Has Russia’s War in Ukraine Killed the Su-75 Checkmate?
Until the Su-75 reaches operational capacity, it is hard to say whether it is more than a fantasy.
Russia’s Su-75 “Checkmate” was once envisioned to represent a cheap fifth-generation fighter that could easily be exported. However, the never-ending invasion in Ukraine and a dwindling supply of funds and weapons alike have rendered the platform as essentially useless. The latest update surrounding the upcoming fighter jet was documented in early 2025, when the chief deputy director of United Aircraft Corporation claimed that the Checkmate had reached its final stage of the development process. While entering this phase would entail that the Su-75 underwent ground tests to ensure its structural integrity and weapons and avionics functions, no further update regarding the aircraft’s subsequent flight tests has been relayed.
An Overview of the Su-75 Checkmate
If the Su-75 really was a cheap but similarly formidable version of the American-made F-35 Lightning II or Chinese-made Chengdu J-20, it would certainly be an export powerhouse. Moscow has displayed a mockup of the fighter jet in multiple military aviation exhibitions. However, despite its appearances in these displays and dramatic promotional videos Moscow has released of the platform, the Checkmate is really nowhere to be seen.
A non-flying prototype of the Su-75 was debuted at the 2021 MAKS air show. Initially, the jet’s maiden flight was supposed to take place in 2023, but this timeline has been pushed back on several occasions. Although Moscow has a history of exaggerating expected timelines and even the capabilities of its military systems, the Su-75’s lack of productivity was likely caused at least in part by the ongoing Ukraine war. Russia has funneled loads of resources into the invasion and remains heavily sanctioned by the West. Since Russia has turned to Soviet and World War II weapons stockpiles to arm its soldiers over the last couple of years, it is doubtful that any real progress on emerging military systems like a fifth-generation fighter concept could receive the funding and resources required.
While Moscow asserts that the Checkmate is an equal match to its American and Chinese counterparts, the jet is only partly stealthy. Unlike the small radar cross-section fitted on both the F-35 and J-20 fighters, the proposed Su-75 achieves much of its stealthiness in the front half of the aircraft alone. In terms of speed, analysts believe that Russian engineers plan to power the Checkmate with the NPO Saturn AL-41, which is also installed on the Su-57. If successfully incorporated, the Checkmate could be able to fly at speeds in excess of Mach 1.8. The Bulgarian Military has detailed that the Checkmate is designed with several internal weapons bays and external weapon attachment points, capable of carrying a total payload of at least 7,400kgs.
The Su-75 has been paraded as an alternative fifth-generation fighter on the export market. Existing operators of older Russian airframes including Turkmenistan, Nigeria, India, Iran, and Algeria could potentially procure the Checkmate once it becomes available. However, the United Arab Emirates, which initially planned to move forward with the Su-75, abandoned the project and turned to the F-35 instead. Until the Checkmate actually reaches operational capacity and has combat experience, it is hard to say whether or not the Russian platform really is just a fantasy.
About the Author: Maya Carlin
Maya Carlin, National Security Writer with The National Interest, is an analyst with the Center for Security Policy and a former Anna Sobol Levy Fellow at IDC Herzliya in Israel. She has by-lines in many publications, including The National Interest, Jerusalem Post, and Times of Israel. You can follow her on Twitter: @MayaCarlin. Carlin has over 1,000 articles published over the last several years on various defense issues.
Image: By KF-21A, CC BY-SA 4.0, cropped, Wikimedia Commons.