It is noted that not a single country has yet created a fifth-generation fighter that would not have problems.

The world’s leading military countries have been working on the creation of fifth-generation fighters for several decades, and this work is still not completed. The United States created the first fifth-generation fighter, the stealth F-22 Raptor, and followed up this project with the F-35 Lightning II joint strike fighter, while Russia and China have the Su-57 and J-20.

Business Insider writes that the American F-22 is no longer in production, and the three newest fighters, which are all considered fifth-generation aircraft, even if some of them do not quite meet all the requirements, are facing problems.

To be considered a fifth-generation fighter, the aircraft must have certain characteristics, such as stealth to avoid detection and the ability to fly at supersonic speeds without using afterburners.

Russian Su-57 aircraft

The Su-57 is Russia’s first attempt at a fifth-generation fighter, but analysts doubt it can truly lay claim to that title given its shortcomings in several key categories.

Known to NATO as the Felon, the Su-57 entered service with the Russian army in 2020. So far, Moscow has only 10 aircraft in its arsenal, but state media claim that by the end of 2024 this figure will increase to 22, and by 2028 it will jump again to 76. However, it is unknown whether these plans will come true

The Su-57 was first tested in combat over Syria in 2018. Last year, Russian officials claimed the plane had combat experience in Ukraine, which was confirmed by intelligence data released by the UK Ministry of Defense. But while the fighters may have been involved in some stand-off attacks, there is actually no evidence of widespread use of the Su-57 in the current war.

One explanation for the lack of participation in the war for which fifth-generation fighters were created may be that the Russian aircraft lacks the stealth characteristics that would allow it to operate as a full-fledged fifth-generation fighter. The problems with the plane are that Moscow has clearly failed to equip it with engines capable of operating in stealth mode and densely spaced body panels that would sufficiently reduce its radar signature.

Ultimately, Russia’s reluctance to use its Su-57s in Ukraine “suggests that they are not confident in the stated stealth capabilities of the aircraft,” Justin Bronk, an air power expert at the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI), previously told Business Insider. .

In addition, he noted that the aircraft can only carry the older version of the R-77 air-to-air missile. It has “collapsible lattice fins that prevent it from being carried inside an aircraft and therefore compromise its stealth capability,” he said.

Chinese J-20 aircraft

China also has a fifth-generation fighter program. Six years after its first flight, the Chinese Chengdu J-20 entered service in 2017.

It was included in Beijing’s inventory of 1,900 fighter jets and has since been “used for operational purposes,” according to the Pentagon’s 2023 report on the nation’s military power. China is estimated to have built more than 200 J-20 aircraft and is preparing several upgrades to the fighter, including the installation of domestically produced WS-15 engines.

It was initially assumed that the J-20 would be equipped with the WS-15 engine, which would allow the fighter to fly at supersonic speeds without the use of afterburner and give it additional stealth capabilities. But the Chinese defense industry was unable to produce this advanced engine for a long time, so the military used older Chinese and Russian engines.

“The J-20 engines are a big pain in the ass, but I think they are indicative of larger problems in the Chinese defense industry,” says Mike Dahm, a former US Navy intelligence officer. “For all of China’s technological progress, it still lags behind the West in high-tech manufacturing, be it engines, low-visibility materials or metallurgy.”

Despite previous failures, the J-20 made a landmark flight last summer, powered by a pair of WS-15 engines. But Dahm, a senior fellow at the Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies, warns that even if China has managed to overcome manufacturing difficulties, the reliability of the WS-15 engines is still in question and could cause problems – especially if they are not manufactured to the same tolerances as and Western planes.

“Over the life of the engine, they will have to do more frequent maintenance and probably change engines more often,” he said. “These maintenance issues will ultimately impact the aircraft’s readiness and performance.”

Michael Bohnert, a licensed engineer at the RAND Corporation think tank who has helped with analytical work for the US Air Force, says that maintaining stealth materials – like coating aircraft – is an expensive and “painful” process that requires a large investment, both from both in terms of workforce and infrastructure.

“A stealth aircraft is not just an aircraft,” Bohnert said. “These include missiles, tactics, logistics, service infrastructure – a lot of things.”

Like the Russians, China is still relatively new to the fifth-generation fighter game. But even the US, which has had a fifth-generation fighter since 2005, is having difficulty with the new Joint Strike Fighter.

American F-35

Developed by defense company Lockheed Martin, the F-35 is the second fifth-generation fighter in the US arsenal after the F-22 Raptor and comes in three variants.

The USMC F-35B is capable of short takeoffs and vertical landings and first achieved initial operational capability in 2015. The F-35A is used by the US Air Force and achieved IOC in 2016, while the F-35C is used by the US Navy and will enter service by 2019.

The aircraft, designed for ground attack, air combat and network aviation, has patrolled Europe and the Pacific and also had combat experience in the Middle East.

The fifth-generation aircraft is operated by both the US military and a number of US allies. Israel became the first country to fly this aircraft in combat.

The US military operates about 450 F-35 aircraft, and the Pentagon plans to purchase about 2,500 more over the next few decades; the estimated life cycle cost is more than $1.7 trillion, most of which will go towards operating and repairing the aircraft.

According to a September report published by the Government Accountability Office (GAO), the very expensive program was plagued by maintenance and sustainability issues that often impacted the warfighter’s readiness. For example, earlier this year the aircraft was capable of completing missions barely more than half the time.

The report identified a number of specific problems at military installations, including lack of support equipment, spare parts, adequate training and technical data – all of which can contribute to service delays. The report also found that the F-35 program is behind schedule in establishing repair facilities and that the US government is relying heavily on contractors, reducing its own ability to make decisions.

The overall problem is that for many years the F-35 program has been focused on production, said Diane Maurer, director of GAO’s Office of Defense Capability and Management. Priorities were largely focused on research, development and acquisition, while maintenance and costs were relegated to the background. These problems have now been resolved.

“When the F 35 began to enter service, repair facilities were not established to fix the aircraft when they needed repairs. Even now, the program is still years behind its turnaround timeline,” Maurer said.

This means that when major aircraft parts need to be repaired or replaced, they often have to be sent back to the original equipment manufacturers, resulting in long delays.

Adding to the F-35 program’s problems was a December GAO report that found problems with the fighter’s cooling system. In particular, it is overloaded, working beyond what it was designed to handle, which can increase engine wear, shorten engine life and add billions in maintenance costs.

“It’s very important for the United States to take control of the F-35 program. When it flies, we hear from pilots that they are very pleased with the capabilities of this weapon system,” Maurer said, adding that “this is not just the future of combat aviation for our three military services is real.”

F-35 fighters – latest news

In 2021, Switzerland wanted to buy F-35 fighters, and in March of this year, Romania announced its intention to buy these American fighters.

In turn, a report by the US Government Accountability Office states that as of March 2023, only 55% of F-35 fighters are capable of performing combat missions.