F-35 vs. Su-57: Why India Should Choose Russia’s Fighter Over Lockheed’s Troubled Jet

Bangaluru, India - In what could be a significant development for India’s fighter jet capabilities, officials from ROSTEC, Russia’s state-owned defence giant, have confirmed that Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL)’s Nasik facility is well-positioned to manufacture the Su-57, Russia’s advanced fifth-generation stealth fighter. The offer, which includes a complete Transfer of Technology (ToT), would allow India to not only assemble the aircraft domestically but also gain deeper expertise in designing, maintaining, and producing fifth-generation fighter jets.

This proposal, presented at the Aero India 2025 show at Yelahanka Air Force Base, comes with the promise of streamlining production by leveraging Nasik’s existing infrastructure. The facility, which played a key role in assembling nearly 220 Su-30MKI jets for the Indian Air Force (IAF), already possesses much of the tooling and machinery required for Su-57 production. According to ROSTEC officials, this would significantly reduce costs and expedite production timelines.

Why the IAF Should Bet on the Su-57 Over the F-35

The Su-57, which boasts advanced stealth features, supersonic cruise capability, and cutting-edge avionics, is being positioned as a direct competitor to other fifth-generation fighters like the F-35 and China’s J-35. If the deal moves forward, HAL could start assembling the aircraft as early as 2025.

As India evaluates its future fighter jet acquisitions, two competing options have emerged: the Russian Sukhoi Su-57 and the American Lockheed Martin F-35. While the latter has been aggressively marketed as the world’s premier stealth fighter, a deeper analysis reveals that the Su-57 may be a far more suitable choice for the Indian Air Force (IAF). Not only does it offer superior manoeuvrability, higher survivability, and easier integration into India's existing fleet, but it also avoids the chronic technical failures and costly maintenance nightmares that have plagued the F-35 program.

Su-57: Battle-Tested and Built for Maneuverability

Unlike the F-35, which was primarily designed as a multi-role stealth attack aircraft, the Su-57 is an air superiority fighter first—a philosophy that aligns well with India's doctrine of securing air dominance over contested battle zones like the Himalayas and the Indian Ocean Region. 

The Su-57 features:

• Superb Agility & Dogfight Superiority – The Su-57 boasts cutting-edge supermaneuverability, enhanced by thrust-vectoring engines and advanced aerodynamics. In contrast, the F-35 is designed for beyond-visual-range (BVR) combat and has significant limitations in close-range dogfights. U.S. military tests have repeatedly shown that in one-on-one engagements, older fourth-generation fighters like the F-16 have outmanoeuvred the F-35—a concerning drawback if India were to face China’s agile J-20 or Pakistan ’s future stealth assets.
• Better Survivability – The Su-57 is built for combat resilience. Unlike the F-35, which prioritizes stealth at the expense of robustness, the Su-57 combines stealth with high speed, agility, and electronic warfare capabilities. Its radar and infrared signature suppression make it harder to detect, but unlike the F-35, it does not rely solely on stealth as its primary defence mechanism. If detected, a Su-57 can still fight, evade, and escape—a luxury the sluggish F-35 does not have.
• More Firepower – The Su-57 can carry a larger payload internally compared to the F-35, meaning it can deliver a heavier punch without compromising stealth. It can also mount weapons externally when stealth is not required, giving it greater mission flexibility.

F-35: A Trillion- Dollar Mistake?

Despite Lockheed Martin’s marketing, the F-35 has become one of the most troubled military projects in modern history. 

The fighter has been riddled with technical failures, cost overruns, and reliability concerns.

• Frequent Crashes & Technical Failures – Since its introduction, the F-35 has suffered numerous high-profile crashes due to software glitches, control failures, and malfunctions. Just recently, a U.S. Marine Corps F-35B crashed in South Carolina in September 2023—prompting a widespread grounding of the fleet. Even before that, the aircraft had faced over 800 documented design flaws, many of which still remain unresolved.
• Expensive to Maintain – Operating an F-35 costs nearly $44,000 per flight hour, significantly more than any fighter India currently operates. In comparison, the Su-57 is designed for affordability, with a much lower operational cost per hour.
• Limited Dogfight Ability – In simulated combat scenarios, the F-35 was repeatedly outmanoeuvred by legacy fourth-generation fighters. In a now-infamous 2015 dogfight test, an F-35 was easily shot down by an F-16, raising doubts about its combat survivability in close-range air battles.
• Stealth Is Not a Magic Shield – While the F-35’s main selling point is stealth, real-world combat has shown that stealth alone does not guarantee victory. With advancements in radar and infrared tracking, stealth aircraft are becoming easier to detect—meaning that once an F-35 is spotted, its lack of speed and manoeuvrability make it an easy target.

Why Su-57 Makes More Sense for India

Apart from its combat superiority, the Su-57 is a logical choice for India from an operational, financial, and geopolitical standpoint. India already operates Russian-built Su-30MKIs, and the Su-57’s technological lineage makes it far easier to integrate into the IAF than the F-35. Logistics, maintenance, and pilot training would be streamlined, rather than requiring an entirely new ecosystem as the F-35 would.

The F-35 comes with major political strings attached. The U.S. has historically been unpredictable in arms deals, often restricting spare parts or imposing end-use monitoring conditions. Buying the F-35 could also lead to restrictions on India’s existing S-400 missile systems and other Russian-origin platforms, forcing New Delhi to compromise on its strategic autonomy.

Russia has offered India joint production of the Su-57, including full Transfer of Technology (ToT). If India chooses this path, HAL’s existing Nasik facility—previously used for Su-30MKI assembly—could be converted to manufacture the Su-57 at a fraction of the cost of importing F-35s.

Needless to say, the Su-57 allows India to field a fifth-generation fighter today while continuing to develop its indigenous HAL AMCA stealth fighter. The F-35, in contrast, would require extensive testing, integration, and logistical restructuring before it could enter service.

The Verdict: Su-57 Over F-35 for the IAF

While the F-35 is often hyped as the pinnacle of modern fighter technology, its record of failures, high costs, and limited manoeuvrability make it a poor fit for India. The Su-57, on the other hand, offers a combat-ready alternative with superior dogfight performance, lower operational costs, and the potential for domestic production.

With China aggressively expanding its J-20 fleet and Pakistan seeking stealth fighters, India must prioritize proven capability over marketing hype. The Su-57 is not just a better dogfighter—it’s also a smarter long-term investment for maintaining India’s air superiority in the decades to come.