Russia develops hypersonic missile for its new Su-57 fighter jet
Russian defense companies have developed a small hypersonic missile for the Russian fifth generation Su-57 fighter, reported TASS, citing sources in the defense industry.
According to one of the agency's interlocutors, it is an air-to-surface missile which will be loaded inside the fighter. A second source confirmed that the missile is being developed but clarified that it had not yet been tested with the launcher. The agency's interlocutors have not provided the characteristics of the new missile.
At the end of January, it was reported that the newest hypersonic missile was developed for the Russian Pantsir air defense system.
According to Valery Slugin, the chief engineer of the Shipunov Instrument Design Bureau, which is a subsidiary of Russian Defense Concern Rostec, the missile can reach speeds of 5-Mach and above. Slugin said that this significantly increases Pantsir’s rate of fire.
In December 2019, Rostec’s CEO Sergey Chemezov announced that the "first large-scale deliveries" of fifth generation Su-57 fighter jets to the Russian Air Forces will begin in 2020. By 2028, Russian Air Forces expect to receive 76 such aircraft.
The Su-57 is a fifth-generation Russian fighter aircraft designed to destroy all types of air, land and surface targets. The fighter is characterized by low visibility and increased maneuverability.