A compact hypersonic missile housed in the inner compartment of the Russian fifth-generation Su-57 fighter jet could “change the rules of the game,” writes The Drive.
“Although the details of the speed and range of the declared new weapon are unknown, the missile could hit targets in a very short time, giving very little time for a response,” the American publication says.
According to The Drive, a promising hypersonic weapon can be based, in particular, on the Russian-Indian BrahMos-II missile, which, in turn, is based on the supersonic BrahMos-I, or on the Russian Zircon.
The publication notes that the presence of hypersonic weapons in the Su-57 will increase the attractiveness of the fighter for foreign customers. “Only time will tell if this new weapon, which is being reported, is real,” is the publication.
In February, RIA Novosti, citing a source in the military-industrial complex, reported that the Su-57 was tested with mock-ups of a superweapon – a new hypersonic missile. The interlocutor of the agency added that in the near future, it is planned to conduct throw tests with new missiles belonging to the air-to-surface class.