For many Jet enthusiasts, the Russian 5th Gen fighter Su-57 has had a poor start at the Zhuhai China air show, with a close-up video exposing a rather questionable build quality for a stealth fighter.
Although the aircraft at the airshow was originally to be a prototype bearing number 054, it was later modified and inducted into service or the ranks of other mission-ready Su-57 fighters. This aircraft has also performed in several air shows, mainly in Russia.
The build quality of this jet is supering as it was expected to have the best quality since Russia only has a small fleet of them, with 14 of them in use and 62 active orders, according to FlightGlobal's 2024 world Air force directory.
The Original video widespread through social media, although prematurely stopped by security personnel, focused mainly on the fuselage of the fighter showing a lot of spaces between components, missing screws as well as casual paint on cuts of the jet. One other shocking view was the bomb bay doors not closed flush. Instead has weird big gaps between the doors.
The fighter also had a lot of screws which is unusual for a 5th Gen fighter which is normally supposed to be a stealth aircraft. For many who don't know it is a superior jet, yet the fighter's fuselage suggests that it considerably lacks the build profile of a stealth fighter. In comparison, when looking at the F22 and F35 fuselage, you notice a distinct profile with no gaps, weird screws, and a special rap around parts that open, instead of just using paint like the Russians. All these help reduce the Jets' signatures during flights, which makes them stealthy.
Moreover, the security around the Jet was too light for a jet of its capacity, giving civilians the possibility to have that much close look at the jet. Also, the Chinese media mocked the Su-57, comparing it to the J20 according to its appearance.
We look forward to seeing a great performance of the Su-57 during the airshow in the coming days, although this years event has been restricted for the mainstream media.