For the first time Russian fifth-generation fighter Su-57 shot down a Su-27 fighter aircraft of the Ukrainian air force by using R-37M long-range BVR missile.
According to the Russian edition of Svobodnaya Pressa, on October 10, a Ukrainian Su-27 fighter jet was hit by the latest Su-57 fifth-generation fighter by using R-37M BVR missile. According to Russian journalists, a Ukrainian combat aircraft was shot down with a R-37M missile from a very long distance, which may well be true, since on October 10, a R-37M missile was indeed accidentally noticed by local residents over one of the cities of Ukraine. But no official info provide both countries.
Against the background of fierce battles for Svatovo, Artemovsk and on the northern front of the Kherson region, the news about the destruction of the Su-27 Air Force of Ukraine near the village of Porskalivka, Poltava region, did not receive proper coverage. This, by the way, is also mentioned in the Report of the Russian Ministry of Defense on the progress of the special military operation on the territory of Ukraine as of October 13.
According to source the Ukrainian Su-27 was lifted into the air to intercept Geran-2 kamikaze drones and was forced to “jump” a little above a safe height. After that, it was hit by a Russian R-37M long-range hypersonic air-to-air missile.
Moreover, it is possible that the launch of the R-37M was carried out from the Su-57, because was not noticed by AWACS in Poland and Romania.
However, overseas there were such publications that are sure that the Russian Defense Ministry is not bluffing. Thus, according to the American magazine Military Watch, the air defense systems of the RF Armed Forces deployed in the Belgorod region broke the world record for the range of destruction in the air.
For obvious reasons, no reliable information was provided on this subject, however, Russian fifth-generation fighters were actually used as part of the NMD, as previously reported, however, there were no official statements from the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation regarding the defeat of the Ukrainian Su- 27 Russian Su-57 aircraft were not made.
The R-37M is one of two new air to air missile classes to enter service in the Russian Air Force, the other being the K-77 which has a shorter range of approximately 193km but is more compact and has a sensor suite better suited to neutralising manoeuvrable targets. The K-77 may only be deployed by Russia’s new Su-57 fighters, however, and was designed specifically to be carried eight at a time from their internal weapons bays providing the largest long range missile payload of any fighter in the world in stealth configuration.
The R-37M, however, can be equipped with wider range of aircraft including the Su-35, Su-30SM, Su-30SM2, MiG-35, and the Su-57 itself. The Su-57 can carry two R-37M missiles in its internal weapon bay.
