Former Russian test pilot Magomed Tolboyev told reporters that Sukhoi Su-57 fifth-generation fighter jet (NATO nickname Felon) has more of a likelihood of gaining the initiative early on and winning in a one-on-one dogfight with U.S. F-35 Lightning II stealth fighter.
“Su-57 will kill [a F-35] easily, should they meet one on one. The F-35 cannot maneuver, it’s simply incapable. But it does has electronic might,” Tolboyev said, adding that electronics could be disrupted even by Solar flares.
“This is why I oppose everything electronic,” the pilot disclosed.
Tolboyev characterized the Su-57 Felon as a “brilliant plane,” but underscore that the times of one-on-one dogfights are long over.
“Today, you no longer fight one on one. Everything depends on your support. There is electronic warfare today. This is no longer a sparring tatami, but a complex approach to tactical issues,” the pilot.
In turn, military experts were skeptical about his words, stating that the F-35 fighter jet can detect adversaries at long ranges and can evade enemy radar.
Key to the Lightning II’s strategy, its stealth must protect it from the prying eyes of Russian radars before they realize that they are already at the crossroads of American missiles.