The Sukhoi Su-57E made a stunning aerobatic display at the Dubai Air Show 2025, marking its first appearance in the Middle East.

The aircraft showcased advanced manoeuvres including high-G turns, high-alpha aggressive moves, thrust-vectoring transitions, and slow-speed control, thrilling spectators with raw and cinematic close-ups.

The Su-57E's performance demonstrated Russia’s fifth-generation stealth fighter capabilities despite Western sanctions, emphasising its agility, stealth features, and technological advancements such as stealthy flat thrust nozzles and advanced air-launched weapons.

The display was piloted by renowned Russian test pilot Sergey Bogdan and included a rare opening of internal weapon bays exhibiting missiles like the Kh-58USHK anti-radiation missile and R-74 air-to-air missiles.

This display was one of the main highlights of the show and reflected Russia’s aim to showcase its aerospace and defence innovation to an international audience, alongside other defence systems at the event.​​

The Sukhoi Su-57 is equipped with advanced thrust vectoring and flight control features that significantly enhance its supermanoeuvrability and combat effectiveness.

Thrust Vectoring Features

The Su-57 uses 3D thrust vectoring nozzles on its two Saturn AL-41F1 engines that can deflect up to ±16° in all axes. These nozzles are canted at an angle, allowing vectoring in one plane but differential control of each nozzle to produce thrust vectoring moments in pitch, yaw, and roll axes.

This asymmetric thrust vectoring enables the aircraft to perform extreme manoeuvres such as Pugachev's Cobra and the Herbst manoeuvre while maintaining control at high angles of attack and low airspeeds.

The nozzles have a flattened, two-dimensional design that reduces radar and infrared signatures, enhancing stealth while maintaining thrust vectoring capabilities.

The thrust vectoring system works in conjunction with the flight control surfaces to provide immediate and precise aircraft response, even at near-zero speeds, facilitating "super-agility" manoeuvres.

Flight Control Features

The Su-57 incorporates a sophisticated fly-by-wire flight control system (KSU-50), with pressure and angle of attack sensors providing real-time aerodynamic data.

It has electrically controlled Leading Edge Vortex Controllers (LEVCONs) at the wing root, which modify the aerodynamic centre and help maintain stability and control at very high angles of attack (up to 60°), even during partial wing stall situations.

The LEVCONs also stabilize the nose and manage airflow to optimize engine thrust at extreme flight conditions.

The aircraft has all-moving horizontal and vertical stabilisers, with canted vertical stabilisers reducing radar cross-section and improving directional control.

Integrated canards and lift-nose surfaces work alongside thrust vectoring and LEVCONs to maximise manoeuvrability.

The computerised flight control system couples thrust vectoring nozzles and aerodynamic control surfaces, automatically adjusting for optimal control and stability during complex flight manoeuvres.

This combined system enables the Su-57 to perform post-stall and flat spin manoeuvres, enhancing pilot control beyond conventional fighter envelopes.

In essence, the Su-57's thrust vectoring and flight control systems work together to deliver exceptional agility, allowing it to perform advanced aerobatic and combat manoeuvres with precision, stealth, and resilience. These features provide a notable tactical advantage in air combat by expanding the aircraft's flight envelope well beyond traditional limits.​

Additionally, the Su-57E performance at Aero India 2025 in Bangalore earlier this year was captured in a popular high-definition video, emphasising the aircraft's extreme manoeuvrability and crowd appeal, highlighting the aircraft’s global exhibition tour this year.​

The Su-57’s aerobatic display at Dubai Air Show 2025 was a vivid demonstration of Russia’s cutting-edge 5th-generation stealth fighter, combining sophisticated technology and impressive flight dynamics, which captured international attention and bought fresh focus to Russian aerospace capabilities.​​

IDN (With Agency Inputs)