Mini-drones designed to accompany the Russian Su-57 fifth-generation fighter are positioned to enhance the aircraft’s ability to strike targets shielded by air defenses and to perform intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance tasks. This assessment comes from a military analyst in a discussion with the newspaper Vzglyad.
Experts suggest that these UAVs could serve as part of an electronic warfare suite, capable of disrupting enemy air-defense networks. By acting as forward attackers, the drones would help neutralize anti-aircraft systems, while their compact size enables them to reach defended sites more efficiently. In addition, the drones would contribute to defensive measures for the Su-57 by aiding in missile interception and by conducting reconnaissance along the aircraft’s planned route, according to the analyst.
However, the plan includes a trade-off. Deploying drones would reduce the payload available for essential munitions, meaning the use of unmanned assets would be tailored to the specific mission objectives of each flight profile.
Reports from RIA Novosti indicate that the Su-57 could deploy several drones concurrently, coordinating their actions for a synchronized assault. The prospect is described as enabling a fighter to overwhelm an adversary’s air-defense system and saturate its information channels with multiple unmanned units operating in concert.
Contextual details about the Su-57 describe it as a fifth-generation, multirole fighter that leverages stealth and advanced electronic technologies. The aircraft is designed to carry weapons in internal bays and is capable of sustained supersonic speeds. Serial production of the Su-57 began in 2022, and state armament plans envisage the Russian Aerospace Forces receiving 76 aircraft of this type by 2027.
Separately, Rostec has highlighted the introduction of new parachute systems in recent displays around the region, signaling ongoing updates to emergency and braking technologies associated with high-performance platforms.