The Su-75 “Checkmate” has been making waves, with it being hyped as the Russians’ response to the need for an affordable stealth fighter. It first appeared in all its glory at the MAKS 2021 Air Show before taking world tours at events such as the Dubai Airshow. With its streamlined design and price range bandied about at $30 million, it was also being marketed as the money-saver for countries that can’t—or simply won’t—spend that amount of cash on something so expensive as the F-35.
On paper, the Checkmate is the ideal deal. It is reported to achieve Mach 1.8, strike almost 1,900 miles from the same refueling point, and accommodate over seven tons of cargo in an internal bay—attributes normally within the domain of much pricier aircraft. Next-generation avionics, network-centric warfare estimates, and even AI support for the pilots painted a picture of a fighter more than capable of fighting above its weight.
The designers also considered having various versions—twin-seat, single-seat, even unmanned—on the same platform to meet various requirements. United Aircraft Corporation head designer Sergey Korotkov has reportedly said something positive about the program and indicated that the program is making a transition from ground tests to preparation for flight, ht as well as production planning.
Where things start to creep onto reservations is in its stealth. Although referred to as a fifth-generation fighter in press releases, stealth is not necessarily a sinuous shape or concealed gun bays. Genuine low observability results from tough requirements, sophisticated coatings, and very high quality production techniques—things that put the price into the stratosphere in record time.
Most analysts anticipate that the Checkmate won’t be able to match American stealth aircraft’s radar evasiveness. Instead, it appears likely to provide diminished visibility short of invisibility. Even Russian officials have suggested that it would be used more realistically in theaters less strongly defended, a step back from its officially higher stealth level.
That concession is comprehensible in a jet that’s having its price rolled back, but it does raise the question of whether sacrificing cost could make it a heck of a lot more visible than the competition. In cutting costs while attempting to still fly, stealth is probably where most got cut.
Development has not been a cakewalk either. Budget issues, changing defense priorities, and sanctions have kept things at bay. The plane was initially set to make its maiden flight in 2023, but the current timelines now indicate no sooner than 2025. All the blingy mockups and bluster claims notwithstanding, the Checkmate is still a prototype, with no definite production orders.
In spite of the difficulties, Russia is continuing to sell the planes to international buyers. The Middle East, Africa, and the countries of Asia have been cited as potential purchasers, with India and Nigeria being continually cited as wanting to buy them. Joint development and technology transfer offers have been made to make the deal more appealing.
In spite of this, no orders have been placed. Most of them appear to be holding back, hopefully weighing political costs and uncertainty as to whether or not the jet can be delivered on condition as promised. All the export gossip until contracts are in hand remains rumor.
The marketing push has been unconventional, to the point of giving away Checkmate perfume with the logo at air shows. But ads won’t be enough to sustain the project. The ultimate test is whether Russia’s space industry can provide the funding, co-partners, and production base to transition from flashy shows to hard production.
If it ever gets to its potential, the plane can seek a niche with those militaries that desire capability and not the astronomical cost of the best Western jets. But if budget and timing continue to be problems, it will be just another overly optimistic design that never looked beyond the showroom floor.
Up to now, the Su-75 is an exercise in hubris and a threat to the impossibility of producing next-generation fighter aircraft. It is the thin line between hubris and commitment, and the embarrassing business of bringing prototypes to flight readiness into combat capability.
