Russian Su-57 Felon Takes Down First Aerial Kills in Real Combat

(Photo : ALEXANDER NEMENOV/AFP via Getty Images)
Russian Su-57 Felon gets its aerial kills in actual combat far exceeding the lesser kills of the US stealth jets.

Russian Su-57 Felon drew first blood in actual combat, acquiring its first aerial kills of the Ukraine War. It took down a Ukraine Air Force Su-27 and Su-24 in an aerial engagement,

Russian Su-57 Felon Scores in Actual Combat

These reports from western sources like the UK have confirmed that VKS's next-gen fighter can dogfight not only on paper. Its dual kills show that Russia's stealth fighter is lethal at any range, reports Bulgarian Military.

Information from October mentioned that the Felon is an aggressor that fought other planes, not static ground targets. Several Ukrainian jets were downed by the Russian criminal as far as 217 km away with long-range missiles in Belgorod.

The January incident was verified by British intelligence, saying it was a long-range air-to-air kill. The same sources added that the Felon has been pounding Ukraine since June 2022.

Reports indicate the Su-57's participation in air combat from the end of 2022, stating the Su-57 was used in air strikes against designated ground targets. The R-37M missiles with a 400 km range are used to kill the UAF jets, but another Chinese missile can hit far as 200 km, based on Sandboxx.

Sources revealed in February revealed the Su-57 escorted the MiG-31 in a standoff attack, per The Conversation. This sortie used the R-37M to pick off enemy planes flying as fast as Mach 5 or 6 with excellent guidance systems to hit a target, states Military Today.

An effective range of the air-to-air missile (AAM) is best from 150 to 398 km as its optimal range. Guiding it to the target is an inertial combination with course correction equipped with semi-active and active radar homing.

Aerial Kills Against Lethal Weapon Systems

The VKS needs to engage better air defenses like the F-35, and the Ukraine conflict pushes Russian aviation to its limits. While Western forces don't risk the F-35 or F-22 in fierce combat or the PLA yet to test its J-20. But the younger Felon has seen real action in such a short time.

In contrast to other 5th gen fighters showing the Felon as inferior is mistaken due to its exploits yet to be outdone. The Russian VKS is developing this platform quickly, but the west is wary. By 2023 there will be 22 of them in service as more will be built.

The Russians focus on building enough numbers of Su-57 with technologies that will optimize it. The Felon has caught critics off guard and called it a super fighter.

Even if delayed by five years, it has seen considerable effectiveness compared to older stealth fighters. The US F-35 and F-22 have downed a drone, balloon only, not capable frontline fighters that are not substantive.

Success in actual battle has opened interest with India to a joint program to develop it further. New Delhi is assured that only the Felon has experience over other stealth fighters.

Sources verifying the Russian Su-57 Felon and its aerial kills gained from actual combat shows the VKS developing a critical asset.