Russia's UAC chief claims the Su-57 outclasses every foreign fighter jet

Vadim Badekha, head of Russia's state-owned United Aircraft Corporation (UAC), has claimed that the Su-57 is proving its edge over the best Western weapons systems on a daily basis, going as far as to say the F-35 has effectively fallen off India's list of procurement options. His comments land amid a visible upswing in the jet's export fortunes.

At least three foreign customers have placed orders. First deliveries to Algeria began in November 2025, and contracts concluded in the Middle East in February — most likely for Iran — have been confirmed. In early September, export agency Rosoboronexport announced further deals, with Kazakhstan and North Korea tipped as candidates to become the third buyer. Agency head Alexander Mikheyev added that the type has proven itself in combat against modern air defenses, electronic warfare systems and advanced fighters.

Outside Russia, the assessment is more measured. The Su-57 clearly outclasses European designs, and unlike the F-35 — which cannot integrate new air-to-ground missiles without the long-delayed Block 4 update — it fields a wide range of weapons and has seen extensive combat use. Yet it lacks the distributed aperture system and the networked sensor fusion that define the American jet, and its stealth is widely viewed as weaker. Its combat radius, roughly twice that of the F-35, remains a genuine advantage.

China's J-20A is also considered a step above, combining longer range, better stealth and a WS-15 engine seen as a generation ahead of Russian equivalents. Even so, the Su-57 marks a major leap over earlier Russian fighter generations and, with the F-35 as the sole exception, holds clear advantages over every other Western type.