Yury Slyusar noted that changes had been made to the Checkmate project and the timeframe of the fighter’s debut flight had been altered

Moscow: The United Aircraft Corporation (part of the state tech corporation ROSTEC) intends to build four prototypes of the state-of-the-art Su-75 Checkmate single-engine lightweight fighter, Company CEO Yury Slyusar told TASS at the Army 2022 international military-technical forum on Tuesday.

"We use advanced super-computer technologies in the Checkmate project, which enables us to cut substantially the timeframe of building the prototype and begin the flight tests in 2024. Now preparations have been launched for the production of two prototypes. In all, we plan to build four prototypes," the chief executive said.

The latest domestic single-engine fighter Checkmate engineered by the Sukhoi Aircraft Company (part of the United Aircraft Corporation) was unveiled at the MAKS 2021 international Air Show that ran in the suburban town of Zhukovsky outside Moscow. The fighter’s presentation abroad was held at the Dubai Air Show 2021 in the United Arab Emirates. The new plane is a derivative of the Su-57 fifth-generation fighter.

Foreign customers outlined their requirements for the Su-75 Checkmate fighter, following which work was carried out to optimize the aircraft, Slyusar said.

"Over the time since the project’s presentation at the MAKS 2021 Air Show, work has been organized to get a feedback from potential customers. Aside from the customers’ additional requirements, work has been carried out to optimize the cost and analyse certain technical solutions, which has made it possible to substantially raise the competitive edge and the commercial attractiveness and reduce technical risks in creating the domestic single-engine airplane," the chief executive said.

Changes have been made to the Checkmate project and the timeframe of the fighter’s debut flight has been altered. The United Aircraft Corporation intends to launch the fighter’s tests in 2024, he said.

The Su-75 is being primarily developed as an export airplane. The project is currently at the stage of preparing for the production of the first prototypes. The plane is based on the modular principle with some optional solutions, which makes it possible to use the best 5th generation technologies, the chief executive explained.

The work on the Checkmate’s unmanned version will proceed simultaneously with the creation of the baseline single-seat fighter, Slyusar said.

"The work on the Checkmate's unmanned version has been ongoing since the early stages of designing. The unmanned version can be created alongside the singe-seat airplane. The potential for the unmanned aircraft’s flight tests will be developed as part of the outpacing work on the manned version," he said.

Even the baseline single-seat aircraft incorporates technical solutions that will help cut the timeframe of developing the unmanned version, Slyusar said.

The new Checkmate single-engine fighter is based on stealth technology and is outfitted with an inboard compartment for airborne air-to-air and air-to-surface armaments. The fighter will carry a payload of over 7 tonnes and will be capable of striking up to six targets at a time.

The Checkmate fighter will be capable of flying at Mach 1.8 (1.8 times the speed of sound) and will have an operating range of 3,000 km. The aircraft will be outfitted with a highly efficient powerplant.

Russia’s latest, cutting-edge fighter is expected to compete with America’s F-35A Lightning-II and Sweden’s JAS-39 Gripen. The Checkmate incorporates the latest systems, including its open architecture configuration to meet the customer’s requirements and unique artificial intelligence technologies.

The Army 2022 international military-technical forum organized by Russia’s Defence Ministry runs on August 15-21 on the premises of the Patriot Park near Moscow, at the Alabino practice range and the Kubinka airfield, and also in all of Russia’s Military Districts and in the Northern Fleet, in more than 30 Russian regions.