Air Engagement of Operation Sindoor : Analysis

[HariPrasad]

Fully upgraded MKI will be superior than Rafale.

Whole squadrons were involved in the strike package? And after delivering their payload, what were they doing? Why weren’t they part of the BARCAPs or extending the anti-air bubble?

The biggest plus point of MKI is its power and Size. DRDO has planned to install 2400 TR module GAN based AESA called Virupaksh which can detect stealth and Target it with Gandive with 350 k.m. of range. It should be upgraded with AL51 engine. Applying best RAM paints will hardly provide any benefit. New EW pod with high output and incorporating AI feature and new radar with new BVR will gave MKI and edge over anything in neighborhood including J20.

 

[Rajput Lion]

How is that a argument?
No body with actual knowledge fears f22 against su57, j20.
It's general populace hype.

Actually those with "actual knowledge" fear the Raptor more than any other bird

They do, they expose vunrabilities, vunrablity that f22 is relatively easy to jam, the same vunrability that f35 doesn't have.


Yeah, Let's try do that against stealth jets also then.

MKI UPG. is designed to counter VLO jets. How it will do it, is a whole different topic!

No, where did you get the number?
It's rcs in simulation is between 0.3-0.8m2.
If we apply ram that absorb 20dbsm( standard)
Then the no. We get is -15 to -20 dbsm at most, not -27dbsm, and that is when irst is also assumed to be covered by this ram, I.e. closed irst.
Open irst causes rcs spike of 0.1m2, I.e 10dbsm.
View attachment 44887

Essentially, with irst closed and assumed RAM su57 has frontal rcs in range of 0.01-0.03 m2.
With
With irst open it's rcs becomes more than 0.1m2, essential entering LO level, most stealthy LO but not VLO.

In comparison.
J20 when we apply -20dbsm ram, has rcs value in 0.001-0.005 m2 range.
F35 will be 0.0005-0.001m2 range.

As you can see j20'a frontal rcs is much closer to f35 than to su57.
Su57 with irst closed is barely vlo.
J20 in terms of stealth, while lower than f35, is in same realm of f35, not su57.








Eots is a stealthy crystal dome has houses irst and laser designator I'm case of f35.
Su57 also has irst, but is not housed in any stealthy dome unlike f35 and j20.
And already showed to effect of irst when it's working on rcs of su57.


I wouldn't, not in its current form.


Better than other options than we have I guess, but putting thar irst in a stealthy housing is a must demand we should make.

Brother, go through this simulation. It's by far the best simulation of Su-57 done by anyone. Here you'll see how we arrive at -28dBsm figure:

What is the RCS of the SU 57?

Jack's answer: So, what is the RCS of the SU57? Is it 0.1m2 (-10dbsm)~1m2 (1dbsm) since a lot of people say that the SU57 has the same RCS size of an F/A 18 and Rafale aircraft. Saying that the SU57 has a less/no RAM coating with exposed rivets, back part of the engine nacelles, intake with no r...

www.quora.com

PS: Su-57's stealth is dependent on its RAS as much as its shape. So no simulation would give you its real RCS data. It's as good as F-22 from frontal aspect. So real frontal RCS could be as good as -40dBsm.

 

[babablacksheep]

Actually those with "actual knowledge" fear the Raptor more than any other bird

Oh really?
Care to explain why?

MKI UPG. is designed to counter VLO jets. How it will do it, is a whole different topic!

"Realtively more effective against stealth jets compared to current not stealth systems" is a more accurate description.

Brother, go through this simulation. It's by far the best simulation of Su-57 done by anyone

This so called best simulation.

but with RAM coating on the aircraft structure it will reduce the side and frontal RCS pattern more. So the RCS of the SU57 will be around 0.006m2 (-23 dbsm rate)~0.00Xm2 (-28 dbsm rate),

"So the RCS of the SU57 will be around 0.006m2"
That's not a simulation that's an assumption he made himself.

A wrong one at that, that 0.06 rcs of t50 prototype that he is talking about( not a t50 prototype rcs of su57 model in stealth flanker's simulation), was with ram assumed, without ram it's between 0.1-0.5m2 for su57 in x band, frontal.

0.05-0.08 m2 for f35's detailed model in stealth flanker's simulation, without ram.


There are lot of other assumptions in that post too, that he made himself .








"For now, the production model of SU57 can be a good stealth aircraft which has the RCS around 0.017m2 with open IRST spectrum ~ 0.006m2 with close IRST spectrum compared to prototype model of SU57 which is T50 has the RCS around 0.12m2/0.17m2 with open IRST spectrum ~ 0.06m2 with close IRST spectrum."

Atleast the open irst increase in rcs seems true here.

Su-57's stealth is dependent on its RAS as much as its shape. So no simulation would give you its real RCS data. It's as good as F-22 from frontal aspect. So real frontal RCS could be as good as -40dBsm.

Just no.

 

[Rajput Lion]

Oh really?
Care to explain why?


"Realtively more effective against stealth jets compared to current not stealth systems" is a more accurate description.


This so called best simulation.

but with RAM coating on the aircraft structure it will reduce the side and frontal RCS pattern more. So the RCS of the SU57 will be around 0.006m2 (-23 dbsm rate)~0.00Xm2 (-28 dbsm rate),

"So the RCS of the SU57 will be around 0.006m2"
That's not a simulation that's an assumption he made himself.

A wrong one at that, that 0.06 rcs of t50 prototype that he is talking about( not a t50 prototype rcs of su57 model in stealth flanker's simulation), was with ram assumed, without ram it's between 0.1-0.5m2 for su57 in x band, frontal.

0.05-0.08 m2 for f35's detailed model in stealth flanker's simulation, without ram.


There are lot of other assumptions in that post too, that he made himself .








"For now, the production model of SU57 can be a good stealth aircraft which has the RCS around 0.017m2 with open IRST spectrum ~ 0.006m2 with close IRST spectrum compared to prototype model of SU57 which is T50 has the RCS around 0.12m2/0.17m2 with open IRST spectrum ~ 0.06m2 with close IRST spectrum."

Atleast the open irst increase in rcs seems true here.





Just no.

Let's agree to disagree bro

 

[redpanda]

The biggest plus point of MKI is its power and Size. DRDO has planned to install 2400 TR module GAN based AESA called Virupaksh which can detect stealth and Target it with Gandive with 350 k.m. of range. It should be upgraded with AL51 engine. Applying best RAM paints will hardly provide any benefit. New EW pod with high output and incorporating AI feature and new radar with new BVR will gave MKI and edge over anything in neighborhood including J20.

Isn't data pattern offering one with 2700 TR module as alternative? How does that compare to Virupaksha?

 

[South block]

It's designed to kill F-22 just like Su-27 was designed to kill F-15.

It's designed to kill F-22 just like Su-27 was designed to kill F-15. Russians don't fail in their goals. They have world's best IADS, best hypersonic weapons, best ICBMs and there is no reason why Su-57 would fail to meet its goal. Look how Su-30 MKI and BrahMos became two game-changing weapons of the latest Ops after MKI was trashed by everyone for its so called huge RCS, lol.

Regarding Su-57's stealth; the IRST ball can rotate backwards when not in use and its back side is covered in RAM. So, don't think it is any problem. Anyways, the point is that for us it is good enough to kill Chinese Stealth jets and give us breathing space till AMCA is full combat ready(~2040). Very soon we shall hear some progress regarding this front.

Bro, comparing the Su-57 to the F-22 like the Su-27 was to the F-15 just doesn't hold water when you dig into the tech.........The Su-27 could match the F-15 in kinematics and sensors because both were true Gen-4 contemporaries, but the Su-57 is nowhere near the F-22 in true 5th-gen standards Stealth-wise.........the Su-57 has multiple fundamental design flaws........ its planform alignment is broken by rounded LERX shoulders, protruding control surfaces, and an IRST mounted outside the fuselage with a spherical dome, which reflects radar energy even if turned backward..........That IRST isn’t flush-mounted or faceted like it would be in a serious VLO design......The side weapon bay doors, panel seams, and ramps around the engine intakes all have sharp angular discontinuities that defeat radar shaping principles compare that to the F-22’s seamless edge alignment and faceted shaping.........Su-57’s engine intakes are too shallow to fully hide the engine face.....radar can bounce right off the compressor blades in certain aspects, which massively increases RCS....and let’s not ignore one of the biggest giveaways in Su-57’s design, no proper S-duct inlets......That’s not just a design choice, it’s a fundamental compromise........In any real stealth aircraft like F-22, F-35......the engine intakes use S-shaped ducts to hide the turbine face from radar , Why?......Because the spinning compressor blades are giant radar reflectors.......they light up like a Christmas tree when seen head-on in X-band........Su-57 uses relatively straight intake ducts, which means from certain angles, especially off-axis frontal views, radar waves have a clear line-of-sight to the engine face.........It tries to compensate with radar blockers or serrated edge structures, but that’s a half-measure..........it doesn’t eliminate the RCS spike, just reduces it a bit. This is basic stuff in stealth design........The F-22 completely hides its engine faces behind curved intakes and RAM-coated serpentine channels nothing bounces back......... In contrast, the Su-57’s design prioritizes kinematics and airflow efficiency over signature control which is why it's not truly VLO (Very Low Observable).......You can't call something a full stealth jet if you can see the compressor blades from the front.

Even more obviously.......Russia’s RAM technology is known to be less mature, requiring thicker layers and more frequent maintenance, which raises both weight and logistical footprint.,....On the avionics front, yes, it has a multi-radar setup, the N036 Byelka AESA in the nose and L-band arrays in the wings but sensor fusion is nowhere near Western standards....... Russia still hasn’t demonstrated seamless multi-sensor data fusion, which is critical to exploiting stealth in networked warfare......The F-22 has been fusing AESA, EW, and SIGINT data through its Common Integrated Processor since the 2000s........The Su-57’s cockpit and displays are still closer to 4.5-gen platforms, lacking full helmet-mounted cueing, and the voice-assistance AI is years behind what’s fielded in even upgraded Rafales or F-35s.......also, let’s not forget operational maturity......... Less than 25 Su-57s exist as of 2025 , many of them test articles with no confirmed combat usage in any contested airspace, no kills, and no full IADS integration. The F-22, on the other hand, has 180+ aircraft, over a decade of deployments.

So no, Su-57 isn’t some next-gen killer designed to hunt F-22s. It’s more of a stealth-flavored Gen 4.5+ platform with incremental upgrades and relying on it to handle J-20s or buy time till AMCA is ready (~2040) is just not realistic unless we’re investing in massive sensor, EW, and stealth improvements ourselves.......The Su-30MKI and BrahMos became game-changers after significant Indian customization, not out of the box........The Su-57, right now, is still a prototype heavy, underfunded, and tactically limited bird not a silver bullet.

And let’s not kid ourselves......stealth isn't just marketing, it's the foundation of modern air superiority.........In a battlespace saturated with AWACS, ground-based AESA radars, long-range SAMs, and passive RF/IR sensors, whoever sees first and shoots first will win........That’s why the F-22 and F-35 are built from the ground up to be VLO across all aspects, not just the front.......They’re designed to survive, dominate, and vanish before an enemy can even lock on.......The Su-57, with its visible engine face, hot circular nozzles, poor rear-aspect RCS, and exposed seams, simply can’t stay hidden in the same way...........It's stealth-flavored at best not true low observable........Without deep, multi-aspect stealth, you're always at a disadvantage in BVR and by the time you’re maneuvering within visual range, you're already in a losing fight against a jet that was never seen........So yeah, the Su-57 might have potential, but in its current state, it’s not the game-changer it's hyped up to be especially not against peer-level stealth adversaries or advanced IADS...........If you can't survive in the first 30 seconds of detection, all the supermaneuverability and radar range in the world won’t matter regards.

 

[babablacksheep]

Bro, comparing the Su-57 to the F-22 like the Su-27 was to the F-15 just doesn't hold water when you dig into the tech.........The Su-27 could match the F-15 in kinematics and sensors because both were true Gen-4 contemporaries, but the Su-57 is nowhere near the F-22 in true 5th-gen standards Stealth-wise.........the Su-57 has multiple fundamental design flaws........ its planform alignment is broken by rounded LERX shoulders, protruding control surfaces, and an IRST mounted outside the fuselage with a spherical dome, which reflects radar energy even if turned backward..........That IRST isn’t flush-mounted or faceted like it would be in a serious VLO design......The side weapon bay doors, panel seams, and ramps around the engine intakes all have sharp angular discontinuities that defeat radar shaping principles compare that to the F-22’s seamless edge alignment and faceted shaping.........Su-57’s engine intakes are too shallow to fully hide the engine face.....radar can bounce right off the compressor blades in certain aspects, which massively increases RCS....and let’s not ignore one of the biggest giveaways in Su-57’s design, no proper S-duct inlets......That’s not just a design choice, it’s a fundamental compromise........In any real stealth aircraft like F-22, F-35......the engine intakes use S-shaped ducts to hide the turbine face from radar , Why?......Because the spinning compressor blades are giant radar reflectors.......they light up like a Christmas tree when seen head-on in X-band........Su-57 uses relatively straight intake ducts, which means from certain angles, especially off-axis frontal views, radar waves have a clear line-of-sight to the engine face.........It tries to compensate with radar blockers or serrated edge structures, but that’s a half-measure..........it doesn’t eliminate the RCS spike, just reduces it a bit. This is basic stuff in stealth design........The F-22 completely hides its engine faces behind curved intakes and RAM-coated serpentine channels nothing bounces back......... In contrast, the Su-57’s design prioritizes kinematics and airflow efficiency over signature control which is why it's not truly VLO (Very Low Observable).......You can't call something a full stealth jet if you can see the compressor blades from the front.

Even more obviously.......Russia’s RAM technology is known to be less mature, requiring thicker layers and more frequent maintenance, which raises both weight and logistical footprint.,....On the avionics front, yes, it has a multi-radar setup, the N036 Byelka AESA in the nose and L-band arrays in the wings but sensor fusion is nowhere near Western standards....... Russia still hasn’t demonstrated seamless multi-sensor data fusion, which is critical to exploiting stealth in networked warfare......The F-22 has been fusing AESA, EW, and SIGINT data through its Common Integrated Processor since the 2000s........The Su-57’s cockpit and displays are still closer to 4.5-gen platforms, lacking full helmet-mounted cueing, and the voice-assistance AI is years behind what’s fielded in even upgraded Rafales or F-35s.......also, let’s not forget operational maturity......... Less than 25 Su-57s exist as of 2025 , many of them test articles with no confirmed combat usage in any contested airspace, no kills, and no full IADS integration. The F-22, on the other hand, has 180+ aircraft, over a decade of deployments.

So no, Su-57 isn’t some next-gen killer designed to hunt F-22s. It’s more of a stealth-flavored Gen 4.5+ platform with incremental upgrades and relying on it to handle J-20s or buy time till AMCA is ready (~2040) is just not realistic unless we’re investing in massive sensor, EW, and stealth improvements ourselves.......The Su-30MKI and BrahMos became game-changers after significant Indian customization, not out of the box........The Su-57, right now, is still a prototype heavy, underfunded, and tactically limited bird not a silver bullet.

And let’s not kid ourselves......stealth isn't just marketing, it's the foundation of modern air superiority.........In a battlespace saturated with AWACS, ground-based AESA radars, long-range SAMs, and passive RF/IR sensors, whoever sees first and shoots first will win........That’s why the F-22 and F-35 are built from the ground up to be VLO across all aspects, not just the front.......They’re designed to survive, dominate, and vanish before an enemy can even lock on.......The Su-57, with its visible engine face, hot circular nozzles, poor rear-aspect RCS, and exposed seams, simply can’t stay hidden in the same way...........It's stealth-flavored at best not true low observable........Without deep, multi-aspect stealth, you're always at a disadvantage in BVR and by the time you’re maneuvering within visual range, you're already in a losing fight against a jet that was never seen........So yeah, the Su-57 might have potential, but in its current state, it’s not the game-changer it's hyped up to be especially not against peer-level stealth adversaries or advanced IADS...........If you can't survive in the first 30 seconds of detection, all the supermaneuverability and radar range in the world won’t matter regards.

Lots of right base info, but lots of wrong conclusions and "Over-exaggerated negatives".
Consequences of half cherry picked info.

If I have to choose between current su57 with al41 vs f22, I will choose su57 over f22, even though f22 is more stealthy.

And su57 is vlo, it's the least stealthy vlo jet, but it is a vlo jet, it's not semi stealth( unless it's irst if open and working) or 4.5+ or 4.9 gen, it has 5th gen level stealth, well "barely" but it is a VLO jet.

 

[RationalGuy]

How is that a argument?
No body with actual knowledge fears f22 against su57, j20.
It's general populace hype.



They do, they expose vunrabilities, vunrablity that f22 is relatively easy to jam, the same vunrability that f35 doesn't have.


Yeah, Let's try do that against stealth jets also then.




No, where did you get the number?
It's rcs in simulation is between 0.3-0.8m2.
If we apply ram that absorb 20dbsm( standard)
Then the no. We get is -15 to -20 dbsm at most, not -27dbsm, and that is when irst is also assumed to be covered by this ram, I.e. closed irst.
Open irst causes rcs spike of 0.1m2, I.e 10dbsm.
View attachment 44887

Essentially, with irst closed and assumed RAM su57 has frontal rcs in range of 0.01-0.03 m2.
With
With irst open it's rcs becomes more than 0.1m2, essential entering LO level, most stealthy LO but not VLO.

In comparison.
J20 when we apply -20dbsm ram, has rcs value in 0.001-0.005 m2 range.
F35 will be 0.0005-0.001m2 range.

As you can see j20'a frontal rcs is much closer to f35 than to su57.
Su57 with irst closed is barely vlo.
J20 in terms of stealth, while lower than f35, is in same realm of f35, not su57.








Eots is a stealthy crystal dome has houses irst and laser designator I'm case of f35.
Su57 also has irst, but is not housed in any stealthy dome unlike f35 and j20.
And already showed to effect of irst when it's working on rcs of su57.


I wouldn't, not in its current form.


Better than other options than we have I guess, but putting thar irst in a stealthy housing is a must demand we should make.

I wonder how stealthy AMCA will be.

 

[babablacksheep]

I wonder how stealthy AMCA will be.

Won't talk about ram and materials.
But just based on shape, stealthier than both f35 and f22.
Infact I would say design wise amca is the best blend between f22 and f35( though lighter than both), superior stealth +super maneuverability +super cruise.
Ideal 5th gen physical and kinematics specs.

 

[Rajput Lion]

I wonder how stealthy AMCA will be.

Most stealthiest 5th gen ever built. Mark it.

 

[RationalGuy]

Won't talk about ram and materials.
But just based on shape, stealthier than both f35 and f22.
Infact I would say design wise amca is the best blend between f22 and f35( though lighter than both), superior stealth +super maneuverability +super cruise.
Ideal 5th gen physical and kinematics specs.

It will be even more stealthier than F22!?!?! . BTW ik it may be an outrageous and naive question but in terms of stealth, will there be a huge difference between AMCA and say J36? How survivable will AMCA be infront of J36?

 

[Hydra]

It's designed to kill F-22 just like Su-27 was designed to kill F-15. Russians don't fail in their goals. They have world's best IADS, best hypersonic weapons, best ICBMs and there is no reason why Su-57 would fail to meet its goal. Look how Su-30 MKI and BrahMos became two game-changing weapons of the latest Ops after MKI was trashed by everyone for its so called huge RCS, lol.

Regarding Su-57's stealth; the IRST ball can rotate backwards when not in use and its back side is covered in RAM. So, don't think it is any problem. Anyways, the point is that for us it is good enough to kill Chinese Stealth jets and give us breathing space till AMCA is full combat ready(~2040). Very soon we shall hear some progress regarding this front.

It's the Brahmos's work not MKI. If you are aprreciating MKI for the workdone by Brahmos, then you should appreciate Jaguar for the result brought by Rampage.

 

[babablacksheep]

It will be even more stealthier than F22!?!?! . BTW ik it may be an outrageous and naive question but in terms of stealth, will there be a huge difference between AMCA and say J36? How survivable will AMCA be infront of J36?

In L and vhf band j36 will have better stealth characteristics, due to its design and large size.

In X band, IMO amca will still have better stealth from front(smaller profile) though very minor gap, insignificant to say the least.

As for how survivable, it's VERY complex.

In short.
Amca most likely won't directly face it, but the powerful radars, other avionics ,electricals that j36 will have, with those it can act as a large mother ship/ air cruiser providing data to other jets/CCAs to lock onto the target.

amca, f35, j35, j20 are fighter jets, if we take these in naval terms they will be "frigates/destroyers".

While j36 Will be a cruiser/flag ship/command ship.

 

[randomradio]

Bro, comparing the Su-57 to the F-22 like the Su-27 was to the F-15 just doesn't hold water when you dig into the tech.........The Su-27 could match the F-15 in kinematics and sensors because both were true Gen-4 contemporaries, but the Su-57 is nowhere near the F-22 in true 5th-gen standards Stealth-wise.........the Su-57 has multiple fundamental design flaws........ its planform alignment is broken by rounded LERX shoulders, protruding control surfaces, and an IRST mounted outside the fuselage with a spherical dome, which reflects radar energy even if turned backward..........That IRST isn’t flush-mounted or faceted like it would be in a serious VLO design......The side weapon bay doors, panel seams, and ramps around the engine intakes all have sharp angular discontinuities that defeat radar shaping principles compare that to the F-22’s seamless edge alignment and faceted shaping.........Su-57’s engine intakes are too shallow to fully hide the engine face.....radar can bounce right off the compressor blades in certain aspects, which massively increases RCS....and let’s not ignore one of the biggest giveaways in Su-57’s design, no proper S-duct inlets......That’s not just a design choice, it’s a fundamental compromise........In any real stealth aircraft like F-22, F-35......the engine intakes use S-shaped ducts to hide the turbine face from radar , Why?......Because the spinning compressor blades are giant radar reflectors.......they light up like a Christmas tree when seen head-on in X-band........Su-57 uses relatively straight intake ducts, which means from certain angles, especially off-axis frontal views, radar waves have a clear line-of-sight to the engine face.........It tries to compensate with radar blockers or serrated edge structures, but that’s a half-measure..........it doesn’t eliminate the RCS spike, just reduces it a bit. This is basic stuff in stealth design........The F-22 completely hides its engine faces behind curved intakes and RAM-coated serpentine channels nothing bounces back......... In contrast, the Su-57’s design prioritizes kinematics and airflow efficiency over signature control which is why it's not truly VLO (Very Low Observable).......You can't call something a full stealth jet if you can see the compressor blades from the front.

Blocker. Not engine blades.





As per Pralay, the IRST will be faceted.

Even more obviously.......Russia’s RAM technology is known to be less mature, requiring thicker layers and more frequent maintenance, which raises both weight and logistical footprint.,....On the avionics front, yes, it has a multi-radar setup, the N036 Byelka AESA in the nose and L-band arrays in the wings but sensor fusion is nowhere near Western standards....... Russia still hasn’t demonstrated seamless multi-sensor data fusion, which is critical to exploiting stealth in networked warfare......The F-22 has been fusing AESA, EW, and SIGINT data through its Common Integrated Processor since the 2000s........The Su-57’s cockpit and displays are still closer to 4.5-gen platforms, lacking full helmet-mounted cueing, and the voice-assistance AI is years behind what’s fielded in even upgraded Rafales or F-35s.......also, let’s not forget operational maturity......... Less than 25 Su-57s exist as of 2025 , many of them test articles with no confirmed combat usage in any contested airspace, no kills, and no full IADS integration. The F-22, on the other hand, has 180+ aircraft, over a decade of deployments.

Russia uses RAS baked into the composite airframe, not just RAM.

Yes to software, but there's time. They will eventually catch up, it's not about capability but accumulation. Takes time to get software working.

The cockpit is really good. The new HMDS is advanced too.

Operational maturity will be achieved by the end of the decade.

So no, Su-57 isn’t some next-gen killer designed to hunt F-22s. It’s more of a stealth-flavored Gen 4.5+ platform with incremental upgrades and relying on it to handle J-20s or buy time till AMCA is ready (~2040) is just not realistic unless we’re investing in massive sensor, EW, and stealth improvements ourselves.......The Su-30MKI and BrahMos became game-changers after significant Indian customization, not out of the box........The Su-57, right now, is still a prototype heavy, underfunded, and tactically limited bird not a silver bullet.

The Su-57S(?), possibly. But the definitive model is the Su-57M1. For introduction in 2026, it's coming with a wider airframe and new engine and sensors. It's much more stealthy than the basic design.

How Dangerous is Russia’s Enhanced Su-57M1 Fighter? Enlarged Airframe and AI Upgrades Raise Combat Potential

The Komsomolsk-on-Amur Aviation Plant in the Russian Far East is preparing to transition from production of the baseline Su-57 fighter, to the enhanced Su-57M1 variant,

militarywatchmagazine.com

And let’s not kid ourselves......stealth isn't just marketing, it's the foundation of modern air superiority.........In a battlespace saturated with AWACS, ground-based AESA radars, long-range SAMs, and passive RF/IR sensors, whoever sees first and shoots first will win........That’s why the F-22 and F-35 are built from the ground up to be VLO across all aspects, not just the front.......They’re designed to survive, dominate, and vanish before an enemy can even lock on.......The Su-57, with its visible engine face, hot circular nozzles, poor rear-aspect RCS, and exposed seams, simply can’t stay hidden in the same way...........It's stealth-flavored at best not true low observable........Without deep, multi-aspect stealth, you're always at a disadvantage in BVR and by the time you’re maneuvering within visual range, you're already in a losing fight against a jet that was never seen........So yeah, the Su-57 might have potential, but in its current state, it’s not the game-changer it's hyped up to be especially not against peer-level stealth adversaries or advanced IADS...........If you can't survive in the first 30 seconds of detection, all the supermaneuverability and radar range in the world won’t matter regards.

It has all the bells and whistles the F-22 and F-35 have when it comes to stealth.

We are yet to see the definitive model that will enter serial production. But I'm not a fan of buiying this model yet though, if we decide to go for it. A second evolution is necessary. We need more advanced avionics.

 

[Speedster1]

Frankly, there have been no updates on the operational status of Su-57 in RuAF service (for obvious reasons- they are at war) to make a fair assessment. All we have are brochures and unsubstantiated claims from the manufacturers which could well be exaggerated.

In such circumstances, we should consider leasing a few birds and test drive them in our operational environment, much like the Su-30Ks we returned after the definitive MKI std was developed. Even if the stealth isn't full-spec, it'd be interesting to know the level of systems integration, including weapons on the Felon. We've been suckered by the Russians many times before and should be looking to cover all our bases this time.

 

[Gautam]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1938636240276103482

 

[Harpy1]

When is the flat nozzle su57 coming out guys
And the new fifth generation engines
We already have the Aesa radar
Some people have been critical of the overall finish too many rivets but surely we can improve this
India needs a improved above Su57e by 2030/2032

Because the first Amca squadron will.not come until 2040 imo
We need Su57e about 60 planes along side 140 super Mki by 2035 max

 

[Gautam]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1938799238751682790

https://twitter.com/x/status/1938803366924005605

https://twitter.com/x/status/1938849421816668318

 

[Rajput Lion]

It's the Brahmos's work not MKI. If you are aprreciating MKI for the workdone by Brahmos, then you should appreciate Jaguar for the result brought by Rampage.

It's always a combo Jack! Do you expect MKI to fall on its targets kamikaze style? It needs to fire weapons to be effective. In the end all fighter jets are weapons delivery platforms and are as good as their weapons package. So, MKI gets the credit because it's the ONLY plane in our inventory that can carry and deliver BrahMos-A: the game-changing weapon of the conflict. Secondly, MKI did awesome job in air-to-air domain as well. Get smart.

 

[Hydra]

It's always a combo Jack! Do you expect MKI to fall on its targets kamikaze style? It needs to fire weapons to be effective. In the end all fighter jets are weapons delivery platforms and are as good as their weapons package. So, MKI gets the credit because it's the ONLY plane in our inventory that can carry and deliver BrahMos-A: the game-changing weapon of the conflict. Secondly, MKI did awesome job in air-to-air domain as well. Get smart.

You were advertising MKI for the same success, same level of success were shown by Jaguar too. Why don't you advertising Jaguar the way you advertise mki?