전투기 Su-57의 RCS는 클린 상태의 슈퍼 호넷과 동일하며, 사실상 4세대 전투기

[위종민]

https://theaviationgeekclub.com/the-su-57-felon-is-marketed-as-stealth-fighter-but-it-has-the-same-rcs-of-a-clean-f-a-18-super-hornet-and-1000-times-bigger-than-that-of-the-f-35-heres-why/

The Su-57 Felon is marketed as stealth fighter but It has the same RCS of a clean F/A-18 Super Hornet (and 1,000 times bigger th

수호이의 자체 특허 문서에서 Su-57의 설계 RCS가 0.1~1㎡라고 주장했는데 (Su-27 10~15㎡), 이는 클린 상태의 슈퍼 호넷과 비슷한 수준이며 두 기체는 휘어진 덕트 대신 레이더 블로커를 사용하는 등 비슷한 RCS 저감 조치를 실시하고 있다고 합니다. 

이는 F-35보다 1,000배 더 큰 RCS이며, 탐지거리는 5.6배 더 길다고 하네요. 이 차이는 매우 커서, Su-57이 F-35에 절망적으로 압도될 거라고... 레드 플래그와 노던 엣지 등의 훈련에서 F-35와 4세대 전투기 사이의 교환비는 28:1이라고 합니다. 레이더와 전자전 제품군이 얼마나 뛰어나던간에 탐지범위의 차이를 메울 순 없을 거라고 하는데, 사실 전자장비도 F-35가 더 뛰어나니까요. 스텔스, 그리고 궁극적으로 Situational Awareness의 격차는 압도적이라고. 

전문기관의 공식적 평가가 아닌 한 개인의 분석이기는 한데, 탐지거리가 5.6배 차이가 난다면 이는 메울 수 없는 격차인 것 같긴 하네요. 

• Military Aviation

The Su-57 Felon is marketed as stealth fighter but It has the same RCS of a clean F/A-18 Super Hornet (and 1,000 times bigger than that of the F-35). Here’s why.

By Dario Leone

May 9 2023

SHARE THIS ARTICLE

The Su-57 is nowhere near F-35 for similar reasons as to why F/A-18 Super Hornets are nowhere near F-35. The gap in Stealth and ultimately Situational Awareness is just overwhelming.

The Sukhoi Su-57 (NATO reporting name: Felon) is a twin-engine stealth multirole fighter aircraft developed by Sukhoi. It is the product of the PAK FA (”prospective aeronautical complex of front-line air forces”) programme, which was initiated in 1999 as a more modern and affordable alternative to the Mikoyan Project 1.44/1.42.

Sukhoi’s internal designation for the aircraft is T-50. The Su-57 is the first aircraft in Russian military service designed with stealth technology and is intended to be the basis for a family of stealth combat aircraft.

However, even though the Su-57 is marketed as fifth generation fighter, the Felon is not a true stealth fighter and it can’t be compared to the US-made F-22 Raptor and F-35 Lightning II. Why is that?

Advanced Super Hornet

‘Imagine if Boeing were to market F/A-18 Super Hornets or F-15 Silent Eagles with Enclosed Weapons pod and weapon bays as a ‘Stealth aircraft’ along the lines of 5th gen. aircraft, how do you think they would compare to F-35?,’ says Abhirup Sengupta, an aviation expert, on Quora.

‘That’s analogous to calling Su-57 a direct competitor to the F-35 and F-22. Sukhoi’s own patent claims Su-57 having a design RCS between 0.1 and 1 m^2.

For a known aircraft [Su-27], the EPR value is about 10–15 m 2.

The technical result, the achievement of which the invention is directed, is to reduce the magnitude of the aircraft radar visibility to an average value of the order of 0.1 – 1 m 2.

Sukhoi Su-57 Patent – RCS Reduction

This print is available in multiple sizes from AircraftProfilePrints.com – CLICK HERE TO GET YOURS. F/A-18E Super Hornet VX-23 Salty Dogs, SD100

‘That’s comparable to a clean Super Hornet and it shouldn’t be a surprise when Su-57 follows many of the same RCS-reduction measures such as using radar blockers to hide the engine face instead of an actual serpentine duct.

‘It’s not just Su-57 being less stealthy than F-35 (-40 dBsm) – it has a 1,000 times bigger RCS. Since detection range is proportional to the 4th root of RCS, a 1,000 times bigger RCS equates to 5.6 times greater detection range. And this is after giving Su-57 every benefit of doubt, the F-35’s RCS is very likely closer to -50 dB.’

Sengupta continues;

‘The F-35 will be enjoying almost 6 times greater detection range against Su-57. The difference is so huge that Su-57 will be hopelessly outclassed. We see this time and again in Red Flags and Northern Edge with F-35 having 28–1 kill ratio against modern 4th gen. aircraft backed by AWACS and SAMs. The enormous difference in detection range from Stealth is the primary factor for such a lopsided kill ratio.

‘It doesn’t matter how capable radar or EW suite you have, they simply can’t compensate the enormous difference in detection range from a VLO airframe. You can have amazing performance at airshows but without Stealth you’re not gonna be in a fight against 5th gen. aircraft.

‘And this is ignoring the infancy of Su-57 program and consistent delay in the production/IOC since last 4 years or the fact Su-57’s avionics suite is not remotely comparable to that of F-35. The F-35 has a bigger and much more capable radar and orders of magnitude more powerful EW suite giving vastly superior Situational Awareness.

‘Where F-35’s DAS make it the only Fighter to fully operate in the IR spectrum, Su-57 can’t even use its forward-hemisphere IRST without further ruining its RCS. The IRST is turned backwards in Su-57 because it’s a sphere, the worst shape in terms of RCS that uniformly reflects in all direction.

‘Despite all the problems with Su-57 program including lack of existence or international interest, the fundamental design is so far behind F-35 in terms of both Stealth and Situational Awareness – two key aspects of a 5th gen. aircraft. The Su-57’s design is closer to that of modern 4th gen. than it is to either F-22 or F-35.

‘Yet the Su-57 is portrayed as an equal counterpart to F-22 and F-35 with people talking about its kinematic performance or side-arrays without even understanding their actual purpose, let alone the impact on EMCON. How great are the Directed IRCMs (Laser turrets) while turning a blind eye to the fact Su-57 use a UV based Missile Warning System – making Su-57 significantly vulnerable to BVR missiles. 10 years since first flight and there’s no indication of K-77M or K-74M anywhere close to being operational, forcing Su-57 to fly with R-77 & R-74 externally (as they won’t fit inside).’

Sengupta concludes;

‘Imagine the kind of articles you’d see if F-35 didn’t have an operational missile that could fit internally. The Su-57 gets away with all the shortcomings using propaganda and fantasies, the likes of non-existent L band radar.

‘The Su-57 is nowhere near F-35 for similar reasons as to why F/A-18 Super Hornets are nowhere near F-35. The gap in Stealth and ultimately Situational Awareness is just overwhelming.’

Photo credit: U.S. Navy, Boeing, Sukhoi and Chinese Internet

This model is available from AirModels – CLICK HERE TO GET YOURS.

[Minowski(김유철)]

플라즈마 스텔스 떡밥이 돌던 때가 이제 어언 10여년 넘었던가요? 여하튼 꽤 준수한 전투기일거고 목적에 맞게 쓸 수 있다면 결코 만만한 물건은 아니겠죠. 물론 수량이 받쳐준다는 가정하에...

[위종민]

꽤 괜찮은 전투기인 건 확실하겠지만 F-22나 F-35에 비할 만한 물건은 아닐 정도인 듯 합니다.

[백선호]

Su-57이 SAM을 무서워한다는 것은 확실하네요. 우크라이나 영공으로 깊숙하게 들어와 작전하지는 않으니...

http://cafe.daum.net/NTDS/515G/3959

[위종민]

SEAD에 투입하는 것도 아니고 아직도 투입을 주저하는 걸 보면 스텔스 성능은 확실히 기대 이하인 듯 싶습니다.

[엽군]

큰 그림은 잘 그렸는데, 그 것을 구현할 디테일이 안되는 것이 한계죠.

[위종민]

냉전 끝났을 때 흥했던, 소련이나 동유럽 국가들이 기초과학이 튼튼하니 서양에서 응용과학만 제대로 배우면 크게 흥할 거다! 라는 주장들이 생각나네요.