In response to a publish by the favored FighterBomber Telegram channel, Russia has began the taxi trials of a twin-seat variant of the Su-57, with a brand new cockpit harking back to the Su-30 Flanker.
Claims emerged on Might 16, 2026, point out a twin-seat variant of the Su-57 Felon is at the moment present process taxi trials. The knowledge was shared by the main Russian Telegram account ‘FighterBomber’, which has ties to many Russian Aerospace Forces (RuAF) models, supplying crowd-funded on a regular basis army equipment and gear.
The identical channel revealed a photograph a day later, saying that it’s the precise plane photographed in the course of the check. It’s at the moment not potential to confirm the authenticity of the picture.
The looks of this new variant would due to this fact make the Su-57 the second fifth era fighter with a twin-seater variant. In reality, the primary was the J-20 with its ‘S’ variant (J-20S), first noticed in 2021.
With the disclosing of the two-seat variant of the Su-57- aka the Su-57D (?) – it seems that, following the J-20S (AS), there may be now a second Fifth-generation plane obtainable in a two-seat configuration.
1. pic.twitter.com/JgThpiEdfA
— @Rupprecht_A (@RupprechtDeino) Might 17, 2026
FB additionally speculated potential designations for the plane. “At present, as a part of the exams, the brand new two-seater modification of the Su-57 carried out a rollover. We’ll see if it will likely be referred to as Su-57D or Su-57UB. Alternatively, it might be referred to as Su-57ED,” the publish stated.
The picture
The picture of the supposed twin-seater Su-57 is being reported by a number of sources as actual. The background is closely blurred, and it’s thus unattainable to confirm the situation the place the photograph might need been captured.
/Su-57D/
Picture leaked by fighterbomber. pic.twitter.com/jzHcpG4meG
— George N. (@GeorgeN28581) Might 17, 2026
Notably, no identification markings may be seen on the plane, which seem to have been edited, with solely a small half seen behind the cockpit. Navy aviation researcher Andreas Rupprecht nevertheless shared that the plane featured the bort quantity “055 Blue.”
Attention-grabbing trace … might be the modified T-50-5R and never T-50-4! 🤔 pic.twitter.com/prtKaTiDXY
— @Rupprecht_A (@RupprechtDeino) Might 17, 2026
This bort quantity is similar which was already utilized by the fifth flying prototype T-50-5, severely broken by an engine fireplace in 2014 and rebuilt as T-50-5R, though there may be nonetheless debate whether or not this was the T-50-5 rebuilt after the incident of the T-50-6 prototype accomplished with the salvageable components from T-50-5. Both means, the bort quantity may level to the likelihood that the dual seater Su-57 was obtained by modifying an current airframe.
The cockpit association is harking back to the Su-30, though the peak distinction between the 2 seats is extra pronounced on the Su-57. The selection nevertheless would grant a better visibility of the crew within the again seat.
A brand new emblem will also be seen on the tail, feauturing the shapes of the Su-57 and the S-70 Okhotnik drone. An analogous emblem was painted on a earlier prototype, though it’s unclear if this factors to a potential position of the twin-seat Su-57 within the administration of unmanned plane.
There aren’t any different variations instantly seen in comparison with the only seater Su-57. Nevertheless, adjustments may be anticipated internally, as programs may should be moved to create space for a second crew member and structural modifications are additionally wanted to make it potential.
The position of the second crew member remains to be unknown, though the second seat would enable the presence on the plane of both an teacher pilot or a weapon programs officer. Going by a 2023 patent’s description, it’s possible the main target is on the latter.
2023 twin-seat stealth fighter patent
There had additionally been indicators {that a} twin-seat stealth plane was within the works, going by a Might 2023 patent filed with Russia’s Federal Service for Mental Property (FSIP). The patent, registered by the FSIP on November 17, 2023, is for a “multifunctional two-seat low-observable tactical plane,” showing similar to the Su-57 and Su-30.
2/ This Izvestia infographic, and the patent drawings under, present a fundamental concept of the deliberate plane’s possible exterior look. pic.twitter.com/rpL5shtAhq
— Man Plopsky (@GuyPlopsky) November 21, 2023
The plane is “meant for the detection and destruction of air, floor and floor targets at supersonic and subsonic flight speeds in a variety of altitudes, and in addition acts as an airborne command publish for network-oriented operations of combined teams of plane.”
The patent itself attracts consideration to the Su-30 household of jets, being the one twin-seat totally multirole plane within the RuAF stock. The Su-34 Fullback, which can also be twin-seat however with a side-by-side seating association, is primarily an air interdiction bomber.
It isn’t identified what relation the twin-seat plane within the patent has to the Su-57 and Su-30. We additionally have no idea if the brand new twin-seat Su-57 is borne from this patent.
The patent may even be related to a brand new stealth plane altogether, which we’d find out about sooner or later. The patent itself might be a tutorial train to put the theoretical analysis foundations for such a fighter, if the necessity arises, and shorten growth timelines if the RuMoD and RuAF pursue such an endeavor.
The aerodynamic configuration described within the doc is nevertheless similar to the Su-57:
“A multifunctional two-seat low-observable plane with an integral aerodynamic configuration contains a set of on-board gear, a fuselage with an extension, wing consoles with high-lift gadgets on the main and trailing edges, together with flaperons, ailerons and rotating wing main edges, consoles of an all-moving horizontal and twin-fin vertical tail, mounted on the facet tail booms of the fuselage, a two-seat cockpit with a cover, a fairing and a radar antenna fairing, positioned within the ahead part of the fuselage, an influence plant with two engines spaced horizontally and geared up with air intakes, positioned in engine nacelles, the axes of that are oriented at an acute angle to the aircraft of symmetry of the plane within the course of flight. The plane is characterised by the truth that the wing consoles are easily related to the fuselage, the fuselage extension is positioned above the engine air intakes and contains managed rotating components, the plane engines comprise a jet nozzle with a deflectable thrust vector and a thrust reverser […]”
Lots of emphasis is laid on satellite-enabled superior communications and tactical hyperlinks that may function in degraded environments and descriptions that recommend sensor fusion:
“The onboard gear is designed to allow data interplay between various kinds of plane within the group, together with the reception and transmission of knowledge by way of high-speed communication channels and group communication, together with by way of satellite tv for pc communication channels, in addition to the evaluation of data obtained from its personal programs and exterior sources with the next issuance of suggestions to the crew and / or instructions to the group of plane.”
The patent then mentions the Su-30 household as being closest to the plane within the patent, whereas noting different Western Gen. 4.5 plane two-seat jets:
“At the moment, the next multirole two-seat tactical plane are identified: Dassault Rafale, Eurofighter Storm EF-2000, Saab JAS-39NG Grippen, Boeing F/A-18F Tremendous Hornet, McDonnell-Douglas F-15D, Cy-30MK household of plane, MiG-35. Of the above-mentioned analogues, the closest are the plane of the Su-30MK household.”
2/ These Su-57s had been possible delivered final month. As I’ve beforehand famous, UAC usually pronounces deliveries with some delay.
— Man Plopsky (@GuyPlopsky) February 9, 2026
Su-57 latest developments
The Su-57 is manufactured on the United Plane Company’s (UAC) Komsomolsk-on-Amur Plane Plant at Khabarovsk Krai in Russia’s far east, which, as of December 2025, delivered 24 airframes to the RuAF, in accordance with the World Air Forces 2026 report.
UAC reported extra deliveries in February 2026, with Russian army aviation analyst Man Plopsky counting at the least two airframes, taking the identified rely to 26. These airframes even have notably totally different – and presumably improved – Head-Up Show (HUD), self-defensive suites, new Missile Strategy Warning Sensors (MAWS) and Directional Infrared Countermeasures (DIRCM).
Throughout November 2025’s Dubai Air Present, one Su-57 airframe, T-50-9, additionally sported a single widescreen show rather than the older Multi-Operate Shows (MFD).
4/4 …further side-looking missile-warning sensors.
— Man Plopsky (@GuyPlopsky) February 9, 2026
The Su-57 was additionally examined in December 2025 with the extra highly effective Izdeliye 177 (Product 177) engine. That is reportedly meant as an possibility for future manufacturing batches, and presumably to switch the older Stage 1 (Izdeliye 117) AL-41F-1S and Stage 2 (Izdeliye) AL-51F-1.
That creepy excessive pitched tone of Algeria’s Sukhoi Su-57E fighter jets. Algeria is at the moment the one nation in Africa to function Fifth Gen stealth fighters. They’ve already obtained two Sukhoi Su‑57 plane and plans to accumulate an extra 12 models. The Algerian Air Drive is… pic.twitter.com/QLLDZNhaco
— Protection Information Nigeria (@DefenseNigeria) March 16, 2026
[Su-57] Un chasseur Su-57 a été aperçu dans le ciel de Carélie.(c) Kirill Fedorov pic.twitter.com/vYMJQ3zPPB
— La souris (@La_souris_DA) Might 16, 2026
Earlier that 12 months, pictures revealed the inside of the Su-57’s rear, entrance and facet weapons bays, and in December 2024 the plane was additionally noticed with one flat 2D thrust vectoring nozzle. Algeria has additionally been confirmed to be the primary Su-57 buyer for a full squadron of 12 models, with at the least two seen to date.
