A recent statement by Lieutenant General Alexander Maksimtsev, First Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Aerospace Forces, has drawn significant international attention. Maksimtsev revealed that Russia’s Aerospace Forces continue to receive the latest fifth-generation Su-57 fighter jets, which are being equipped with cutting-edge weapons systems-including hypersonic missiles.

The announcement came as a surprise to many Western military analysts, as no official confirmation of such capabilities had been made previously.

The response from international defense experts was swift. Analysts at Military Watch Magazine speculated that the missile in question could be the Zircon-a weapon until now believed to be exclusively naval. The possibility that the Su-57 can carry and launch a hypersonic Zircon is being seen as a major technological breakthrough, one that could drastically enhance Russia’s aerial strike capabilities.

Russian military expert Yuri Knutov addressed NATO’s growing unease over this development in an interview with Argumenty i Fakty. He noted that while large MiG-31K jets armed with Kinzhal missiles are relatively easy to track on radar, the Su-57-with its stealth features-can approach targets undetected and carry out surprise attacks.

Reports of a new air-launched missile for Russian fighters first surfaced in 2023. Open-source data indicates that the missile is smaller than the Kh-101/102 series but has a range of up to 3,500 kilometers.

Defense specialists emphasize that the integration of a hypersonic weapon within the internal bay of the Su-57 makes the platform truly unique. At present, no other air force in the world is known to possess a comparable capability.