Russian air defense collapses as Su-57 fighter jets attack

Summary and key points: Ukrainian Defense Intelligence Service reports that two Su-57 fighter jets were damaged in a drone attack on the Russian air base in Akhtubinsk. This incident, confirmed by satellite imagery, reveals significant weaknesses in Russian air defenses, which failed to intercept the three Ukrainian drones involved.

– With only about two dozen Su-57s in the Russian fleet, this setback is notable for Russia’s strained air capabilities. The Su-57, developed to compete with the American F-22 Raptor, is Russia’s main multirole fighter.

– The successful Ukrainian attack 645 kilometers from the front underlines the effectiveness of drone warfare and the weaknesses of Russian air defense systems.

Russia’s air defense fails as Ukrainian drones hit Su-57

Russia’s top-of-the-line fighter jet could be in trouble. According to Ukrainian Defense Intelligence, two Su-57 fighter jets were damaged in a drone attack on Moscow’s Akhtubinsk airbase. And Russia’s air defenses appear to be collapsing, unable to repel the attack.

The reported hit on one of the Kremlin’s most prized multirole fighters does not bode well for Russia’s already strained air fleet. According to unconfirmed reports, three small unmanned aerial vehicles launched from Ukraine evaded Moscow’s air defense systems, and one Su-57 was hit directly. Russian military blogger Fighterbomber writes: “For what reasons the air defense did not work, I will not write. The reasons and circumstances are for the majors to clarify. The only defense the drones experienced was a detachment that fired two magazines at them and then spent the whole morning collecting cartridges at the airfield.”

Satellite images confirm the attack

Since the Russian invasion began in February 2022, both sides have used drone warfare to advance their war efforts. The attack in question here was reportedly carried out by three disposable attack drones. These aerial weapons are cheap to acquire and relatively easy to manufacture compared to other anti-aircraft and anti-tank weapons. In the past, Ukraine has used similar types of drones to successfully attack and destroy a Russian Tu-22M3 bomber.

Russia only has about two dozen Su-57 fighter jets, which makes this incident notable. The Russian aircraft, dubbed “Felon” by NATO, dates back to a Cold War-era program designed to replace the aging Su-27 and MiG-29 fighters. After the collapse of the USSR, the newly installed Russian government did not resume the project until the late 1990s. Eventually, Sukhoi was commissioned by the Russian Defense Ministry to develop a fighter jet that could compete with the American fifth-generation F-22 Raptor.

The first Felons produced were powered by two Saturn/Rybinsk AL-41F1 turbofan afterburner engines, with newer variants receiving the Izdeliye 30. The Su-57 reportedly boasts some impressive specifications and capabilities, including a top speed of Mach 2.0.

Where were Russia’s SAMs?

The Akhtubinsk airbase is located deep inside Russia. The Kremlin probably did not expect that the Ukrainian armed forces could launch a successful airstrike from such a distance. Moreover, the failure of Moscow’s modern air defense systems to detect and shoot down the three disposable attack drones before the attack indicates a significant problem.

Forbes describes it this way: “The fact that the Ukrainians may have hit a stealth fighter jet nearly 400 miles from the front lines of Russia’s larger war against Ukraine strongly suggests that Russia’s air defenses have been so weakened by Ukraine’s escalating drone campaign that they cannot protect all of the Kremlin’s most valuable assets.”

About the author: Defense expert Maya Carlin

Maya CarlinA national security writer for The National Interest, she is an analyst at the Center for Security Policy and a former Anna Sobol Levy Fellow at IDC Herzliya in Israel. She has been featured in numerous publications, including The National Interest, Jerusalem Post and Times of Israel. You can follow her on Twitter: @MayaCarlin.

Image credit: Creative Commons.