Post by bazooka on Sept 4, 2019 6:19:07 GMT
‘We’re Going to Buy This One’? Turkish President Inspects Russia’s New Su-57 Fighter Ahead of Possible Acquisition
Su-57 Fighters
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan attended the opening of the MAKS airshow near Moscow alongside Russian President Vladimir Putin, and after touring various parts of the airshow the two made a particularly close inspection of the Su-57 - Russia’s new next generation air superiority fighter. The inspection comes as both parties are reportedly discussing a deal for a large acquisition of both the Su-57 and the cheaper and complementary Su-35, under which components for both jets would be manufactured in Turkey. Turkish sources have repeatedly indicated that Ankara is strong interested in the Su-57 in particular. The two Presidents' visit to MAKS also coincided with the beginning of the delivery of a new batch of S-400 long range surface to air missile batteries to Turkey, an acquisition which led to the souring of Ankara’s relationship with the Western Bloc but which was viewed as crucial to protect Turkish airspace. President Erdogan stated regarding plans for a further expansion of ties with Russia: “close cooperation, dialogue between Russia and Turkey rests on historical, deep, rich roots… we believe that our cooperation with Russia will given impetus to a new development of events - both in the aviation sector and in the field of space technology
Russia previously indicated a willingness to export the Su-57 to Turkey, and in May 2019 the head of Russia’s defence export arms export corporation Sergei Chemezov offered to provide the country with the fighters to complement the then-imminent delivery of the S-400. When inspecting the fighter, the Turkish President reportedly remarked: “So now, we are going to buy this one(?),” to which his Russian counterpart replied “you could.” Previous assessments comparing the Su-57 with the Western Bloc’s prime export fighter the F-35A have consistently indicated strong advantages for the heavier Russian jet. The Su-57’s very considerable advantages in speed, altitude, range, manoeuvrability and weapons payload, its ability to deploy heavier sensors, and its access to more advanced and longer ranged munitions from the R-37M hypersonic and K-77 APAA guided air to air missiles to the Kh-47M2 ballistic missile all provide it with an overwhelming advantage over its American rival which Turkey had previously shown interest in. The fact that the F-35 has been found sending sensitive intelligence on its operators to the United States, and is heavily reliant on a U.S. centric network which could allow Washington to ground the Turkish fleet over potential disagreements, further strengthens the appeal of a Russian made alternative. While the F-35’s stealth profile, and possibly its electronics, are considered superior to the Su-57, it is notable that the United States was only offering Turkey a version of the fighter with heavily downgraded electronics due to an Israeli request. Acquiring the Su-57 will provide Turkey with by far the most capable fighters in the Middle East or Europe, and a far greater degree of independence for the country's fighter fleet than the F-35 ever could.