A new promotional video reveals the internal weapons capabilities of the Su-57
Arab Defense Website – November 9, 2025: Russia is trying to revive international interest in its Su-57 fighter jet, publishing new promotional materials showing internal weapons bays and air-to-air missiles ahead of the 2025 Dubai Airshow.
The video was released by United Aircraft Corporation (UAC), part of the state defense industrial complex Rostec, and highlights a fighter capability Su-57 Felon To carry weapons inside the fuselage, which is a feature associated with designs that rely on reducing the radar signature.
Rostec confirmed that new versions of the Su-57 have entered service, and that the upgraded versions will have updated weapon systems and engines.
The layout of the internal weapons bays in the video shows an approach similar to that used on other fifth-generation fighters, where missiles and precision munitions are stored inside the hull to reduce the ability of radars to detect them. The promotional video focuses on this feature, as it shows the plane performing maneuvers with the weapons bay doors partially open and the missiles clearly visible.
The overall message of this presentation relates directly to Russia’s attempts to market the Su-57 as a competitive platform for export. Rostec has continued to emphasize that the aircraft is entering service on a larger scale and undergoing a gradual modernization process. The company said that the fighter will receive “updated weapon systems and engines,” without specifying a timetable for that.
On the sidelines of publishing the video, new information appeared on the Internet related to possible export plans for the fighter. A recent document said to be issued by Rostec was circulated, containing prices, delivery schedules, and export plans for advanced Sukhoi fighters to a number of foreign countries. The document refers to Iran, Algeria, and Ethiopia among the mentioned countries.
The material was published on October 3 by a hacking group known as Black Mirror, which claims to have obtained more than 300 internal documents from Rostec systems. These documents include – according to the group – correspondence, presentations, and export contracts related to defense cooperation plans, logistical arrangements to circumvent sanctions, and technical documents on deliveries.
The authenticity of these documents has not yet been independently verified, but analysts have indicated that their content is largely consistent with previous reports about negotiations between Moscow and a number of foreign defense ministries. The files also appear to be in line with previous reports indicating that Russia continues to seek external customers for its advanced fighters despite the pressures facing its military industry as a result of the requirements of the ongoing war.
The Sukhoi Su-57 is a fifth-generation multi-mission fighter aircraft designed to achieve superiority in air battles and long-range strikes through a combination of stealth properties, advanced aerodynamic capabilities, integrated sensor systems and a flexible weapons payload. In terms of stealth, the aircraft relies on fuselage shaping and techniques that reduce radar reflection and allow a number of missiles and munitions to be carried inside large internal containers in the fuselage instead of hanging them externally. This design reduces the radar signature during missions that require penetrating advanced defenses and is clearly visible in shots of opening internal weapons compartments.
In the kinetic domain, early versions were equipped with AL-41F1 engines (Izdeliye 117 version) with thrust and turbojet steerability allowing high maneuverability and speeds capable of exceeding Mach 2 in burst situations, while the newer/upgraded generation of engines known as the Izdeliye-30 (AL-51F1) provides significantly increased thrust, reduced thermal signature and improved fuel efficiency, enhancing operational range and thrust-to-weight ratio advantage. These engine improvements also aim to increase the ability to carry fuel and weapons reserves while maintaining outstanding maneuvering performance.
The Su-57’s electronic sensing and combat system is built around the N036 “Belika” integrated radar array (AESA) that combines forward and side X-wave arrays as well as L-wave arrays for identification and electronic capabilities; This architecture gives the aircraft the ability to simultaneously track multiple targets, SAR imaging of the Earth’s surface, and support electronic warfare and electronic intelligence missions with the integration of data from automated forward sighting devices (EOLS) and internal data exchange systems, making the aircraft an information node capable of operating in advanced combat networks.
In terms of armament, the Su-57 has large internal compartments and side exits that allow four to six internal medium- and long-range missiles to be carried in addition to short-range missiles in the side compartments. The compartment can be filled with precision guided munitions and 250-500 kg bombs to perform air-to-surface missions or anti-ship strikes with dedicated missiles. For missions that do not require stealth, external suspension points can be used to increase payloads, and some Russian missiles were designed to reduce their dimensions in order to be carried internally on this type of aircraft. The presence of an internal 30 mm cannon also provides the ability for short-range engagement.
From an operability and operability perspective, the Su-57 is built to be a phased upgradeable platform: avionics, mission and flight software packages are scalable, and advanced engines and weapon systems are gradually introduced into subsequent series production or via improved Su-57M packages. On the ground, production and deliveries have been relatively limited compared to Western fifth-generation aircraft, but statements by Russian aviation manufacturers and recent leaks indicate deliveries of additional batches and potential export plans to external customers.
Tactically, the Su-57’s design philosophy demonstrates an emphasis on survivability in hostile air defense environments through a combination of stealth and the ability to attack from long distances, then relying on aerodynamic performance, speed and maneuverability to complete the mission or withdraw, with the potential for integration into networked operations with other aircraft and sensor platforms. On the other hand, the weaknesses discussed by analysts include the delay in unifying the optimal engines in all units, the challenges of adjusting the radar and electronics system to achieve the expected performance at the fifth generation level, and the fact that the operational numbers available so far have not reached a level that allows them to appear in wide operational formations, as is the case with some of the most widespread fighters.
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