RMAF Deputy Chief Gets Up Close with Russia’s Su-57E, LANCET Kamikaze Drone at Aero India 2025
At Aero India 2025, the Deputy Chief of the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) seized the opportunity to closely examine Russia’s fifth-generation fighter export variant, the Su-57E, which made its debut at the prestigious aerospace exhibition. Additionally, he also inspected the LANCET kamikaze drone, a loitering munition that has gained significant prominence in Ukraine conflict.
(DEFENCE SECURITY ASIA) – The Deputy Chief of the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF), Lieutenant General Datuk Seri Muhamad Norazlan Aris, recently attended the Aero India 2025 Airshow held at Yelahanka Air Force Station in Bengaluru, India.
During the event, he took the opportunity to closely examine the export variant of Russia’s fifth-generation fighter aircraft, the Su-57E, which made its debut at the aerospace exhibition.
He was also given the chance to experience flying the Su-57E via a flight simulator at the ROSOBORONEXPORT booth.
“The Deputy Chief of the Air Force had the opportunity to conduct a Su-57E simulator flight and inspect the aircraft up close to assess its advanced weaponry and technology firsthand,” the RMAF stated on its social media platform.
At the Air Show China 2024 held in Zhuhai last November, RMAF Chief General Tan Sri Mohd Asghar Khan Goriman Khan also had the opportunity to inspect the Su-57E export variant closely.
According to images shared by RMAF on social media, the Deputy Chief of the Air Force also examined the LANCET kamikaze drone, developed by Russian company ZALA AERO.
(kredit TUDM)(kredit TUDM)
It is likely that the variant he observed was the LANCET-E, an export version that was publicly unveiled for the first time at the Army 2024 International Military-Technical Forum in Moscow last August.
The LANCET drone was developed by ZALA Aero, a subsidiary of Kalashnikov Concern, the company behind the globally renowned AK-47 assault rifle.
The export version of the loitering munition system, the Lancet-E, consists of the Z-16-E reconnaissance drone and two loitering munitions—the 51-E and 52-E—each with different specifications in terms of range and maximum take-off weight (MTOW).
“The unveiling of the LANCET-E export variant at Army 2024 marks the beginning of ROSOBORONEXPORT’s global marketing campaign for this advanced weapons system,” said ROSOBORONEXPORT Director General Alexander Mikheev in a statement to Defence Security Asia last year.
“This system has demonstrated its effectiveness on the battlefield, with the capability to engage a wide range of targets, including all types of armored vehicles, fortifications, and ground installations,” he added.
(kredit TUDM)Lancet-E (ROSOBORONEXPORT)
In addition to inspecting the Su-57E fighter jet, including its cockpit, the Deputy Chief of RMAF also visited several exhibition booths, including those of United Aircraft Corp (UAC), SAMTEL, ROSOBORONEXPORT, Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL), and ADANI Ltd.
During his visit to these exhibitors, he extended invitations to the companies to participate in the Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace Exhibition (LIMA) 2025, scheduled to take place from May 20 to 24, 2025, in Langkawi, Malaysia.
According to RMAF’s social media statement, the Deputy Chief’s participation in Aero India 2025 served as an important platform for strengthening Malaysia’s strategic defense relations at the international level.
This year’s Aero India 2025 gathered more than 150 international companies and was attended by defense representatives from around 30 countries under the theme “The Runway to a Billion Opportunities.”
The Deputy Chief of the Air Force also attended the Defence Minister’s Conclave, themed “BRIDGE (Building Resilience through International Defence & Global Engagements),” which emphasized the importance of international collaboration in the defense sector.
(kredit TUDM)RMAF Chief inside the cockpit Su-57E during Air Show China 2024 in Zhuhai November last year. (TUDM)
Additionally, he participated in the Air Chiefs’ Roundtable, one of the key events at the airshow, which focused on contemporary security and defense issues.
As part of efforts to enhance strategic defense relations globally, the Deputy Chief of RMAF held a meeting with the Vice Chief of the Air Staff (VCAS) of the Indian Air Force, Air Marshal Sujeet Pushpakar Dharkar.
“The discussions centered on strengthening bilateral cooperation in training and expertise exchange between both air forces,” according to the statement.
He also held talks with Brigadier General Soo Yeow Teo, Head of Air Operations of the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF), who was also present at the exhibition.
