Has Moscow moved its Su-57 stealth fighter into Syria?

RUSSIA appears to have sent two of its most modern stealth fighter jets to Syria.

Footage circulating out of Syria today appears to show two of the distinctive aircraft arriving at Russia’s Khmeimim air force base on the shores of the Mediterranean.

As they came in to land, a Su-35 fighter is seen to swoop past protectively.

The unverified footage has interesting implications, if true.

Moscow has been swept up in scandal as its citizens seek explanations for an alleged 200 Russian casualties in a clash with United States aircraft and artillery earlier this month.

It denies it ever happened.

But, on Monday, Russia’s foreign minister abruptly warned President Donald Trump not to “play with fire” by imposing its will on Syria.
Even in itself, such a move involving the stealth fighter is odd.

The secretive Su-57, also known as the T-50 PAK-FA, is still in its prototype phase.

It first flew in 2010. Less than a dozen functioning prototypes exist.

It’s being touted by Moscow as its “F-22 killer” — a stealth fighter of sufficient fighting power to take on the best in the US air force fleet, and win.

But its development has not been without problems.

UNCONFIRMED DEPLOYMENT

According to Syrian media and observers near Russia’s Khmeimim air force base, the two Su-57s were escorted by four Su-35 fighters and four Su-25 strike aircraft, as well as an A-50U radar command-and-control platform.

If correct, the stealth fighters will be joining a selection of Russia’s most advanced strike aircraft already based there.

The arrival of a flight of Su-34 “Fullback” strike aircraft in Syria in September 2015 caused quite a stir. The modern twin-seat bomber is highly capable, carrying a significant selection of electronics and weaponry.

And the Su-35 “Flanker” is an extremely manoeuvrable fighter that represents the pinnacle of non-stealth combat technology.

Moscow has been eager to tout the performance of both aircraft in Syria to potential markets around the world.

Is the arrival of the Su-57 part of a similar marketing strategy for a nation struggling under the weight of international sanctions?

Or is it a response to recent encounters between the US and Russia in the skies and on the ground of war-torn Syria?

Interestingly, the apparent move comes just days after Russia’s Deputy Defence Minister Yuri Borisov told reporters during a visit to the Komsomolski-on-Amur manufacturing plant — which assembles the stealth fighter — that the Su-57 would “start combat trials soon”.

POWER PLAY

The fall of the cities of Mosul in Iraq and Raqqa in Syria represented the evisceration of Islamic State’s influence.

Only a handful of outposts remain under the control of the black-flagged jihadists.

And with their common enemy, the region’s multitude of political and religious factions have once again begun to turn upon themselves.

NATO ally Turkey has attacked Syrian Kurds. The US-backed Kurds were attacked by pro-President Assad Syrian forces on February 7. And now pro-regime forces have joined Kurds in the north to defend against the Turkish incursion.

Amid this mayhem have been several “incidents” involving US and Russian forces.

The Eurphrates River is a demarcation line agreed to by the two superpowers. US aircraft operate to its east. Russians to the west.

And a permanent hotline has been established to avoid accident, and facilitate “de-escalation” if something goes wrong.

Which it still does.

SWIFT, UNSEEN

If Russian Su-57 stealth fighters really have arrived in Syria, it could represent a dangerous new escalation for the already tumultuous region.

It poses further potential for ‘accident’.

The United States sent its radar-invisible F-22 into Syria early last year.

It was considered a surprise move at the time.

Now Russian combat aircraft can also be roaming the skies, unseen.

If they follow the previous pattern of engaging in quick raids across the Euphrates, US and Coalition forces may again get caught up in an unintentional clash.

What can be certain is both sides will take the opportunity to observe as much as they can about each other’s stealth aircraft — their strengths, and weaknesses.

Just in case.

But the Su-37 is barely combat capable.

Just two are believed to have their avionics and sensor suite in a suitable state. And only one has the modern engines necessary to make it a truly 5th generation fighter.

Ambitious plans for large orders of the stealth fighter have been steadily scaled back in recent years. The first batch of just 12 production models is due to begin delivery in 2019.