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First Look Inside the Su-57 Felon’s Weapons Bay

FlyMarshall NewsroomBy No Comments6 Mins Read

A photo appeared online provides for the first time a look inside the Su-57’s main weapon bays, which so far were only seen closed.

We may have our first look inside the aft weapons bay of the Su-57 Felon fifth generation fighter, after an image was shared by the leading Kremlin-aligned Telegram channel ‘Fighter-Bomber’ on Oct. 17, 2025. The image was later posted across many defense accounts.

The open weapon bay appears to show two weapons stations, which can hold either two air-to-air or air-to-ground weapons. Another similar weapon bay lies ahead, between the air intakes, and two side bays are near the wing’s root.

Both the main bays, positioned in the space between the engines, have been clearly seen previously in bottom views of the jet, but this is possibly the first time an image shows one of them open.

The aft weapons bay merges into a rear array sitting between the two nozzles, believed to host a rear-facing radar sensor. The Felon has been claimed to have radar arrays on the wing’s leading edges and a side-looking (or ‘cheek’-mounted) array, all of which complement the X-band N036 Byelka AESA radar in the nose radome.

Notably, the Su-57 has been captured firing an unidentified short-range air-to-air missile from the starboard side bay during a steep climb, as seen in a stunning March 2020 Russian Ministry of Defence (RuMoD) promotional video. The latest image however offers some key insights into the elusive fighter, which in December 2024 was spotted with one flat 2D thrust vectoring nozzle.

The starboard side internal weapon bay, meant for a short-range AAM, was also seen in the open position in the November 2024 edition of the Zhuhai Air Show. This was as the disassembled fighter was being offloaded from the An-124 cargo aircraft.

A screenshot of the video that shows the Su-57 firing an Air-to-Air Missile from the side weapons bay. (Image credit: screenshot from Russian MOD video)

The aircraft was the fourth prototype, or T-50-4, coded ‘054 blue’ and was accompanied by T-50-7, or ‘057’. Aircraft 054 also later visited India for the first time for the Aero India 2025 show in February 2025.

On a different note, Aero India 2025 also marked the first time the Su-57 shared the tarmac, side-by-side, with two F-35A Lightning IIs. Both the U.S. Air Force, UAC (United Aircraft Corporation) and SDB (Sukhoi Design Bureau) crews watched each other’s aircraft perform stunning aerial displays.

What the image shows

The design shows that there is a weapon station covered by each of the doors, although it is unclear if the Su-57 can open a single door to release a weapon or it has to open both. This translates into a ventral store payload capacity of four missiles, and a total of six considering the two side bays.

The image has been taken from inside a car, which was following the Su-57 while it was being towed by a truck. The image does not capture the tail or build number to give an idea of the base it was captured at.

In September and November 2024, at least three deliveries of the Su-57 could have taken place, Russian military aviation analyst Guy Plopsky had estimated for The Aviationist in December 2024. The Su-57s delivered in 2024 are also believed to be still flying with the older AL-41 engines, with the advanced Al-51 (or Izdeliye 30) power plant planned to be installed on the airframes delivered from 2025 onwards.

Types of missile payload

The missile being seen fired from the side bay in the 2020 RuMoD promotional video mentioned earlier could be the R-74 (or RVV-MD) short-range AAM. This bay is essentially merely a canoe-like cover for an outer weapons hardpoint on the wing-root. Clamshell-like doors quickly open and close after the weapon is ejected.

We have no official information on the kind of missiles the ventral internal bays can carry. However, if they were long-range BVR (Beyond Visual-Range) AAMs, these would have to be the R-37M (RVV-BD), or the R-77M. The War Zone reported about Russia introducing the R-37M, an optionally nuclear-armed AAM, and the R-77M to be used in Ukraine in May and July.

Unofficial independent renditions of the surface-strike missiles on the ventral stores have shown munitions that look like the Kh-69 (X-69) ALCM (Air-Launched Cruise Missile) and the Grom-E1/E2 glide bomb. The Grom first appeared to be used in Ukraine in March 2023, while the X-69 was seen in February 2024, based on the remnants of the missiles. The launching platform may have been the Su-34.

Interestingly, a clip from a May 2018 official presentation by then Russian defense minister Sergei Shoigu showed the Su-57 releasing an X-69, during the fighter’s deployment to Syria’s Khmeimim air base. However, the missile’s red color also indicates it could be an older clip from a test from within Russia.

The Su-57 was always meant to be a multirole, heavy-weight fighter capable of both air superiority/air dominance and surface-strike, trading off pure stealth for long-range and heavy payload capacity, unlike the F-22 and the F-35 Lightning II.

Russia does not rely on the Felon for operations in Ukraine, with all Combat Air Patrol (CAP), standoff strike, battlefield interdiction and ground attack roles being undertaken by the Su-30SM/SM2, Su-35S, Su-34 Fullback and the Su-25 Frogfoot. This shows how the VKS is hiding the capabilities and playbook associated with the fighter for the major war it has long anticipated with NATO.


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