Russia is building a new plant for serial production of Su-57 Felon

It is expected that the number of Su-57s produced will increase in the coming years, sources say. Most likely, the new production lines will also take over the production of another Russian aircraft – the Su-75. Inside the new production facilities, the Russian Federation is building avionics test facilities, a fuel dock, and an engine test station, people familiar with the matter said. According to unconfirmed information and according to Russian sources, the new production facilities will have facilities for pilot training with virtual reality systems.

The Su-57 has been in serial production for at least two years, but so far only about 10 units have been built. Russia expects to receive 76 Su-57 Felon units, according to the signed agreement between the Russian Federation and Rostec. Vladimir Artyakov, the first deputy general director of Rostec, announced recently that “the new facilities of the KnAAZ flight test station should receive the first aircraft” in the second half of next year.

The Russian site Voennoe Delo [Military Affairs in English] says the new manufacturing will increase the quality of the series-produced fighters as well as their stealth capabilities. The new plant will have modern technologies that will be competitive with those in China and the USA, says Voenno Delo.

However, the other flagship of Russian aviation, the Su-35, will not be produced at the new plant. According to people familiar with the matter, the Russian Federation plans to end production of the Su-35 in 2027 and focus on serial production of the Su-57 and Su-75, both for the domestic and international markets. There is no word on whether the Su-70 Okhotnik [the unmanned attack drone] will be produced on the production lines of the new production facilities planned to open.

Voenno Delo says that the plant in Komsomolsk on Amur in the Far East will also install the latest engines, long expected by the Russian Air Force. It is about the notorious Izdelie 30 engine, which will bear the trade name Saturn 30. The new plant will also carry out assembly work on the Su-57 on electronic warfare and laser protection systems.