Russian S-70 Drone Shot Down by Su-57: Malfunction orDefection?
Moscow, October 10, 2024 – The military world was shaken by the news of the downing of Russia’s most advanced S-70 Hunter stealth drone over eastern Ukraine.The drone, which fell into Ukrainian-controlled territory, was reportedly shot down by a Russian Su-57 fighter jet. This incident has sparked speculation about thecause, with possibilities ranging from a technical malfunction to a potential defection.
The S-70, Russia’s answer to the American X-47B, European Neuron, and Chinese Attack 11, istouted as the world’s largest stealth drone. With a wingspan of 17.6 meters and a maximum takeoff weight of 22.15 tons, the S-70 boasts a range of 4,000kilometers and can carry a payload of 2 tons, including KAB-500 laser-guided bombs and X-31 air-to-surface missiles. Despite its impressive capabilities, the S-70’s development has been slow, with the first prototype only unveiled in December 2021.
The war in Ukraine provided a real-world testing ground for the S-70, which made its combat debut in 2023 by using Kh-59Mk2 stand-off cruise missiles to strike Ukrainian forces in the Sumy region. After nearly six months of testing, the Russian militarydeclared in January 2024 that the S-70 had entered the final stage of testing and was slated for mass production later that year.
However, this promising trajectory was abruptly halted by the recent incident. Ukraine initially claimed that the S-70 was shot down by an F-16 fighter jet,but video footage of the event contradicts this claim. The aircraft that launched the missile is clearly a twin-engine aircraft, not an F-16, and its trajectory suggests it was not flying in the same direction as the S-70, indicating a potential friendly fire scenario.
The Russian Ministry of Defense hasconfirmed this suspicion, stating that the S-70 was shot down by a Russian Su-57 during a combat evaluation exercise. The ministry explained that the drone deviated from its designated combat zone and was subsequently destroyed to prevent it from falling into enemy hands. The incident, according to the ministry, revealedpreviously undetected flaws in the drone’s control system, which will be addressed before testing resumes.
While the official explanation points to a technical malfunction, some experts remain skeptical. The S-70 and Su-57 are designed to operate in tandem, with the drone serving as a loyal wingmanto the fighter jet. The fact that the Su-57 was tasked with destroying the S-70 raises questions about the nature of the malfunction and the possibility of a deliberate act of sabotage.
The incident highlights the challenges facing Russia’s military modernization program. The S-70 is acritical component of Russia’s future warfare strategy, and its loss, regardless of the cause, is a significant setback. The investigation into the incident will undoubtedly be closely scrutinized, with the findings potentially impacting the future development and deployment of this advanced drone.
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