Russia's Su-57 Vs America's F-35 Lightning II: Which Stealth Fighter Jet Will India Choose?

During a recent meeting with PM Modi at the White House, US President Donald Trump offered India to purchase the advanced American F-35 Lightning II stealth fighter jets.

However, Russian defence major Rosoboronexport has also expressed its desire to sell its fifth-generation fighter Su-57E to India. 

A comparison between the American F-35 and Russian Su-57E is given below:

F-35 LIGHTNING II

Developed by Lockheed Martin, the F-35 is a state-of-the-art single-engine, single-seat stealth multirole fighter aircraft designed to perform a variety of missions, such as air-to-air combat, air-to-ground strikes, and intelligence gathering.

The F-35 comes in 3 variants:

• F-35A: A conventional take-off and landing variant for the US Air Force

• F-35B: A short take-off and vertical landing variant for the US Marine Corps

• F-35C: The third is a carrier-based variant for the US Navy

It has a top speed of Mach 1.6 (approximately 1,931 km/h), and a combat range of around 1,500 kilometres, along with advanced stealth capabilities making it less detectable to enemy radar systems.

Equipped with sophisticated avionics and sensor systems, the F-35 has enhanced situational awareness and combat effectiveness. The aircraft is known for its stealth capabilities.

SUKHOI SU-57

Russia's Sukhoi company’s Su-57 is a twin-engine, fifth-generation stealth multirole fighter aircraft designed for air superiority and strike missions. It is capable of engaging both aerial and ground targets. 

The aircraft has advanced avionics, manoeuvrability, and stealth technology. It is designed for agility and speed to achieve air dominance.  

One of the most expensive fighter jets in history, each unit of F-35 costs between $80 million and $110 million, depending on the variant.

Additionally, its lifetime operational cost is estimated to exceed $1.5 trillion over the program's lifespan.

In contrast, the Russian Su-57 is significantly cheaper, with an estimated unit cost of $35 million to $40 million less than half the price of an American F-35. 

However, the American fighter jet, the F-35 has a larger global supply chain, more advanced avionics, and extensive NATO interoperability. 

India's stand

Historically, India has a longstanding defence relationship with Russia but the US offer presents India with an opportunity to diversify and integrate advanced Western technology into its military. 

Meanwhile, India is also pursuing its indigenous fifth-generation fighter program, the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA). At this point, obtaining foreign stealth fighters could impact the development and funding of the country’s AMCA project.

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