The Russian fifth generation Su-57 fighter will not be able to defeat the American F-35 Lightning II in modern combat, writes The National Interest.
The American magazine drew attention to the January statement of the Honored Test Pilot of Russia Magomed Tolboev, according to which the first aircraft, due to its maneuverability, will defeat the second in one-on-one air combat. The test pilot then admitted that “now is not the time when you are fighting one on one.”
Commenting on this statement by Tolbolev, in The National Interest, one-on-one air battles were recognized as “idealized relics of a bygone era.” They are also confident that any collision between the F-35 and the Su-57 will involve, in particular, the participation of modern air defense systems (air defense) and radar stations (radar).
“Two solo pilots fighting in an aerial duel create an exciting plot for an action movie, but have nothing to do with the reality of war in the 21st century,” the newspaper claims.
Nevertheless, The National Interest admits that “all other things being equal, the F-35 pilot will do everything in his power not to engage in battle with the enemy Su-57 at all.” “In all likelihood, the F-35, caught in this contrived hypothetical situation, will use its advantages in stealth, trying to evade the approaching Su-57,” the magazine writes.
In January, Popular Mechanics reported that former Acting US Secretary of Defense (November 9, 2020 to January 20, 2021) Christopher Miller, during a press conference, called the American fifth-generation F-35 Lightning II fighter “a piece.” .. “.
In the same month, the government of the Khabarovsk Territory announced that the first serial fighter of the fifth generation, the Su-57, was handed over to the Russian Armed Forces.