According to a source from RIA Novosti, mini unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) have been developed for Russia’s fifth-generation fighter jet, the Su-57. These drones will be carried on board the aircraft, allowing it to control a group of them simultaneously.
It is expected that the fighter jet will launch multiple drones at once and coordinate their actions. The source also clarified that these mini UAVs will have various purposes, including strike capabilities, reconnaissance missions, and electronic warfare operations. A group of Su-57s with dozens of drones can potentially penetrate enemy air defense systems by overwhelming their information channels and targeting the enemy’s systems.
In April 2021, it was reported that the Su-57 would be modified to control a group of small unmanned aerial vehicles. The development of the necessary equipment and software, as well as ground tests of the interaction system between the drones and the carrier fighter, had already begun at that time.
The Su-57 is a fifth-generation multi-role fighter jet, incorporating advanced stealth technology and electronics. It can carry weapons internally and has supersonic speed capabilities. Serial deliveries of the Su-57 began in 2022, and according to the state defense program, the Russian Aerospace Forces are expected to receive 76 of these fighter jets by 2027.
Previously, the Netherlands and Denmark confirmed that the United States approved the shipment of F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine.
