Why This 5th-Gen Aircraft Could Be a Game Changer
Now Playing Episode 0
General Russia Offers Su-57 Fighter Jet to India | Why This 5th-Gen Aircraft Could Be a Game Changer
Episode 0
Russia has offered India the formidable Su-57E fifth-generation stealth fighter, which could profoundly redefine South Asia's air combat dynamics and secure India's strategic future. With AI-assisted avionics, unparalleled supermaneuverability, and next-gen hypersonic missiles, the Su-57E promises unmatched air superiority against growing regional threats. Meanwhile, China is bolstering Pakistan with its advanced J-35A stealth jets, raising critical concerns over India's defense strategy and its aerial dominance. With India's own AMCA program facing delays, does the Su-57 deal now appear to be the most pragmatic and potent solution for its immediate defense needs? Watch the full breakdown of this high-stakes defense decision and its far-reaching implications for global security
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
India.com
3 hours ago
- India.com
Russia Offers Stealth Beast Su-57E To India With ‘Make-in-India' Twist
New Delhi: After the high-stakes 'Operation Sindoor', tensions between India and Pakistan have once again surged. In this new phase of defense recalibration, the spotlight is now on fifth-generation fighter jets. Russia has once again offered India its most advanced export fighter jet, the Su-57E. But this time, it is not just a sales pitch. The offer comes with a promise – deeper localisation, seamless integration with Indian systems and full support for Make-in-India defense ambitions. This new proposal includes some of the key technologies originally planned for India's Super-30 program, which is meant to upgrade the IAF's Su-30MKI fleet. The Su-57E would be equipped with GaN-based AESA radar and indigenous Indian mission computers. These additions not only supercharge Su-57E's combat capability but also ensure technical similarity with the Super-30 jets, streamlining maintenance and logistics for the Indian Air Force. Desi Missiles for a Russian Machine The real game-changer? The Su-57E would carry Indian-made beyond-visual-range air-to-air and air-to-surface missiles. This reduces dependency on foreign suppliers and aligns perfectly with India's growing self-reliance in defense manufacturing. Russia is also ready to allow India to make custom modifications to the aircraft. Sources suggest that even source codes and technology transfer are on the table. That means Indian firms, including HAL and private players, could co-produce this stealth jet. What Makes the Su-57E So Deadly? The Su-57E is Russia's only fifth-generation stealth fighter, designed to evade even the most advanced radar systems. It boasts of stealth shaping for low observability, supercruise capability and R-37M missiles with a staggering 400 km range. Moscow claims that the Su-57E outperforms even the French Rafale in certain combat scenarios, particularly in range and missile payload.
India Today
12 hours ago
- India Today
Union Minister downplays CDS statement on losses in operation against Pakistan
24:56 The government has approved the "execution model" for implementing a major indigenous project to develop India's fifth-generation, deep-penetration Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) for the Air Force, potentially making India the fourth country to possess such stealth fighter jets.
India Today
13 hours ago
- India Today
Why Pakistan-fired PL-15E missile's debris in India is China's worry
On the intervening night of May 6-7, India and Pakistan engaged in a high-stakes aerial stand-off, a non-conventional confrontation wherein neither side crossed the other's airspace. This clash, sparked by escalating tensions following the April 22 terror attack in Kashmir's Pahalgam, saw both nations deploy advanced fighter jets and missiles in a display of military under Operation Sindoor, fielded over four squadrons of its air force, including Rafale, Su-30 MKI, MiG-29 and Mirage 2000 jets, armed with BrahMos and SCALP-EG cruise missiles, AASM Hammer guided bombs for ground strikes, and Meteor missiles for air-to-air countered with more than 40 jets, including the US-supplied F-16 Vipers and Chinese J-10C and JF-17 Thunder fighters, firing PL-15E air-to-air missiles acquired from China and Fatah-II rockets at Indian is clear now how China cast a long shadow over the conflict. Indian military officials have accused Beijing of bolstering Pakistan with air defence and satellite systems, which apparently fell short in performance against the Indian aerial offensive. Amidst the three days of intense missile and drone exchanges between India and Pakistan, debris from a Chinese PL-15E missile, launched by a J-10C or JF-17 jet of the Pakistan air force, was found near Kamahi Devi village in Punjab's Hoshiarpur portions of the missile, including its propulsion, data-link, inertial unit and advanced active electronically scanned array (AESA) seeker, were found to be intact. The debris find has drawn global attention, with the Five Eyes alliance (United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and New Zealand), Japan and South Korea having requested access to study its dual-pulse motor and AESA technology. This reflects global concerns about China's advancing military defence scientists now possess this debris, leading to speculation about potential reverse-engineering to bolster India's own beyond-visual-range missile programmes, such as the upgraded Astra missile, and to probably rule out technical glitches in its defence ministry spokesperson Zhang Xiaogang, during a briefing on May 29, sidestepped questions about the efficacy of these systems, instead urging India and Pakistan to exercise restraint. 'India and Pakistan are neighbours who cannot be moved. We hope both sides will remain calm to avoid further complicating the situation,' he said, adding that China was willing to play a constructive role in regional acknowledged the PL-15E's use—for the first time by China in the conflict—noting it as an exported weapon showcased at multiple defence exhibitions, including the Zhuhai air show in November 2024. Developed by the Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC), the PL-15E is a long-range, active radar-guided air-to-air missile. The recovery of its debris in India has sparked concerns in Beijing about technological military arsenal heavily relies on Chinese equipment, with the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) reporting that 81 per cent of its arms imports in 2020-24 came from China, up from 74 per cent in 2015-19. This includes over half of Pakistan's 400-plus fighter jets, notably the JF-17 and J-10C, alongside systems such as the HQ-9 air defence and PL-15E media posts have pegged this figure at as high as 82 per cent for 2019-23, underscoring Pakistan's dependence on Chinese arms, including co-developed platforms such as the JF-17. Reports also suggest China rushed additional PL-15E missile deliveries to Pakistan at the peak of tensions with India, highlighting Beijing's strategic support to its the debris of PL-15E offers India a rare opportunity to study cutting-edge Chinese technology, the incident also points to the complex interplay of regional rivalries and global arms dynamics. While India's defence research community may gain insights to refine its missile technology, a broader question remains: will this clash, marked by advanced weaponry and restrained borders, lead to de-escalation or further fuel South Asia's volatile fault lines?Subscribe to India Today MagazineMust Watch
