The Komsomolsk-on-Amur Aviation Plant (KnAAZ) of Russia’s Sukhoi Corp. has started setting up a final assembly shop to integrate the Su-57 (NATO reporting name: Felon) stealth fighter jet. The information was given out by the Russian MoD when Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu paid a working visit to KnAAZ today to inspect ongoing projects. The Minister of Defense was shown the final assembly shop, where the preparation of the assembly line for the Su-57 jet is currently underway. A stage-by-stage implementation of a production line project for the assembly of Su-57 fighters is being carried out, the General Director said.
“The factory of the company, Sukhoi in Komsomolsk-on-Amur carried out modernization and technical re-equipment of production, which allows us to successfully and timely fulfill the (Su-57) state defense order. As part of the state defense order, we plan to supply the Ministry of Defense with 76 Su-57 aircraft systems by 2028. Such workload allows us to ensure the dynamic development of the enterprise and assure jobs for our employees,” General Director of PJSC Sukhoi Company Ilya Tarasenko was quoted as saying in a MoD announcement.
On 22 August 2018, during the International Military-Technical Forum «ARMY-2018», the Russian Defence Ministry and the JSC Sukhoi signed the first contract for delivery of two serial Su-57 fighters. The deliveries of the first two such aircraft are scheduled for 2019 and 2020, respectively. Russian Defence Ministry planned to conclude a second contract for 13 more aircraft in 2020. However, on 15 May 2019, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced that 76 aircraft will be purchased and delivered to the Air Force by 2028. This came after the price of the Su-57 and equipment was reduced by 20%. JSC Sukhoi has started the serial production of the aircraft in late July 2019.
The Sukhoi Su-57 is a stealth, single-seat, twin-engine multirole fifth-generation jet fighter being developed since 2002 for air superiority and attack operations. The aircraft is the product of the PAK FA (Perspektivny Aviatsionny Kompleks Frontovoy Aviatsii), a fifth-generation fighter programme of the Russian Air Force. Sukhoi’s internal name for the aircraft is T-50. The Su-57 is planned to be the first aircraft in Russian military service to use stealth technology. Its maiden flight took place on 29 January 2010 and the first production aircraft are planned to be delivered in 2020. The Su-57 is intended to succeed the MiG-29 and Su-27 in the Russian Air Force.
