- The Sukhoi Design Bureau created the first bionic aircraft component for Russia’s Su-57 Felon fighter jet.
- The part is an aluminum carrier for the Su-57.
- Russia is readying an entire fleet of 24 Felons for 2025.
Russia’s next-generation Su-57 Felon fighter jet is getting upgraded 3D-printed landing gear in a bid to reduce cost and weight.
The Su-57 Felon’s new landing gear will reportedly be made of aluminum and features an advanced computer-designed architecture, according to the United Aircraft Corporation. The enhanced equipment could be a sign that the long-delayed Su-57 is being pushed toward more combat service as well as export.
The aircraft manufacturer, Russia’s Sukhoi Design Bureau, claims the Felon’s new landing gear slashes one-quarter of the weight over traditional designs thanks to its “bionic” design, a term that refers to organic-seeming components. The new design also reduces the materials needed to produce the part.
Sukhoi is touting the component as a “fully domestic design.” Russia has been suffering from a shortage of high-tech components since Western sanctions were imposed last year following the invasion of Ukraine.
The Su-57 is a twin-engine stealth multirole fighter designed in the 1970s. Development was halted due to the fall of the Soviet Union, but an upgraded version has slowly started to make its way into Russian service. In 2020, Russia’s Defence Ministry said that the Felon had entered its fleet with the delivery of the first production aircraft to an aviation regiment of the Southern Military District. The ministry plans to have an entire Su-57 regiment of 24 aircraft ready by 2025.
The Su-57 airframe uses composite materials such as polymer, fiberglass, and aluminum load-bearing honeycomb fillers. The materials enable low radar, infrared signatures, and fuel efficiency for continued supersonic cruise flight. The Su-57’s fuselage is covered with a special radio-absorbing coating.
The Felon’s avionics are also a step up from other fighters in Russian service with an advanced onboard computer. The avionics package includes active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar and ELINT systems. The aircraft is armed with air-to-surface missiles, air-to-air missiles, and 30mm guns for close combat.
The Felon is reportedly seeing limited service in Ukraine. Last year, Russian army general Sergey Surovikin, the commander of all Russian Armed Forces in Ukraine, said that the Su-57 had been used both in air-to-air and air-to-ground roles and had scored kills.
But Russia may be holding back Su-57s from full combat duty in Ukraine. A British report claims that the Felons operate only in Russian airspace due to fears that combat losses would hurt the aircraft’s reputation and expose sensitive technology.
Sascha Brodsky, a freelance journalist based in New York City and a graduate of the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism and Columbia's School of International and Public Affairs, writes about many aspects of technology including personal technology, AI, and virtual reality. His work has appeared in The New York Times, The Atlantic, The Guardian, and many other publications. In his spare time, he enjoys cycling and hiking.
