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On July 18, leaked footage from Zhukovsky International Airport showing Russia’s new stealth fighter jet surfaced online.
The new fighter jet, dubbed the “Checkmate,” was developed by the United Aircraft Corporation (UAC), a subsidiary of Russia’s Rostec.
The Checkmate is Russia’s first single-engine stealth fighter jet. According to several sources, the jet will have a take-off weight of no more than 18 tons. It will be highly-maneuverable with a top speed that exceeds Mach two.
The leaked footage revealed that the fighter jet has internal weapons bays, which are designed to lower radar cross-section. The design of the jet’s cockpit appears to be identical to that of the larger Sukhoi Su-57.
The new Sukhoi fighter combined into a single frame. 13/https://t.co/3wyrxiX6d4 pic.twitter.com/c7OIhXtAY5
— Rob Lee (@RALee85) July 18, 2021
The fighter jet appears to be also equipped with an infrared search and track (IRST) system for aerial targets. A day earlier, Rostec revealed that the jet was equipped with an integrated electro-optical targeting system for ground and sea-based targets.
The Checkmate stealth fighter jet will be officially presented for the first time during the MAKS-2021 Air Show which is set to open on July 20.
