Russia is developing a new class of next generation fighter jet to complement the heavier Su-57 fighter and upcoming MiG-41 heavy interceptor. The aircraft is expected to share many common features to the Su-57 and use the same Saturn 30 engine, but to be built around a single rather than a twin engine configuration. The Saturn 30 is a fifth or sixth generation engine which Russian sources claim will be more powerful than the F135 currently powering America’s F-35 single engine stealth fighter, and is one of many technologies currently under development which are intended to boost the Su-57 to a sixth generation performance level. The engine will begin to be integrated onto frontline Su-57 jets from 2022. The development of a lighter next generation fighter around the Saturn 30 powerplant has significant potential to provide a cost effective means of modernising the Russian fleet, and of providing a potentially highly promising export, with a single engine smaller jet not only being cheaper but also requiring less maintenance and having lower operational costs. These will come at the expense of traditional attributes of heavy twin engine fighters such as endurance, range, payload and the capacity for large sensors, where the Su-57 will maintain superiority. 

The new aircraft is likely to be the first single engine fighter Russia has produced since the Soviet Union closed production lines for the MiG-21BiS, MiG-23 and MiG-27 third generation fighters in the 1980s. The fact that it will likely use the same engine as the Su-57 will allow for larger scale production of the Saturn 30 meaning more benefits from economies of scale. The program can potentially be pursued at a low cost due to only limited requirements for funds for research and development, as the two aircraft are expected to use many of the same technologies ranging from their sensors and stealth coatings to air to air missiles and laser defence systems. Where the Su-57 can carry ten air to air missiles in its internal bays, its lighter counterpart will likely be restricted to six or less based on precedents set by other relationships between lighter and heaver complementary fighters. The new single engine jet could provide cost effective means to replace a portion of Russia’s older heavyweight designs such as the Su-27 and Su-30, with the new aircraft expected to have much lower operational costs and maintenance requirements and significantly superior capabilities.

Regarding development of the new fighter, Rostec CEO Sergei Chemezov highlighted that aircraft had significant export potential, possibly mirroring that of the American F-35 single engine jet which has been unrivalled in export successes since entering service. Chemezov confirmed the development of the new fighter in early December, stating: “The company is working on the concept and the operational requirements for such a platform. We are doing this on our own initiative so far, without [federal] budget funds.” As fourth generation fighters increasingly come to be considered obsolete, Russia could field the new jet with a range of advanced sixth generation technologies which have been under development for many years to enhance the Su-57 to such a standard. This could potentially allow it to market its new fighter as the world’s first sixth generation single engine aircraft – and potentially in downgraded cheaper variants as a fifth generation aircraft. Given state budgetary constraints, the fact that Rostec is investing its own private funds into the development indicates that it sees considerable potential for exports and major revenues. The number of potential clients is significant, including almost all current operators of the MiG-29, Su-27 or Su-30 ranging from Angola and Egypt to India, Myanmar, Vietnam and others.