Russia plans first flight of Su-75 Checkmate light stealth fighter in 2026.

The Su-75 Checkmate is slated for a first flight in 2026 as Russia seeks a lighter fighter to eventually replace aging MiG-29 variants and complement the Su-57.

According to Izvestia on January 12, 2026, Russia is targeting a first flight of the Su-75 Checkmate light stealth fighter during 2026, though no date has been confirmed. If confirmed, this would mark the first real transition since its public debut in 2021 as a full-scale mock-up, showing whether Russia can still field a new lightweight combat aircraft under sanctions and industrial pressure.
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Development of the Su-75 has followed a trajectory shaped by funding limits, revised timelines, and broader geopolitical pressures; the first flight was initially scheduled for 2023, later delayed to 2024, then 2025, and eventually early 2026. (Picture source: Russian MoD)

Officially revealed as a full-scale mock-up at the MAKS Air Show in August 2021, the aircraft was presented as a Light Tactical Aircraft intended to complement the heavier Su-57 while replacing aging MiG-29 fleets in Russian service. From the outset, the program was framed as an export-oriented initiative, targeting air forces seeking a lower-cost aircraft with a reduced radar signature and modern avionics, echoing Soviet fighters such as the MiG-21 and MiG-23, which once formed the backbone of the communist air forces across the globe. Following this debut, the Su-75 remained in a static state, as the program did not progress through visible flight milestones; instead, it remained focused on preparation and refinement. The anticipated first flight could therefore represent the first major transition beyond the mock-up stage.

Development of the Su-75 has then followed a prolonged and uneven trajectory shaped by shifting timelines, funding constraints, and broader geopolitical pressures. Additionally, the Su-75 is the first attempt in several decades to reintroduce a lightweight, single-engine tactical fighter into the Russian Air Force, meaning that everything must be made from scratch. Early official statements projected a first flight as early as 2023, later shifted successively to 2024, 2025, and then to early 2026. Representatives of Rostec and Sukhoi stated that prototype manufacturing activities were underway at the Komsomolsk-on-Amur Aircraft Plant, which also produces Su-35S and Su-57 fighters. The program has progressed in an environment shaped by international sanctions, which limited access to imported electronics, machine tools, and financial mechanisms. These constraints coincided with increased production priorities for existing combat aircraft needed by the Russian Aerospace Forces. As of January 2026, the Su-75 Checkmate therefore remains in a pre-flight development phase, with no confirmed domestic or export orders publicly acknowledged.

From a design standpoint, the Su-75 adopts a configuration intended to reduce frontal radar signature while maintaining structural simplicity. The airframe incorporates a diverterless supersonic inlet beneath the forward fuselage, eliminating complex inlet ducts and reducing weight and maintenance demands. A V-tail arrangement replaces conventional horizontal and vertical stabilizers, combining pitch and yaw control through ruddervators managed by digital flight control systems. Internal weapons bays are integrated into the fuselage to limit external stores during low-observable missions. The overall shaping emphasizes angular surfaces and edge alignment, consistent with radar cross-section reduction measures. Subsequent models and patents published after 2021 show modifications to wing roots, strakes, and lifting surfaces, indicating ongoing aerodynamic and signature optimization. The design reflects a balance between stealth-related features and production practicality.

The Su-75 is planned as a single-seat multirole aircraft capable of air-to-air and air-to-ground missions using a common airframe. It is expected to be powered by a derivative of the Saturn AL-51F-1 turbofan, associated with later Su-57 variants, offering higher thrust-to-weight efficiency than earlier Russian engines. Available data indicate a maximum takeoff weight of about 26,000 kg and a total payload capacity of up to 7,400 kg across internal and external hardpoints. Internal carriage is intended for several air-to-air missiles, while external pylons would be used when low observability is not required. The aircraft is designed to operate at high subsonic and supersonic speeds, with an advertised maximum speed in the Mach 1.8 to Mach 2.0 range.

The Su-75 is expected to have a length of approximately 17.7 m, a wingspan of about 11.8 m, and a service ceiling of about 16,500 m. The ferry range is estimated at around 3,000 km, with a combat radius expected to be significantly lower depending on mission profile and payload. Avionics plans include an open-architecture electronic suite and a cost-optimized AESA radar, with sensor commonality reportedly pursued with the Su-57 to simplify logistics. The cockpit layout is expected to feature large multifunction displays and a wide-angle head-up display similar to existing Sukhoi designs. It is worth noting that all published performance figures remain provisional pending flight testing, therefore remaining theoretical.

To remain neutral, the Su-75 program must also be placed within the industrial and strategic constraints facing Russia’s combat aircraft sector since 2020. Development has progressed alongside sustained production of Su-34 and Su-35S aircraft and a slow ramp-up of Su-57 deliveries, which has limited the allocation of resources to new programs such as the Checkmate. The Su-75 has therefore been advanced with a strong emphasis on component commonality, simplified manufacturing, and export-driven financing rather than large upfront domestic procurement. Official statements have repeatedly linked its future to foreign interest, suggesting that serial production volumes and timelines remain dependent on external commitments. This context partly explains why, despite several public milestones and revised schedules, the aircraft has not yet transitioned from prototype preparation to confirmed flight testing or operational planning.

When compared with other fighter aircraft, the Su-75 could occupy an intermediate position between Russia’s heavier twin-engine jets and Western single-engine fighters. Within the Russian inventory, it is intended to sit below the Sukhoi Su-57 in terms of size, cost, and mission scope, while potentially replacing older MiG-29 variants that lack modern sensors and low-observable features. Relative to U.S. aircraft, the Su-75 is often positioned conceptually between upgraded fourth-generation fighters such as the F-16 and the fifth-generation F-22 or F-35, combining internal weapons carriage and reduced frontal signature with a single-engine layout and lower projected unit cost. Unlike the F-35, which benefits from large-scale production, multinational sustainment, and operational experience, the Su-75 remains unproven and dependent on future testing outcomes. Its role, if realized, would therefore be that of a lighter multirole platform designed to complement heavier assets rather than replace them.

Written by Jérôme Brahy

Jérôme Brahy is a defense analyst and documentalist at Army Recognition. He specializes in naval modernization, aviation, drones, armored vehicles, and artillery, with a focus on strategic developments in the United States, China, Ukraine, Russia, Türkiye, and Belgium. His analyses go beyond the facts, providing context, identifying key actors, and explaining why defense news matters on a global scale.