Russia Flies Two-Seat Su-57 Fighter Prototype for First Time

Russia's United Aircraft Corporation has flown a two-seat Su-57 prototype for the first time. The variant is designed for pilot training and as a command platform for coordinating manned and unmanned operations.

Official imagery released through Russian industry channels shows the dual-seat version making what was reportedly its first flight at an airfield in Russia. According to the United Aircraft Corporation, the flight was conducted by Sergei Bogdan, chief test pilot at the Sukhoi Design Bureau, and proceeded as planned in accordance with the flight mission parameters.

“Flight tests have begun on the prototype of the Su-57, a fifth-generation two-seater fighter. This aircraft, developed independently by our aircraft manufacturers, will, in addition to its unique combat characteristics, also possess the capabilities of a combat trainer and a command and control aircraft,” said Denis Manturov, First Deputy Prime Minister of Russia.

The new aircraft features an elongated cockpit canopy with a steep elevated position for a second crew member behind the pilot. The second crew member may eventually direct formations of Sukhoi S-70 Okhotnik-B UCAVs, building on prior experiments linking the Okhotnik drone to single-seat Su-57 prototypes.

“We are continuing our work on improving and expanding the capabilities of our most advanced fifth-generation aircraft complex. I am confident that the two-seater version of the aircraft will significantly contribute to its success in foreign markets," — Vadim Badeha, CEO of UAC. Accommodating a second seat will likely require internal rearrangement involving avionics bays, fuel storage, and mission systems. These changes will also have a negative impact on the aircraft’s low-observability characteristics and performance.”

The appearance of the twin-seat Su-57D places Russia in a very exclusive club. At present, China is the only other nation publicly associated with a two-seat fifth-generation fighter program through its Chengdu J-20S variant. The emergence of the aircraft is also intriguing in the context of the abandoned Indo-Russian FGFA program, an effort once intended to create a customized export version of the Su-57 for India.

One of New Delhi’s longstanding requests involved a two-seat configuration, but negotiations collapsed years ago amid disagreements over technology transfer, performance concerns, and design priorities. ” The project may be aimed largely at attracting more international buyers for the Su-57, which has so far struggled to find export interest amid intensifying global competition in the stealth fighter market.