The brand-new fifth-generation fighter jet, the Sukhoi Su-75 Checkmate, was unveiled at the Dubai Airshow on Sunday for the first time outside Russia.
Military delegations worldwide visited the invitation-only Checkmate pavilion to gaze upon the inexpensive stealth fighter with superior performances that costs just a fraction of the US Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II. The new plane will fly in 2023 and be slated for deliveries in 2026. It’s estimated the stealth jet will cost between $20-30 million, compared with the F-35’s $80 million-plus.
Presentation of #Russian Su-75#DubaiAirshow2021 pic.twitter.com/SuWX68YvT9
— Kaala_Nag (@Kaala_Nag) November 14, 2021
“It is not a coincidence that the first international presentation of the new fifth-generation fighter is taking place here,” said Sergey Chemezov of United Aircraft Corporation (UAC), the parent company of Sukhoi.
“People in the Middle East appreciate the reputation of Russian weapons, show great interest in our advanced products and seek the development of partnership with Russia.
“The Checkmate combines low visibility and excellent equipment, and is ideal in terms of combat effectiveness and flight-hour cost. All these factors make the aircraft a unique offer in the international arms market,” Chemezov said.
The Checkmate was first introduced at the MAKS Air Show in Moscow in July. President Vladimir Putin examined the new plane at the time. The aircraft is expected to complement the Russian air force’s Su-57 stealth fighter.
A promotional video was published on UAC’s YouTube channel on Monday, detailing how Checkmate is a “solution that can turn the board over,” referring to a game position in chess in which a player’s king is in check, and there is no possible escape.
At the end of the video, a variant of the stealth jet appears to be an unmanned version.
Checkmate could be the low-cost solution for Moscow to compete on the world stage and acquire large share of the fifth-generation fighter jet market from the US.