Did two Su-57s Deploy to Syria?

Again, from Russia's view, where else can you safely fly around in airspace littered with NATO coalition air and see how well your sensors work in the real world? And if operationally it makes the coalition a bit more conservative, then that's a win for them, too.

a reply to: spy66

Yawn. You missed the fact the F-35 is better today than 2 years ago when that pilot loved it.

So yes, 2 years ago the Norwegian pilot was very impressed, and it's even better today, thanks for the support.

www.ruaviation.com...

The Russians are stating they were sent to test the EW and radar systems under 'near combat conditions.'

They are stating they Su-57 is not cleared for full combat.

hmm.

Sometimes only way to test something is to use it..

Then you may as well claim that they have God fighting for the Americans as well, since that would also be based on faith in the imaginary.

Imaginary?
That aint no B2

a reply to: Blackfinger

Test as in...let's try hunting Raptors and AWACS...and see what happens.

originally posted by: OccamsRazor04
a reply to: spy66

Yawn. You missed the fact the F-35 is better today than 2 years ago when that pilot loved it.

So yes, 2 years ago the Norwegian pilot was very impressed, and it's even better today, thanks for the support.

Better how?

a reply to: spy66

There is now an adjustable setting to the AN/APG-81 that enables front line maintenance troops to heat their coffee.

originally posted by: RadioRobert
a reply to: spy66

There is now an adjustable setting to the AN/APG-81 that enables front line maintenance troops to heat their coffee.

It is a very good radar. But ALIS is probably going to make it suck.

The Russian Defence Minister has revealed that only two Su-57/PAK-FAs were deployed for two days and that they have since returned to Russia.

"MOSCOW, March 1. /TASS/. Two Sukhoi Su-57 stealth fighter jets have successfully completed a two-day program of tests in Syria, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu told reporters on Thursday. "Indeed, they were there for a while. Two days. During that time, they completed a program of trials, including combat ones," Shoigu said. "I can say that the trials were success and the planes returned home a week ago."

Tass link

The latest TASS report has publicity stunt written all over it.

2 days for "combat" test is a joke, my bet is a few basic sensor tests, pose for the camera and then back to mother Russia.

Certainly no real weapons release tests, they may loaded the weapons bays, done some fuel burn and aero analysis in the hot conditions but 2 days is not enough time to do anything really useful.

I do know a few extra coalition sorties were performed to keep an eye out for any 57 shaped thingys flying and they were just the normal stuff, 2 UK tornado recon configs and at least 1 Typhoon with some hasty last minute recon additions courtesy of BAE to do some extra data collection and high res imaging during the usual A2G sorties

I'm guessing the Russkies will be happy if the 57's got back without anything vital falling off them

a reply to: GrumpyBollocks

I think you are partially right.

However, I suspect something happened that made them pull back faster than they planned.

Whether it was the unhappy Israelis zipping by with an Adir or the US did something or they had a problem, IDK.

a reply to: anzha

Yes that would seem to be a distinct possibility, the minute the 57's were seen going there I think everyone was considering ways to scare them back to Russia, I'm sure all the interested nations had a hand in it somewhere

a reply to: GrumpyBollocks

What Russia does next will be telling.

If they continue as before, not much happened and it was all just a stunt.

If they slow down, then its possible they had a problem they need to fix that they found ASAP.

If the program gets superseded by a newly announced (but not for a year or so) super 6th gen jet, someone scared them and bad.

a reply to: anzha

Yeah, sometimes I get the feeling the T-50 / SU-57 project was just a fishing exercise, it's obvious they're short of money and Putin is known to want to strengthen the nuclear angle so a half-hearted 5th Gen fighter seems a strange move.

I'm surprised they didn't try and get further with PAK-DA tbh, seemed a more logical step for them with a long range properly stealthy bomber, even a single prototype would've made more impression on the west as they're not really going to get into a big dogfighting war anywhere and the 57 never looked a capable swing role platform anyway.

Maybe the Chinese embarrassed them by getting the J20 into limited service quicker as at least that looks to have a more define role in any future battlespace, making the US finally sit up and realise tankers, AWACS and C&C aircraft are the big vulnerability.

As you said, their next step should be telling

The real latest is that Russia have two SU57 With the New engines and fully functional radar and sensors present in Syria.
These SUs also carry 8 of the latest Russian long range air to air missiles onboard.

a reply to: spy66

source?

not saying you are wrong, but the Russians said they pulled the Su-57s.

There was a report of a second set, but the Russians have been denying it.

originally posted by: anzha
a reply to: spy66

source?

not saying you are wrong, but the Russians said they pulled the Su-57s.

There was a report of a second set, but the Russians have been denying it.

I cant give a Source directly, but it has been observed by Israeli intelligence. They have posted quite a few images of the SUs in Syria.

a reply to: spy66

That was some time ago. We have a link above. There was no word that it was with the new engines or radars though.

originally posted by: spy66
The real latest is that Russia have two SU57 With the New engines and fully functional radar and sensors present in Syria.
These SUs also carry 8 of the latest Russian long range air to air missiles onboard.

Who is reporting that nonsense? No they haven't. A fantasy story invented by the Russian fan-boy machine to save face after the short deployment. As already highlighted it was basically a publicity stunt using two of the prototypes.

a reply to: spy66

That's the funniest thing I'v heard this week

The Russians can't even get the new engines to work properly on the test bed never mind the airframe!

As for the radar, so far only VERY vague info has been discussed, if they had a fully working setup they'd be bragging about it as they always do.

The Chinese J20 is further ahead than the Su-57 right now, both still lagging behind the 22 and 35 and even some 4.5Gen platforms when it comes to IRST and radar.