Second Serially-Produced Russian Su-57 Fighter Jet Marks First Flight

The second serially produced Su-57 fighter of Russia marked its first flight on Saturday in Khabarovsk territory marking the start of serial production of the stealth jet.

The first serially-produced Su-57 aircraft had crashed in December 2019, causing a huge setback to Russia's attempt to produce the stealth Jets for the Russian Air Force. Flight tests were suspended for over ten months.

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The aircraft, bearing tail number T-50S-2 (s / n 51002), built at Sukhoi’s Komsomolsk-on-Amur Aviation Plant (KnAAZ), will undergo a couple more tests, KomCity.Ru reported.

The military is expected receive first of its Su-57 jets by year-end. A brand new assembly line with the most modern equipment has been set up at the KnAAZ to fulful a Russian Air Force  order for 76 of the jets.

Last year’s crash marked the first total loss of a Su-57 jet, although one of the type's T-50 prototypes was allegedly badly damaged due to an engine fire in 2014. Ten Su-57s had been built at KnAAZ for pre-production tests and combat evaluation. Some of them have been flown in combat during Russia's military campaign in Syria.

In May 2019, Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu said that manufacturers slashed prices of Su-57 aircraft and equipment by 20%, which provided the opportunity to purchase 76 Su-57 jets. The value of the contract, signed at the Army-2019 Forum, is reportedly $2.7 billion.

Recently, major progress on the development of second stage engine of the Su-57 has been reported. The second serially- produced batch of the Su-57 will most likely be equipped with this engine also called as Article 30.