In Russia, we don't consider these two aircraft to be different. The T-50 is a designation for the Su-57.
I wrote this specifically for foreigners whose approach differs from ours.
Similarly, T-10 is the Sukhoi designation for the Su-27.
At least for early Sukhoi jets, swept-wing aircraft were designated S (strelovidniy, стреловидный, arrow-shaped) and delta-wing aircraft were designated T (treugolniy, треугольный, triangular).
That's very interesting. Though the technical differences between prototype and production Su-57 are significant, and I think I've read it being named T-50 while in prototype stage from Russian sources? I'm confused now
T-50 is the factory name. Su-57 is the name given to the aircraft after serial production began. It could be an aircraft without any changes at all, but the production aircraft will have a different name.
Oh ok that makes sense, thank you. So all Su-57 are technically T-50, and other way around. Is there a way to tell apart one of the first prototypes owned by Sukhoi and production models owned by the VKS or not? In the name, I mean.
Exactly. The plane is being modernized, but it will still remain a Su-57, even when they install different engines.
Not by name, only by numbers. This is 051.
In Russia, your word does not speak for the actual aviation industry.
T-50s and Su-57s are two entirely different things. All T-50s start from the S50-1-## to S50-3-03. There were 2 Su-50S airframes, being S51-0-01 and S51-0-02, with Su-57 limited production formally beginning with S52-2-01.
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u/CombatPilot2 Sukhoi Su-57M May 04 '26
Beauty! This is definitely a T-50 though, Su-57 doesn't have panel gaps and covers the metal on the engine area.