Russia Gives First Ever Look at New Su-57 Fighter’s Secretive Internal Weapons Bay

The Russian Aerospace Forces have for the first time released footage showing the internal weapons bay of the service’s new Su-57 fifth generation fighter, the first full strength battalion of which was formed in 2024. Like all fifth generation fighters, the aircraft was designed to carry its full armaments suite internally for the vast majority of missions in order to preserve its radar cross section reducing stealth profile, and thus significantly increase its survivability against beyond visual range attacks. The aircraft’s internal weapons bays are notably considerably deeper than those of its American rival the F-22, and similarly deep but larger than those of the F-35. This allows the aircraft to carry higher diameter ordinance such as cruise missiles. Alongside a main central weapons bay in its fuselage, two side-mounted wing root bays carry visual range air-to-air missiles.

The Su-57 stands out compared to Chinese and American fifth generation fighters due to both its lower emphasis on stealth capabilities, and due to its greater emphasis on deployment of cruise missiles. The fighter is the only one of its generation confirmed to have integrated beyond visual range air-to-ground missiles, and has used the Kh-59MK2 cruise missile in combat in the Ukrainain theatre, and possibly also against insurgent targets in Syria. These design priorities reflect the fact that the aircraft was not designed for penetration missions to operate deep inside enemy territory, but rather to engage enemy intruders working alongside local air defences, while launching strikes on enemy ground from safe distances in Russian controlled airspace. The Su-57 has nevertheless flown missions inside contested airspace that is heavily protected by Ukrainain air defences on at least some occasions.

The Su-57 is thought to have 8 to 10 internal hardpoints, six to eight of which are in its main central weapons bay. A number of new weapons have been announced to be intended for integration onto the fighter, including the PBK-500U Drel gliding cluster bomb, and an air launched ballistic missile. The fighter was reported in early August to have integrated a hypersonic air-to-surface missile, which is speculated to be a derivative of the Navy’s Zircon cruise missile. The Su-57 is expected to continue to be prioritised for the integration of new generations of armaments, the unique capabilities of which are expected to increase its attractiveness both to the Russian Defence Ministry and to foreign clients. Alongside new weapons systems, it was confirmed in June that the new variant of the fighter, the Su-57M1, is close to completing development, and will benefit from a new radar and a redesigned wider airframe with improved stealth capabilities.