The Su-75 “Checkmate” has been one of the most highly debated names in military flight over the past several years. Hyped as a fighter that would deliver fifth-generation abilities at a fraction of the price tags of Western fighter jets, it was unveiled to great publicity at the MAKS-2021 Air Show, before hitting the circuit of international exhibitions such as the Dubai Airshow. The news was clear: here was a sexy, single-engine fighter jet priced at around $30 million, for nations that couldn’t or wouldn’t invest in something like the F-35.
On paper, the Checkmate is a dream brochure for any budget-pinched air force. Russian press say it has up to Mach 1.8 speeds, with a range of nearly 1,900 miles, and can carry up to 7.4 tons of bombs internally—mirroring the stealth-focused configurations of planes like the F-22. The aircraft is reported to incorporate cutting-edge avionics, network-centric combat systems, and even artificial intelligence to assist pilots.
Configurations planned include single-seat, twin-seat, and unmanned variants, all on a modular basis, allowing quicker adaptation to specific customer needs. United Aircraft Corporation’s head designer, Sergey Korotkov, has called the project “promising” and said ground testing, flight testing, and production preparation are all underway.
The biggest question mark is over the jet’s stealth capabilities. While state media and promotional brochures are fond of calling it a fifth-generation fighter, how much stealth is actually applied is yet to be determined. True stealth isn’t simply a matter of airframe design and weapon bays—there is careful manufacturing, special coatings, and tight tolerances that increase costs.
Experts say the Checkmate would instead sacrifice on “stealth features” rather than all-around low observability. Even Russian officials have intimated that it can be used to best effect outside heavily defended airspace, suggesting limitations in its radar-evading capability.
That trade-off isn’t surprising for an aircraft aimed at the lower part of the cost curve, but it does suggest that the Checkmate could become a lot more conspicuous than its U.S. competitors. Cutting corners on expensive stealth capabilities seems to be the only choice, going by reports, to keep the price affordable for its intended audience.
The path from conception to production of the Su-75 has been rocky. Other military needs have diverted funding from the program, and sanctions have complicated procuring some components or accessing foreign capital. The jet was originally scheduled to fly in 2023, but the target has slipped—estimates place it no earlier than 2025. None of the frenetic talk of “advanced development” has had any result; the aircraft is still a prototype with no orders for production.
Russia’s export ambitions remain grandiose. The Checkmate is being sold to Middle Eastern, African, and Asian countries as an economically friendly alternative to pricier Western planes. India and Nigeria have been mentioned in the media as being interested, and joint development or technology-transfer proposals have been put on the table in an attempt to make the sales more appealing.
Rosoboronexport officials say that proposals have been presented to several potential buyers, but none have signed on. Potential buyers appear to have stepped aside, worried about political or logistical concerns.
The marketing campaign has been innovative—occasionally eccentric—with items such as scented cologne bearing the company brand distributed at air shows. The real test, however, is taking a glossy mockup and converting it into a working, exportable fighter. A lot hangs on whether Russia’s aerospace sector can build back up and raise the money and find the partners to take the project through to mass production.
If the Checkmate delivers as promised, it could find a niche in the inventories of nations that want new capability but not at premium prices. If delays, budget constraints, or technological issues persist, it could join the lengthy lineup of grand plans that never went past the display stage.
For now, the Su-75 is both a declaration of intent and a reverberation of the harsh realities facing the development of fourth-generation fighters—a program balancing the high wire act between big promises and the tedium of carting blueprints to the skies.