Russia’s Air Force Is Soaring Into the Future

(Source thetrumpet.com)

Seventy-five percent of the Russian Air Force’s fixed-wing combat aircraft are new or modernized. Gone are the days of poor communications and faulty iff systems. Now, the bulk of the forces support modern weapons, sophisticated digital flight computers and self-protection jammers. What’s more, while the single-role Soviet-era aircraft were predominantly one-trick ponies, individual modern fighters are suited to a wide range of operations. Thus, Russia has made a concerted effort to address the deficiencies from the past. But it is also preparing for the future. At the end of 2020, Russian news agency tass reported that the Southern Military District received the first batch of the multi-role, fifth generation Su-57 fighter jet. It is slated to received four more before this year is out. Uniquely suited to destroying air-to-surface targets, the Su-57 is equipped with supersonic cruising speed, intra-fuselage weapons and radar absorbing coating. These jets are faster and more maneuverable than the United States-made F-35 stealth jet. Russia is also resurrecting its three Cold War-era strategic bombers. Not only will the modernized versions possess nuclear capabilities, but they will also be able to fire stealthier, longer-range cruise missiles for distant targets, while being outfitted with more advanced electronics.