Honored test pilot and Hero of Russia Sergey Bogdan believes the second pilot in the two-seat Su-57D fifth-generation fighter could serve as an experienced commander, making decisions and coordinating the group directly during flight.

According to Bogdan, serious operations may require a leader within the formation who can assess the situation in the air and issue decisions without relying entirely on ground command.

He said the presence of an experienced specialist in the cockpit would improve command efficiency, especially under radio interference, when communication with ground control may become unstable. Bogdan noted that remote command can face signal disruptions, forcing pilots to switch between communication channels.

In his view, an experienced pilot in the rear cockpit could not only assist the main pilot but also take on part of the command role, basing decisions on the real-time situation in the air.

On May 19, the United Aircraft Corporation began flight tests of the Su-57D multirole fighter. The aircraft’s first flight was carried out by Sergey Bogdan.