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In this US-Russia rivalry, the US seems to be edging past Russia. While the Su-57 fighter jets program is still trapped in the theoretical stages, the F-35 fighter jets have already proved the dominance of the United States Air Force.
Russia seems to be struggling to fund the Su-57 fighter jets program and only ordered just 12 fighter jets for themselves. Now Russia is in a dire need of a key investor who can inject money in SU-57 stealth fighter jets program. Whom would Russia reach out to, before the F-35 fighter jets take complete control of global markets?
Will India Buy SU-57 or F-35?
In the initial stages, India was an integral part of the Russian SU-57 program. India extended its cooperation and sponsored the development of SU-57 fighter jets (PAK-FA). India’s plan was to buy these advanced stealth fighter jets which would rival F-22 and F-35.
As reported by EurAsian Times, the IAF has on several accounts reported dissatisfaction and dismay regarding the quality of the Russian aircraft. A senior officer of the Indian Air Force was concerned about the abilities of SU-57 and believes that the jet will fall short in areas of stealth and cross-section capacities. Other concerns raised by the IAF included the cost of servicing and maintenance of the fleet.
As per interview given to EurAsian Times by an Indian defence expert, India, in the present scenario, is more inclined towards buying an American or European fighter jet. If Russia doesn’t find an investor soon for the Su-57 program, it could well be shot down by the American F-35.
Russia’s Marketing Ploy in Syria
Russia has sent a pair of Su-57 fighter jets to Syria as a part of an apparent bomb dropping practice. Many experts are of the belief that sending underdeveloped fighter jets to Syria was only a marketing ploy by Russia. Apparently, this marketing ploy was played to attract more buyers and counter the F-35 global demand. Despite this, the US has managed to attract more buyers for the F-35, who had initially thought of going for the SU-57 fighter jets.
Experts also believe that the purchase of the F-35 fighter jets by potential importers like India will put Russia’s SU-57 program in shambles. So, the US is clearly threatening Russia’s Su-57 fighter jets and the US-Russia rivalry is getting even more intriguing. The Su-57 fighter jets program is headed for some real trouble for sure unless it finds a major investor.
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