In early October 2025, a rare and powerful image surfaced globally, showcasing Russia’s emerging light stealth fighter, the Su-75 “Checkmate,” standing side by side with the heavyweight Su-57 “Felon.”

This marked the first known time these two advanced fifth-generation fighters were pictured together beyond digital renders and air show displays, capturing significant attention from defence analysts and aviation experts worldwide.

The photograph, shared widely on social media platforms such as X (formerly Twitter) on October 2, 2025, revealed the size and design contrasts between the single-engine Checkmate and the twin-engine Su-57. Located most likely at the Komsomolsk-on-Amur Aircraft Plant (KnAAZ) — Russia's main production facility for both aircraft — the image symbolises Moscow’s strategic effort to maintain and grow its aerospace capabilities despite ongoing geopolitical challenges.

The Su-75 “Checkmate” project appears to be progressing rapidly, with industry insiders confirming advanced prototype assembly and ground testing phases. Flight testing could commence late in 2025 or early 2026, underlining Russia’s commitment to bolstering its military aviation forces and securing a competitive foothold in the global export fighter market amid Western sanctions and resource constraints.

The Su-57 “Felon” stands as Russia’s premier stealth fighter, designed to rival American platforms like the F-22 Raptor and F-35 Lightning II. First flown in 2010 and operational since 2020, the Su-57 integrates stealth features, supercruise capability, and extreme maneuverability for roles spanning air superiority, deep strike, and electronic warfare. Its twin AL-41F1 engines enable speeds up to Mach 2 and sustained Mach 1.6 without afterburners.

The Su-57’s stealth is achieved through advanced radar-absorbent materials, internal weapons bays, and carefully designed structural features, delivering a radar cross-section estimated between 0.1 m² and 1 m². It features cutting-edge avionics including the N036 Byelka AESA radar, infrared search and track (IRST) systems, and a comprehensive electronic warfare suite. Armed with a versatile arsenal, including longer-range air-to-air missiles and hypersonic-capable weapons like derivatives of the Kinzhal missile, the Su-57 excels in contested airspaces.

Operational experience in Syria and Ukraine has proven the Su-57’s capabilities in precision strikes and reconnaissance, reinforcing its role as a multi-theatre asset. Around 22 Su-57 jets are reportedly active with Russian Aerospace Forces, with expectations for scaled-up production as “Product 30” engine upgrades and improved avionics mature.

The Su-75 “Checkmate,” publicly unveiled in 2021 at the MAKS Air Show, is Russia’s answer for a more affordable, export-friendly fifth-generation fighter. Designed as a single-engine stealth aircraft, it shares significant design and technology elements with the Su-57 but aims at cost reduction and streamlined production to attract global customers, especially those transitioning from fourth-generation fighters.

Cost estimates suggest a unit price under USD 30 million, nearly half that of the Su-57, making the Checkmate competitive in export markets. The aircraft exhibits stealth-optimised features such as a diverterless supersonic inlet, V-tail configuration, and fully internal weapons bays. Powered by the AL-51F-1 engine — a lighter, more efficient variant of the Su-57’s AL-41F1 — it can reach speeds beyond Mach 2.1 with an operational range up to 2,800 kilometres.

Its avionics include the Zhuk-MAE AESA radar and the OLS-50M targeting system, enhanced by AI-driven mission management for semi-autonomous operations. Plans also include two-seat trainer variants and a “loyal wingman” unmanned version that can network with Su-57 units, reflecting growing trends toward manned-unmanned team tactics in modern air combat.

The image showing Su-75 alongside Su-57 is more than a show piece; it represents Russia’s strategic “high-low mix” concept, combining the premium high-performance Su-57 with the cost-effective Su-75 for broader operational and export utility. This mirrors strategies by countries operating mixed stealth fighter fleets, such as the US with its F-22 and F-35 platforms.

The technological synergy between these two fighters extends to shared radar technology, avionics architecture, data links, and potentially engine families, allowing Russia to reduce production complexity and maintain operational interoperability. This scalability supports a flexible air power model, deploying Su-57s for demanding missions and Su-75s for tactical roles or export clients.

However, the Su-75 program faces significant hurdles. Western sanctions have restricted access to critical microelectronics and advanced composite materials, compelling Russian engineers to innovate with domestic alternatives. Engine development prioritises the Product 30 for the Su-57 before adapting its derivatives for the Su-75, meaning operational readiness could be delayed beyond initial 2026 projections.

Financial pressures from ongoing conflicts limit Moscow’s ability to fully fund rapid mass production, heightening reliance on foreign export contracts to sustain development momentum. Still, the prototype’s emergence and public pairing with the Su-57 confirm Russia’s persistence in fielding a parallel stealth fighter line up.

Strategically, the checkmate-Su-57 tandem signifies a doctrinal shift to emphasising force multiplication via scalable stealth platforms supported by AI-enhanced autonomy and sensor fusion rather than sheer numerical parity with NATO. The Su-75’s modularity, low radar profile, and multi-role adaptability could enable swarm tactics alongside unmanned platforms like the S-70 Okhotnik-B stealth drone, expanding Russia’s tactical options.

Export ambitions for the Su-75 are robust, targeting countries such as Iran, Algeria, Vietnam, Myanmar, with tentative interest from Argentina. However, India is exploring options of manufacturing the stealth fighter locally. Its flexible open-architecture avionics and compatibility with Russian munitions promise buyers independence from Western embargoes, broadening Russia’s geopolitical influence and defence industry revenues.

The October 2025 photo of the Su-75 “Checkmate” beside the Su-57 “Felon” is a vivid milestone, embodying Russia’s determination to sustain cutting-edge stealth air power through a cost-effective, dual-platform approach. As flight tests approach, the global defence community awaits to see if the Checkmate can fulfil its promise to disrupt Western dominance and reshape fifth-generation fighter economics worldwide.

IDN (With Agency Inputs)