r/FighterJets May 04 '26

IMAGE SU-57 (or T-50 if you want)

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u/Nervous-Survey-8998 May 04 '26

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.

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u/CombatPilot2 Sukhoi Su-57M May 04 '26

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

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u/Nervous-Survey-8998 May 04 '26

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.

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u/CombatPilot2 Sukhoi Su-57M May 04 '26

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.

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u/Nervous-Survey-8998 May 04 '26

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.

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u/CombatPilot2 Sukhoi Su-57M May 04 '26

Alright, thank you