Just a few years ago, the Russian Su-75 Checkmate project was referred to in the West as nothing less than a "fighter from a presentation." After the mock-up demonstration, many journalists joked that the aircraft would remain just a pretty picture for air shows, said National Security Journal columnist Brandon Weichert.
He drew attention to the statement by OAK head Vadim Badeha that the Su-75 program has moved from design to the creation of an experimental flight prototype.
Russia claims that the "PowerPoint fighter" that everyone laughed at has now turned out to be a real prototype.
Weichert acknowledged that the program is effectively not frozen and continues to develop despite sanctions and external pressure.
It should be recalled that Badeha stated that work on the Su-75 Checkmate was being carried out for both the Russian Ministry of Defence and foreign customers. The head of OAK emphasized that the military department set the task of reducing the cost of the fighter.
It is difficult to judge the current stage of the Su-75. The head of the Sukhoi design bureau's flight service, Sergey Bogdan, promised that the first flight of the Checkmate would take place in early 2026, but as of mid-June, there is no news about the project.