The latest modified Russian Su-57 Felon, a modernized variant of the 5th generation, flew with a new powerplant for the first time. It flew on October 21, 2022, from the Zhukovsky flight test center near Moscow, according to United Aircraft Corporation (UAC) last October 25.
Modified Su-57 Felon Flies Without a Hitch
The UAC state the test was conducted by the pilot from the Sukhoi Experimental Design Bureau, Sergey Bogdan; it took 56 minutes overall without incident, reported EurAsian Times.
Press service revealed enhanced onboard equipment, AI crew support, and a variety of weapons testing for the platform. Add up the new engine intended for the fighter's second engine.
Innovative Pilot Support
It allows the plane's onboard computer to the copilot and lets the pilot focus on essential tasks. The aircraft will prep weapons, says Yuri Slyusar, Director General of the UAC;
On July 28, 2021, Nikita Dorofeev, chief of the cockpit department of the Sukhoi Design Bureau, said that in the future, a Felon pilot would be able to control the plane with eye movements or voice.
Despite the difficulty of such a scheme, because the human pupil is constantly shifting unthinkingly, its prototype now exists.
Furthermore, at the moment, the challenge is to instruct the system to fully comprehend not just learned phrases but their context so that under harsh conditions, the pilot does not have to know precisely which string of words he must declare.
Rafael Suleimanove, Sukhoi Design Bureau test pilot, said that the Intelligent Crew Capability allows the Su-57 Felon to "undertake every task in the air."
The system enables the pilot to perform all necessary tasks while in flight, maximizing the plane's performance day or night.
Suleimanov also stated how comparable the generations of Su airframes are. Pilots who've already flown the Su-35 will not have any difficulty trying to fly the fifth-generation fighter, says Airforce Technology.
Stage 2 Engine: New Powerplant
Even before it was initially envisioned, the Su-57 was powered by a new clean sheet layout engine, alluded to as Izdeliye (Product) 30, that would allow it to cruise at supersonic speed without using afterburners as its new powerplant.
Nonetheless, the aircraft was developed and tested with a temporary power plant NPO Saturn Product 117 engine based on the AL-41F-1S after-burning turbofans designed for the Su-35.
The Izdeliye 30 will enhance the fighter's thrust and fuel economy while lowering weight and maintenance costs, per The Avionist.
First tested on December 5, 2017, with more tests later. By October 2019, there were 16 flight tests on the modified Felon.
As of December 2019, Izvestia cited Yuri Slyusar, general director of the UAC, in December 2019 as declaring that the Stage 2 engine has undergone extensive testing.
The engine has already been thrust vectoring flight tested, and its oil system has been tested under adverse flight conditions. The engine was tested on the bench.
In September 2022, a Sukhoi Design Bureau representative told TASS that, more so than 4th-generation fighters, the Felon can sustain supersonic speeds for a large percentage of its mission profile, even when in combat.
The Russian stealth fighter is operated to fly at supersonic speeds, compared to 4th generation fighters. The modified Su-57 Felon of Russia passed tests, including its new powerplant, which gives it an edge over an interim Su-35 engine installed.
