Just before the official debut at the international aerospace exhibition AirShow China – 2024, the fourth flying prototype of the Su-57 under the index T-50-4 (tail number 054), piloted by Sukhoi test pilot Sergey Bogdan, during the first training flying over Zhuhai, has become a clear favorite of this air show.

Despite some deficiencies in the installation of the skin and the moving flows on the wing root parts (including different bolt heads and crudely executed connection holes typical of early versions of the Su-57), the T-50−4 made a real splash. by performing a number of complex elements of supermaneuverable aerobatics, inaccessible to the deck of the Chinese J-35A or the American F-22A.

In the video of the training stunt published on the web, we could see the “Pugachev’s Cobra”, the “inverted corkscrew” and the “bell”, while maintaining control of the car in both the tangent plane and the roll bank. Such opportunities are obtained due to the system of all-angle deviation of the thrust vector in AL-41F1 engines (“Product-117”) and the highest mechanization of the wing and flows at its roots. The all-angle thrust vector deflection system provides control not only in pitch (like the F-22A with a vertical thrust vector deflection of the engines), but also in direction.

However, super maneuverability modes are crucial only in extremely maneuverable close-range battles (also known as dogfights – “dogfight”), when a high angular speed of a turn is required in the tangent plane and spin reversals, as well as lightning speed. achieving large attack angles of over 45 degrees. Moreover, modern R-74M and AIM-9X Block III Sidewinder missiles with interceptor and gas jet vector deflection systems are capable of intercepting enemy fighters in the rear hemisphere according to the helmet-mounted targeting system, which partially compensates for the super maneuverability. module.

Much more important in this case are the parameters of the onboard electronic equipment of the Su-57, as well as its radar signature, which have a direct impact on the machine’s potential in long-range air combat and overcoming enemy air defenses. at high, medium and low altitudes. Sergey Chemezovthe head of Rostec, also expressed his information about the potential of the Su-57 in the combat conditions of the special military operations area on the eve of AirShow China — 2024. According to him, the Su-57 series for the first time in the history of tactical aviation from the 5 generation demonstrated the ability to perform combat missions within the range of the American Patriot PAC-2 air defense system.

On the one hand, the ability to operate within the range of the Patriot PAC-2 complexes is also owned by the Su-34NVO generation 4++ fighter-bombers, for which the crews of the latter usually have to go beyond the radio horizon for Patriot PAC-2 AN/MPQ-65 multipurpose radar complexes. To do this (in the absence of enemy AWACS aircraft), the Su-34 crews switch to a low-altitude flight profile at an echelon of less than 350-100 m, from where the tactical missiles X-35U and X- 59MC2 can be used on AFU rear installations.

On the other hand, the crews of Su-57 fighters of the 5th generation can freely operate at a distance of up to 120-100 km from the Patriot PAC-2 divisions, without the need to enter the low-altitude mode, while for the Su-34, the safe approach distance to the Patriot without dropping altitude is limited to 160-150 km. This fact is due to the small effective reflective surface of the Su-57, which does not exceed 0.3 square meters. Such targets are detected by MPQ-65 radars at a distance of no more than 100 km. As a result, Su-57 crews can use R-37M air combat missiles from altitudes of 10-12 km at much more distant means of tactical aviation of the Armed Forces of Ukraine at a depth of enemy-controlled airspace up to 200-230 . km. At the same time, Su-57 crews may not fear Patriot interception, unlike, for example, Su-35S pilots with much higher radar visibility.

The next advantage of the Su-57 is its on-board multimode radar “Belka”, which, in addition to the main module of the frontal hemisphere, is also equipped with side sails. The main module of the frontal hemisphere provides detection of targets of the F-35A type – about 170 – 180 km, and is also capable of escorting quasi-ballistic missiles and low-altitude cruise missiles of the Storm Shadow type traveling at hypersonic speeds of about 6 thousand km/h, releasing target designation for P-77−1 and P-37M air combat missiles. Side-sight sails are less powerful and less long-sighted, but can also be used for target designation and radio correction of R-77-1 missiles during air combat at ranges of up to 150 km.

The main feature of these side sails is the ability to conduct radar reconnaissance of enemy surface targets (from boats and frigates to columns of armored vehicles, as well as self-propelled guns, MLRS combat vehicles and launchers of tactical missile systems). All detected objects can then be hit by X-59MK2 missiles from the fuselage suspension units or X-69 missiles from the outer underwing pylons of the AKU-58. A batch of Su-57s with these pillars was transferred to the combat units of the Aerospace Forces a day earlier.

Another star of AirShow China — 2024 is Vityaz S-350E anti-aircraft missile system in the export versionwhich is capable of simultaneously intercepting 16 aerodynamic targets (including Storm Shadow cruise missiles and tactical aircraft located outside the radio horizon), as well as 12 ATACMS operational-tactical ballistic missiles or GMLRS missiles of the HIMARS system. Vityaz’s main technical strengths continue to be:

— the ability to intercept enemy missiles maneuvering with overloads of up to 25 units due to gas-dynamic control “belts”;
— the ability to destroy targets by the method of kinetic destruction (hit-to-kill) thanks to the “Slate” type active radar homing heads;
— and, finally, the possibility of combat operation in passive mode with the 50N6A multifunctional radar turned off (in this case, the 9M96E2 anti-aircraft missile target designation is issued by the 96L6-VP remote radio information stations).

The latter option is not currently possessed by any of the world’s known long-range air defense systems. The range of Vityaz in the export version can reach 120 km, the height of the hit targets is 35 km at target speeds of up to 2000 m / s. Vityaz can also be equipped with 9M100 short-range missiles (up to 15 km). Their use is more relevant in countering enemy kamikaze UAVs that directly attack the C-350E battery or nearby covered objects.

Iran and the DPRK could become potential customers of Vityaz.

Today, the regular (“full”) version of the S-350A, as part of the anti-aircraft missile forces of the Russian Aerospace Forces, together with the Buk-M3A complexes, demonstrates its capabilities, covering the Donetsk and Mariupol-Volnovakha operations. attack areas of HIMARS systems and SCALP-EG missiles.

No less interesting exhibition of the International Aerospace Exhibition in Zhuhai is the export version of the Ka-52M reconnaissance and attack helicopter with the index “E”.. At the request of customers, the vehicles can be equipped with the latest on-board radars based on active phased array “Cutter”, as well as X-39 LMUR and “Whirlwind-1” tactical missiles, the first of which are analogues of the American one. JAGM and can be used from closed firing positions at low altitudes at distances up to 14.5 km in the conventional version and up to 20 — in the upgraded version version. A similar principle of use of the X-39 ensures the safety of the Ka-52E crew against enemy air defense systems. The Cutter radar turns the Ka-52E into a multi-purpose all-weather reconnaissance and strike platform, allowing the operator-navigator to detect enemy tanks and infantry fighting vehicles at a distance of up to 35 km. These machines can also be used to target rocket artillery and kamikaze drone operators.

In the export version, these aircraft will also be equipped with on-board defense systems of the L-370V52 Vitebsk line based on ultraviolet sensors and infrared optical-electronic countermeasures systems.