Checkmate and Okhotnik face trouble despite positive spin from Rostec
Checkmate was unveiled at the MAKS-2021 event in Moscow in July 2021. (Photo: Russian MoD)
During the meeting last month with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Rostec CEO Sergey Chemezov discussed the S-70 Okhotnik UCAV and the Checkmate light fifth-generation fighter aircraft — two much-hyped programmes that may yet suffer from the broader repercussions of the ongoing invasion of Ukraine.
Chemezov claimed that serial production of the Okhotnik heavy UCAV will begin in 2023.
‘The first flying prototype was rolled out in 2021 and we will begin serial-producing and delivering it to the [Russian] defence ministry in 2023,’ he said in an official statement after the meeting.
‘As its specific feature, the Okhotnik has a flat
Already have an account? Log in
Want to keep reading this article?
More from Air Warfare
-
UK to receive 27 additional F-35 aircraft by end of decade
The number of aircraft was stated by UK Defence Secretary John Healey during a Defence Committee hearing. It follows on from the UK’s decision to purchase F-35A aircraft to boost its nuclear deterrence, although hurdles and questions about the order still remain.
-
What lessons could Europe learn from air power use in Ukraine?
The use of air power by both sides in the ongoing conflict has been extensively focused on, influencing policy and procurement around the world. But are the lessons from the front line universally applicable, or should other nations be planning for very different scenarios?
-
Paraguayan Air Force receives four A-29 Super Tucano aircraft
Six Super Tucano aircraft were ordered in July 2024, with Paraguay the fifth South American country to add the aircraft to modernise its fleet.