run on the Cray supercomputer, one of the first supercomputers. With wings that were formed like diamonds and sharp, faceted surfaces, the F-22 design enhanced sensor evasion. While the huge, vertical, canted tails lessen the fighter’s infrared signature from some angles, the speed brake, weapon bay doors, and engine exhausts are serrated to diminish the radar signal of the aircraft.
In addition, radar-absorbent materials and paint are also applied to the aircraft’s metallic surfaces. The F-22 was made much more agile, especially at high angles of attack, thanks to the employment of the Cray supercomputer. Thrust vectoring in the pitch axis is a critical F-22 characteristic that enables the aircraft to employ engine power and maneuver at high angles of attack to gain an advantage in dogfights. The huge bubble canopy, which provided the pilot with a great view, was the largest single piece of polycarbonate manufactured while the F-22 was in production. A pilot is better able to notice and respond to hazards in the visual range thanks to maneuverability and visibility.
The F-22 is propelled by two F119 after-burning turbofan engines, which provide a combined thrust of 70,000 pounds, which is 40% more than the F-15 Eagle. Because it can’t carry extra fuel tanks into battle, the Raptor’s engines increase its range by enabling it to supercruise at Mach 1.4 without using afterburners. The primary sensor of the aircraft, the AN/APG-77 radar, is built to out-range adversary threats, identifying and categorizing them before the Raptor does, giving the American jet the advantage of not just seeing but also firing first.
Three weapons bays are available on the Raptor, two of which can hold a single AIM-9M/X Sidewinder infrared guided missile and a third belly bay that can hold six AIM-120 AMRAAM radar-guided missiles with a maximum range of 65 miles. JDAM satellite-guided weapons and up to four 600-gallon fuel tanks can also be stored in the center compartment. The right-wing root of the F-22 conceals a twenty-millimeter M61A2 six-barreled Gatling gun with enough ammo for little under five seconds of continuous fire.
The information on the Sukhoi Su-57 is much less. Seven years of test flights have not revealed all there is to know about the aircraft. What is known is that Sukhoi had difficulty developing the aircraft, especially crucial parts like the engine. 2019 was the year for the first operational aircraft to join the Russian Aerospace Forces. Although they are both fifth-generation fighters, the Su-57 and F-22 Raptor have quite different design philosophies. The Raptor placed a strong emphasis on mobility and stealth. Contrarily, the Su-57 prioritizes maneuverability and speed, making it comparable to the YF-23 Black Widow II.
According to experts, the Su-57 is an updated version of the Su-27 Flanker with increased maneuverability while maintaining low radar observability. According to aviation author Piotr Butowski, a plane with considerable static instability may move “much more at supersonic speeds than any previous fighter.” For avionics, fuel, and weaponry, the internal volume is increased by the blended wing design.
The performance of the Su-57 is greatly influenced by its two engines. The thrust output of each Saturn izdeliye 30 engine is intended to range from 24,054 to 35,556 pounds, with the top end falling within the capabilities of the F-22’s F119 engines. These are designed to propel the aircraft to supercruise speeds of up to Mach 1.5. Unfortunately, the izdeliye 30 is having issues, therefore the first 12 of Moscow’s new planes will be powered by two Su-35-like Saturn AL-41F1 afterburning turbofan engines that provide a combined 65,000 pounds of thrust.
The L402 electronic countermeasures suite and the N056 Byelka radar system will be installed on the Su-57. The 101KS Atoll electro-optical package, which includes an infrared search and track system, will help the pilot track and engage targets with infrared-guided missiles at shorter ranges while L-band arrays will be the fighter’s primary way of detecting stealth aircraft at longer ranges.
The Su-57’s two substantial internal armament bays are positioned side by side and occupy nearly the whole length of the aircraft. Up to four K-77M beyond visual range radar-guided missiles can fit in each compartment. The K-77M missile, also known by the NATO codename AA-12 Archer, has a bigger body than earlier models of the K-77 and an active electronically scanned array radar seeker, which enable it to engage highly maneuverable targets at distances of up to 100 miles. Additionally, the K-74M2 short-range infrared-guided missiles are kept under the underwing fairings of the aircraft.
The two aircraft each have various benefits depending on the range according to their varied design priorities. Priorities and armament of the Su-57 support the identification and eradication of threats at great distances. The Su-57’s radar must be able to identify stealth aircraft at a distance, which is essential to this tactic. The aircraft can react fast and retreat from battles it cannot win thanks to its concentration on speed. However, the Su-57’s combination of mobility and infra-red search and track will make it a lethal opponent once the two opposing fighters are close to visual range.
On the other side, the F-22 Raptor places a strong emphasis on mobility and stealth. Long-range opponent detection is another capability of the F-22, and if it can avoid hostile radar, it can set up an ambush before the enemy is even aware it is there. As a result, the F-22 has a higher chance of seizing the initiative first and winning the conflict before the two aircraft can get into the visual range of one another.
The F-22’s stealth must shield it from the prying eyes of Russian radars, which is essential to the Raptor’s strategy. Given that we don’t know how maneuverable the Su-57 is, it’s tough to predict who would win a dogfight. However, the Russian jet’s infrared search and track system—which the American stealth fighter lacks—will be a significant advantage in combat.
One of the best aircraft in the world and the current leader in performance is the F-22 Raptor. For the first fifth-generation fighter to achieve operational status, the Su-57 could demonstrate to be a strong and deserving rival in a variety of ways. Our world will be significantly worse off as a result of their conflict, should they ever meet. We can only hope that the only thing we ever get to do is speculate about the encounter.
