China Thinks Russia's Su-57 Stealth Fighter Has "Stealth-Killing" Radar

Mark Episkopos

Security,

What does that mean? 

The Su-57 completely 'trashes' the latest American fighters like the F-35—at least, according to Chinese media.

Earlier this month, Chinese defense news outlet Mil.news.sina published an analytical piece on the state of Russia’s arsenal. The article looked to the Su-57, Russia’s upcoming fifth generation stealth fighter, as a case study in the failures and successes of Russia’s ambitious, decades-long campaign to modernize its armed forces.

Whereas other fifth-generation fighters—most prominently, the US F-35—are strategic weapons, the author argues that the Su-57 was designed for an entirely different purpose that makes sense within the broader context of Russian military doctrine: “The Russians have a very simple idea. Nuclear weapons will defend Russia against the aggression of great powers. Jet fighters, military vessels, and other tactical weapons will guarantee Russia’s victory in small, local conflicts.”

The publication then turns to an in-depth treatment of what they consider to be the Su-57’s trump card against American military hardware: its “stealth-killing” radio-photonic radar. Mil.news lavishes the Su-57’s radar system with an impressive features list, including a “theoretical” maximum detection distance of 500 kilometers, imaging resolution and bandwith dozens of times greater than the “traditional” radar, and the ability to seamlessly switch between multiple frequencies without compromising performance. The article’s baseline standard for “traditional” radar specifications remains unclear.

The latter assertion figures prominently into their conclusion that the Su-57’s radar “trashes” even the “powerful electronic jammers” found on the F-35; whereas Russia was previously “helpless” against US jamming, “the new radar will directly ignore electronic interference.” Considering that the F-35 is supposed to make up what it lacks in the Su-57’s raw speed, maneuverability, and power with superior avionics and ECM (electronic counter measures) tools, Mil.news’ analysis seems to strip the F-35 of its primary advantage over its Russian counterpart.