Russian Officials Claim First Su-57 Fighter Jets Delivered to Foreign Customer, Showcase New Upgrades in Dubai
- MM24 News Desk
- 10 hours ago
- 3 min read
Russian state conglomerate Rostec claims the first two Su-57E "Felon" stealth fighters have been delivered to an unnamed foreign customer, with CEO Sergey Chemezov stating the jet is being continuously upgraded with lessons from the war in Ukraine.
The announcement, made at the Dubai Airshow 2025, comes as Russia heavily promotes the export variant, showcasing a pre-production prototype with a new wide-area cockpit display and a model featuring advanced two-dimensional thrust-vectoring nozzles.
The push for international sales represents a potential major breakthrough for the fifth-generation fighter, which first flew over 15 years ago. Chemezov, speaking through a translator on the sidelines of the airshow, directly linked the growing foreign interest to the jet's combat experience.
“The upgrade of the fighter jet is kind of a non-stop process that continues as we continue our special military operation, we get the feedback from our pilots from the war zone, and we are tweaking and adjusting our equipment accordingly,” he stated, according to a TWZ report. He declined to name specific countries but emphasized there is "very huge demand."
This sentiment was bolstered by Vadim Badekha, General Director of the United Aircraft Corporation, who separately announced that a customer had already taken delivery. “Our foreign customer, our foreign partner, has already received the first two aircraft,” Badekha told Russia’s Channel One.
“They have begun combat duty and are demonstrating their best qualities. Our customer is satisfied.” While no visual evidence has surfaced, Algeria is widely speculated to be the recipient.
The physical evidence of evolution was on full display in Dubai. The flying pre-production prototype, known as T-50-9, featured a significant cockpit upgrade: a single, expansive wide-area display that replaces older, smaller screens.
This modern interface, indicative of the proposed Su-57E export configuration, enhances pilot situational awreness by providing more customizable screen real estate. Meanwhile, a scale model highlighted a more profound aerodynamic and stealth improvement: two-dimensional thrust-vectoring exhaust nozzles.
This flat nozzle design, similar to that used on the American F-22 Raptor, is a critical step in enhancing the Su-57's stealth characteristics, particularly from the rear aspect. As analyzed by TWZ, the original Felon design prioritized frontal low observability, with less focus on the rear.
The new nozzles would reduce the jet's radar and infrared signature from behind, a clear tactical advantage, albeit with a potential minor trade-off in thrust. This nozzle is also linked to the developmental AL-51F-1 turbofan engine, intended as a future powerplant upgrade.
Russia's ability to fulfill large export orders remains a central question. The Russian Air Force itself has received only around 18 serial production Su-57s since 2022, from an order of 76, and its defense industry faces significant pressure from Western sanctions.
Chemezov downplayed these impacts in Dubai, touting Russian resourcefulness, but acknowledged that overall defense exports have been halved since the invasion of Ukraine—a fact he attributed to internal military demand rather than a lack of foreign interest.
The renewed export drive coincides with a potential shift in the global fighter market. The recent U.S. approval for a potential F-35 sale to Saudi Arabia could close a door that Russia had hoped to walk through. Nations like the UAE and Saudi Arabia, previously hesitant about the Su-57, may now favor the American jet if it becomes available.
When asked about competing with the F-35, Chemezov downplayed any direct rivalry, saying customers are free to choose what best suits their needs. However, with China also preparing its own stealth fighter exports, Russia is facing intense competition to prove its advanced, battle-tested Felon can become a viable global player.