The Russian fifth-generation fighter Su-57 may have an effective scattering area (ESA) thousands of times greater than the indicators of F-35 Lightning II. This assessment was given by the magazine 19FortyFive.
Analyst Dario Leone stated that the frontal ESA of the Su-57 may be from 0.1 to 1 square meter, which is comparable to fourth-generation fighters, such as the F/A-18E Super Hornet.
Imagine that Boeing puts up for sale the F/A-18 Super Hornet or F-15 Silent Eagle with suspended containers and weapon bays as stealth aircraft in the spirit of 5th generation aircraft. What do you think, how would they differ from F-35?
Leone added that the F-35 supposedly will be able to detect the Russian fighter at a distance six times greater than the Su-57 will see it. He recalled that the RCS of the F-35 is estimated at 0.005–0.001 m².
The head of Rostec, Sergei Chemezov, stated that the Su-57 is absolutely not inferior to its American competitor in any way . He also emphasized that the domestic development is much cheaper.