Russia unveils new S-71K stealth missile for Su-57E amid potential sale to India

Su-57E with S-71K

Russia has publicly unveiled the S-71K Kovyor, a new air-launched stand-off weapon designed for its Su-57E fifth-generation fighter, during the El Alamein International Airshow in Egypt. The weapon was displayed alongside the S-71M Monokhrom as Russia showcased a new generation of air-launched systems that combine features of cruise missiles and low-cost attack drones.Russia is presenting the systems as a new class of relatively inexpensive stand-off weapons, aimed at giving its aircraft the ability to strike targets from a distance without relying solely on larger and more expensive cruise missiles.The aircraft was displayed with several air-to-air and air-to-ground weapons at El Alamein, while Russia's state-owned Rostec said the Su-57E would be shown with weapons that had not previously been demonstrated either in Russia or abroad.The S-71 family also reflects a shift in Russia's approach to stand-off warfare. The new weapons are positioned between sophisticated, high-cost missiles and cheaper attack drones, potentially allowing Russian aircraft to employ larger numbers of expendable weapons against targets protected by air-defence systems.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said this week that the sale of Su-57 aircraft to India is on the agenda of President Vladimir Putin’s talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. S-71K KovyorS-71K Kovyor is powered by an R500 turbojet and reportedly has a range of around 300 km. The missile carries a 250-kg OFAB-250-270 fragmentation warhead and uses inertial navigation to strike pre-programmed targets.