Russia’s 5th-Generation Su-57 Now Equipped with Second-Stage AL-51F1 (Izdeliye 30) Engine
The second stage AL-51F1 engine (Izdeliye 30 or Product 30) is the final component that makes the Russian-made Su-57 fully compliant with the country’s fifth-generation fighter requirements.
(DEFENCE SECURITY ASIA) – One of Russia’s television stations has aired the trailer for Masters of the Sky, a film dedicated to the 85th anniversary of the Pavel Sukhoi Experimental Design Bureau.
The film has garnered attention as for the first time, showcase the fifth-generation Su-57 fighter jet (NATO designation: Su-57 Felon) equipped with the second-stage engine, the Product 30 (Izdeliye 30) or AL-51F1, featuring a flat nozzle and deflectable thrust vectoring.
As highlighted in an article by Russian aerospace news portal RuAviation, the trailer includes footage of the T-50-2 prototype aircraft equipped with the long-awaited propulsion system, along with the Su-57M featuring two second-stage AL-51F1 engines.
The AL-51F1 engine is the final component that makes the Russian-made Su-57 fully compliant with the country’s fifth-generation fighter requirements.
These requirements include multi-functionality, stealth technology, ultra-maneuverability, pilot situational awareness, a substantial combat payload with high-precision long-range missiles, and supersonic flight in supercruise mode without the use of afterburners.
Supercruise, the ability to sustain supersonic flight without afterburners, offers key operational benefits:
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Fuel Efficiency – Reduces fuel consumption, extending range and endurance.
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Lower Heat Signature – Minimizes infrared detection, improving survivability.
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Extended Combat Radius – Covers greater distances without refueling.
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Faster Response Time – Speeds up interception and target engagement.
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Stealth Advantage – Reduces visible and acoustic detection.
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Operational Flexibility – Enables quick repositioning and high-speed maneuvers.
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Air Superiority – Sustained supersonic speed enhances positioning in combat.
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Engine Longevity – Reduces engine wear compared to afterburner use.
The fulfillment of the final criterion—supersonic flight without afterburners—has been achieved with the second-stage engine.
The Su-57 represents an impressive feat of engineering, as its ability to achieve Mach 2 without afterburners demonstrates the aircraft’s advanced design and technology.
This “supercruise” capability allows the Su-57 to sustain supersonic speeds without afterburner activation, which otherwise consumes significant fuel and produces a large heat signature.
The information revealed in the film regarding the Su-57 with the AL-51F1 engine confirms that the propulsion system is now ready, tested, and prepared for standard installation.
In December 2023, Russian Air Force sources told TASS about plans to equip all Su-57s produced at the Komsomolsk-on-Amur aircraft manufacturing facility with AL-51F1 engines starting in 2024.
However, fighter jets delivered last year by United Aircraft Corporation (UAC) to the Russian Air Force were still fitted with the first-stage AL-41F1 (Product 117) engines.
The development of the second-stage AL-51F1 engine for the Su-57 is being carried out by the Arkhip Lyulka Design Bureau.
The first bench prototype launch took place on November 11, 2016, while flight tests began in December 2017 using the prototype aircraft with tail sign ‘052’ (T-50-2).
The second-stage engine was first officially presented under the AL-51F1 designation in July 2023 at a scientific and technical conference on engine development prospects held at Samara Technical University.
During a presentation by ODK-Kuznetsov, the second-stage engine for the Su-57 was labeled AL-51F1 on one of the slides.
The first-stage AL-41F1 engine delivers a nominal thrust of 8,800 kgf, 14,500 kgf with afterburner, and 15,000 kgf in emergency mode.
According to aviation industry experts and analysts, the AL-51F1 engine is expected to achieve a nominal thrust of at least 11,000 kgf and 17,000 kgf with afterburner.
With the Su-57’s maximum take-off weight exceeding 35 tons, the aircraft’s thrust-to-weight ratio is expected to exceed one, reaching approximately 1.15 to 1.2 at normal take-off weight.
Currently, this parameter stands at 1.09 for normal take-off weight and 0.97 for full take-off weight. – DSA
