Russia Announces Production of Su-75 Checkmate Flight Prototype

Russia has announced the production of the first flight prototype of the advanced single-engine Su-75 Checkmate fighter jet.

This was reported in an interview with TASS by Vadim Badeha, CEO of the United Aircraft Corporation (UAC).

According to him, the aircraft is being developed for both the Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation and potential foreign customers.

Badeha also noted that one of the key objectives of the project set by the Russian military is to reduce the cost of the production fighter.

The UAC CEO considers the main advantage of the Su-75 Checkmate to be its single-engine configuration, which allows for a reduction in both production costs and operating expenses compared to twin-engine fighters.

In addition, he emphasized that the project is also of great importance to the Russian aviation industry, as Russia has had virtually no presence in the single-engine combat aircraft market over the past decades.

The Su-75 Checkmate project was first unveiled by the Sukhoi Corporation in 2021 as a light multi-role fighter primarily aimed at the export market.

Since then, the aircraft’s development timeline has been repeatedly pushed back: initially, the aircraft was scheduled to take flight in 2023, then in 2024, then in 2025, and now in 2026.

The manufacturer positions the new fighter as a simpler and cheaper alternative to the American F-35A, which is being mass-produced and entering service with the United States and other NATO countries.

Russia has promised that the export version of the fighter will cost around $30 million. It was also stated that Western components could be integrated into the aircraft’s design at the customer’s discretion.

The developers claim that the aircraft, with a maximum takeoff weight of 26 tons, will be able to carry up to 7,400 kg of weapons and equipment on external and internal hardpoints. Additionally, the fighter will be armed with a 30 mm automatic cannon.

The Russians claim that the new fighter will reach a maximum speed of 2,200 km/h and will have a range of up to 2,800 km.