Russia’s elusive fifth-generation light tactical fighter project—the Sukhoi Su-75 ‘Checkmate’—has resurfaced in imagery showing it parked beside a Su-57 at Zhukovsky airfield. The pairing has reignited speculation about the program’s viability after years of delays and shifting narratives. With Moscow facing sanctions and constrained budgets amid its ongoing war in Ukraine, the Checkmate appears to be repositioned as an export-oriented platform to sustain Russia’s aerospace ambitions.
Visual Confirmation of Ground Testing Activity
Recent satellite imagery and photos circulating on Russian social media platforms show what appears to be the full-scale mockup or prototype of the Su-75 Checkmate positioned next to a serial-production Su-57 Felon at Zhukovsky airfield near Moscow. The images suggest that ground-based integration or systems testing may have resumed after a long period of relative silence.
The aircraft seen is consistent with earlier mockups displayed at MAKS 2021 and Dubai Airshow 2021. However, no evidence yet confirms flight testing has begun. The proximity to an operational Su-57 may indicate comparative systems validation or simply serve marketing optics for potential foreign buyers.
A Troubled Development Timeline
The Checkmate was first unveiled by Rostec and United Aircraft Corporation (UAC) in July 2021 as a single-engine fifth-generation light tactical fighter aimed primarily at export markets such as the Middle East, Asia-Pacific, and Africa. It was marketed as an affordable alternative to Western platforms like the F-35 Lightning II or Saab Gripen E/F.
- Initial flight was promised by 2023
- Production target was set for 2026
- Development based on lessons from the twin-engine Su-57
- Estimated unit cost advertised around $25–30 million
However, these timelines have slipped significantly. As of late 2024, no prototype had flown publicly. Western sanctions following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 severely disrupted access to semiconductors and avionics critical for modern combat aircraft development. Additionally, budgetary constraints forced prioritization of existing platforms like the Su-34M and drone programs over speculative new designs.
Design Features: Aspirational Fifth Generation
The Checkmate is designed around stealth shaping principles similar to those seen in Lockheed Martin’s F-35A—with internal weapons bays, diverterless supersonic inlet (DSI), V-tail configuration, and radar cross-section (RCS) minimization features.
- Length: ~17 meters; wingspan ~11 meters
- Engine: Likely Izdeliye 117 or future Izdeliye 30 derivative
- Cruise speed expected around Mach 1.8; range ~3,000 km without external tanks
- Internal payload capacity estimated at ~7 tonnes across multiple bays
- Avionics suite projected to include AESA radar (likely N036 derivative), IRST sensor suite similar to OLS series
- AI-assisted pilot interface touted by developers but unverified operationally
Sukhoi claims modularity will allow manned-unmanned teaming variants in future iterations—a feature increasingly emphasized across global fifth-gen programs—but no demonstrator has been shown yet.
Moscow Eyes Export Markets Amid Domestic Constraints
The Checkmate is explicitly intended for foreign customers rather than Russian Aerospace Forces (VKS) adoption—at least initially. Rostec officials have pitched it aggressively at international arms expos including Dubai Airshow (UAE), Aero India (India), and Army Forum events.
Plausible target buyers include:
– United Arab Emirates (previously engaged in joint design talks)
– India (though New Delhi remains skeptical post-FGFA program failure)
– Vietnam
– Argentina
– Algeria
However, none have signed firm contracts as of early Q4/2025.
Sanctions continue to complicate component sourcing—especially for avionics—and insurance risk deters many potential buyers from committing funds toward an unproven platform under development by a sanctioned state actor.
Some analysts suggest that even if production begins before decade’s end, output will be limited unless co-production agreements or local assembly options are offered.
Skepticism Remains Over Program Viability
The current appearance of Checkmate near an operational Su-57 may serve more symbolic than technical purposes—signaling continuity rather than capability progression. Without clear evidence of flight testing or serial production tooling underway at Komsomolsk-on-Amur or other UAC facilities, doubts persist about whether Russia can deliver on its promises within this decade.
A key bottleneck remains engine availability—the Izdeliye series engines are still undergoing refinement for even the heavier twin-engine Felon fleet—and any single-engine derivative would need robust performance margins across thrust-to-weight ratio and thermal signature management domains.
If Russia can stabilize its aerospace industrial base post-sanctions via alternate supply chains—possibly through Iran or China—it may revive momentum behind Checkmate by mid-to-late decade. Until then, it remains largely aspirational—a paper jet with high-profile renderings but limited real-world progress.
Conclusion: Symbolism vs Substance?
The juxtaposition of a static Checkmate next to an active Felon may reflect more on Moscow’s need for strategic messaging than actual aerospace capability breakthroughs. While technically ambitious on paper—with stealth shaping, modularity promises, AI interfaces—the reality is that no flying prototype exists four years after its unveiling.
If Russia intends to position itself as a viable exporter of fifth-gen fighters amid economic isolation and battlefield attrition elsewhere in its military-industrial complex—it must demonstrate tangible progress soon through test flights or firm international orders. Until then, the Checkmate remains just that—a move waiting for its turn on the board.
