– Vinayak Barot
New Delhi: Russia has started working on the drone variant of Sukhoi-57 to make the ‘remote-controlled’ fighter stealth jets the first unmanned fifth-generation aircraft able to be operated away from potentially unsafe skies, safely, according to media reports. .
“The designer of the Sukhoi-57, United Aircraft Corporation (UAC) is working on it,” the reports said adding, “Once again Russia tries to prove ‘anything you do, I can do better.”
The CEO of the UAC Yuri Slyusar said “Indeed, we are considering the options of the remotely piloted mode on many platforms and, of course, such work is being carried out on the Su-57”
The Sukhoi-57 fighter jet has the capacity to fly at the speed of 1.5 Mach, and designed to have advance level avionics, stealth, and super-maneuverability. Sukhoi-57 is capable of developing supersonic cruising speed and is furnished with the most advanced on-board radio-electronic equipment.
The radar system covers its body and some other innovations. It is strong enough and designed to destroy all types of air, ground, and naval targets.
This innovation of Russia, will diminish the cost of Russian air force and the Unmanned flights will also enable the Russian Air Force to train their ‘Remote Pilots’ cheaper than it will to train an actual pilot flying the Su-57s.
Russia expects, once it passes the challenges or hurdles of science and operability to fly the plane on its own, a better deal as compared to it being an operated drone, if the aircraft is cut off from its controller due to some foul play or another uncertain course of events, the reports said.
