New twin-seat Sukhoi Su-57 variant takes to the skies

Sukhoi’s parent company, the United Aircraft Corporation (UAC), revealed on 19 May 2026 that the first prototype Su-57D twin-seat fifth-generation fighter had made its maiden flight in the hands of Sukhoi Design Bureau chief test pilot Sergei Bogdan.

Russian First Deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov stated, “Flight tests have begun on the prototype of the Su-57: a fifth-generation two-seater fighter. This aircraft, developed independently by our aircraft manufacturers, will, in addition to its unique combat characteristics, also possess the capabilities of a combat trainer and a command-and-control aircraft.”

Vadim Badeha, the CEO of UAC, said of the development, “We are continuing our work on improving and expanding the capabilities of our most advanced fifth-generation aircraft complex. I am confident that the two-seater version of the aircraft will significantly contribute to its success in foreign markets.”

There have been a number of abortive attempts to develop a two-seat version of the Sukhoi T-50 (designated the Su-57 in Russian service). India reportedly wanted a two-seat Su-57 variant when the Asian nation was part of the 10-year Indo-Russian Fifth Generation Fighter Aircraft (FGFA) programme, although this collapsed in acrimony in 2018.

In November 2023 details emerged of a patent for a “multifunctional two-seat low-observable tactical aircraft,” with accompanying plans appearing to show a two-seat Su-57. This was a “multifunctional two-seat low-observable tactical aircraft” that was intended to “act as an airborne command post for network-oriented operations of mixed groups of aircraft”.

The existing single-seat Su-57 has undertaken trials with the Sukhoi S-70 Okhotnik-B unmanned combat air vehicle (UCAV), but it may be that a two-seat manned aircraft might be felt to be better suited to manned-unmanned teaming (MUM-T) operations, particularly if autonomous technologies are felt to be immature. This would make the Su-57D, with its second crew member, better able to control and direct formations of Sukhoi S-70 Okhotnik-B UCAVs.

It is not inconceivable that the two-seater could become the main version of the Su-57 (which has the NATO reporting name ‘Felon’) in future. The single-seater has been built only in relatively small numbers and has not enjoyed great success.

Sukhoi built the T-50-0 KPO static test airframe and the T-50-KNS ground test airframe along with five flying prototypes (T-50-1 to T-50-5) in 2009-13. The last aircraft was rebuilt as the T-50-5R, using much of the airframe of the incomplete T-50-6.

The T-50-6-1 was to have been the FGFA demonstrator, but was never completed, while the T-50-7 KNS was a static test airframe. The T-50-6-2 thus became the first of a new batch of flying prototypes (T-50-6-2 plus T-50-8 to T-50-11) with a reinforced second-stage airframe.

These 10 flying prototypes were followed by two pre-production aircraft (T-50S-1 and T-50S-2) and five production Su-57S aircraft (52-2-01, 52-3-02, 52-3-03, 52-3-04 and 52-4-05). These entered service with the Russian Aerospace Forces (VKS) in December 2020.

Six more were reportedly built in 2022 and 11 in 2023 (though Su-75S numbers were subsequently reported to total only 18 series production aircraft.

Work is underway on the Su-57M version for the VKS and the Su-57E for export (14 aircraft for Algeria). All Su-57s made from 2024 onwards for the VKS were reportedly built to the new, modernised Su-57M standard, with new avionics, weapons and new AL51 engines that are more than 15% more powerful than the AL41F1 engines used on the Su-57S. Prototype 9-11 served as the ‘Megapolis’ prototype, flying in its new guise on 21 October 2022 as Bort 511.

Some 56 Su-57Ms are planned, including about six delivered in 2024, six in 2025 and six in 2026. This will take the total to 76 aircraft to equip three regiments.

So far the type has been delivered to the 4th State Military Evaluation and Air Personnel Preparation Centre at Lipetsk (in Western Russia), the 929th State Flight Research Centre named after V Chkalov (GLITs) in Akhtubinsk in the Astrakhan Oblast, and the 23rd ‘Tallin’ Guards Fighter Regiment at Dzyomghi near Komsomolsk-on-Amur (in Eastern Russia).

New Su-57D variant

Izvestia confirmed that the aircraft in the new patent was a two-seat variant of the Su-57 (presumably in its newer Su-57M form), with larger fuel tanks to give longer range and endurance.

The first photo of the new two-seat Su-57 variant appeared on the Fighterbomber Telegram channel on 17 May and was said to be “now undergoing taxi trials”. The Fighterbomber channel is frequently described as having close ties to the VKS.

The aircraft looked very much like the patent drawings, with heavily stepped tandem cockpits. The rear seat is significantly higher than the front seat, giving the backseater a much clearer view forward. This might suggest a training role, since a purely operational two-seater could use a lower-drag arrangement.

There has been some speculation that the two-seat Su-57 has been built using an existing single-seat prototype airframe (probably T-50-5R).