Russia unveils unmanned Su-75 Checkmate stealth fighter at Dubai Airshow 2025
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Sukhoi unveiled a refined unmanned Su-75 Checkmate fighter jet model at Dubai Airshow 2025, featuring a reworked wing and revised rear fuselage, signaling Russia’s intent to keep the Su-75 program alive despite current development delays and funding uncertainties.
As reported by Michael Jerdev on November 16, 2025, Sukhoi presented a completed model of the unmanned variant of its future Su-75 Checkmate stealth fighter jet at Dubai Airshow 2025, which presents an updated wing and revised rear fuselage to distinguish it from the manned Su-75. The cockpitless airframe marked with the number 750 demonstrated the most complete iteration yet of the autonomous Checkmate derivative, a design first shown in 2021 and subsequently altered in several structural areas. This model also signaled Sukhoi’s intent to promote the Su-75 despite the absence of a full-scale prototype and ongoing uncertainty about development timelines.Follow Army Recognition on Google News at this link
The Sukhoi Su-75 is intended to be available in one-seat, two-seat, and unmanned versions, allowing a single platform family to cover training, strike, and loyal wingman roles. (Picture source: X/Michael Jerdev)
Russia’s presence at Dubai Airshow 2025 combined static displays and flying aircraft, situating the unmanned mock-up of the Light Tactical Aircraft (LTA), also known as the Sukhoi Su-75 Checkmate, among a mix of commercial, military, and conceptual platforms. The LTA model was displayed alongside mock-ups of the MC-21-310 airliner and a model of the Su-57, while operational aircraft flown to the event included the Su-57E, Ka-32, Il-76MD-90A, Yakovlev Yak-130, and a light utility helicopter. Russian representatives declined to comment on specifications or development details for the unmanned variant, reflecting a recurring pattern at international shows where Russian industry exhibits models well before any flight article appears. This approach has been consistent throughout the Checkmate program, which has relied heavily on airshow visibility to maintain attention in the absence of confirmed testing milestones. Both the manned and unmanned versions remain central to the Su-75/LTA program’s narrative, possibly highlighting the degree to which the program depends on external investment or export interest, even while development progress remains uncertain.
The manned Su-75 Checkmate, which forms the basis of all LTA variants, continues to be presented as a lightweight single-engine stealth multirole fighter intended for export and possible domestic use. Sukhoi advertises the aircraft with a diverterless supersonic inlet, a V-tail, internal and external hardpoints for a payload between 6,000 and 7,400 kilograms, and an aerodynamic layout intended to reduce radar signature while supporting operations at high altitude. Published specifications state, for now, a length of 17.7 meters, an 11.8-meter wingspan, a maximum takeoff weight of roughly 26 tonnes, and performance targets including speeds near Mach 1.8 to 2.0, a range around 2,900 to 3,000 kilometers, a ferry range of about 3,000 kilometers, and a service ceiling near 16,500 meters. The Checkmate is marketed for air-to-air and air-to-surface missions with R-77, R-74M, Kh-38, Kh-59MK2, anti-ship missiles like Kh-35E, guided bombs of several classes, and optional gun pods. These characteristics could place the Su-75 Checkmate in the same broad segment as the Gripen E, KF-21, and other medium-weight multirole aircraft.
According to Sukhoi, the Su-75’s mission systems include open architecture avionics, onboard diagnostics, a low-cost active electronically scanned array radar, and multispectral optical targeting systems. The cockpit of the manned version is expected to resemble the Su-57 and Su-35S layout, with two large multifunction displays and a wide-angle heads-up display. The aircraft is promoted as capable of operating in contested electromagnetic environments, tracking multiple targets, and functioning within cooperative formations. Propulsion is believed to be based on a derivative of the Saturn AL-51 turbofan engine, described as more efficient and lighter than earlier Russian fighter engines. Sukhoi plans to produce the Su-75 in three main variants: a single-seat stealth fighter, a twin-seat version for training or strike, and a fully unmanned version for loyal wingman operations. This modular approach could allow the Su-75 factory to adapt to different mission sets while sharing a common airframe and avionics baseline.
The unmanned Su-75 LTA variant shown in Dubai also reflects Russia’s broader development of loyal wingman systems, which also includes the S-70 Okhotnik-B and the Kronshtadt Grom-U. These programs are intended to support manned fighters like the Su-57 Felon and Su-75 Checkmate by extending sensor reach, conducting reconnaissance, or carrying weapons into areas with elevated risk levels. Russian efforts in this field have encountered challenges, including a 2024 incident in which a Su-57 shot down a malfunctioning Okhotnik-B during operations over Ukraine. Possibly illustrating the technical challenges faced by Russia about autonomous control, link stability, and target identification, the unmanned Su-75 LTA mock-up displayed at Dubai featured modifications to the wings and rear fuselage to reduce radar signature and increase lifting surface area. The updated model confirmed that these redesign efforts have been integrated into the most recent configuration, although the timeline toward a prototype, either manned or unmanned, remains undetermined. The presence of the unmanned variant at Dubai, therefore, must be seen as a conceptual progress rather than a confirmed hardware development.
Indeed, the industrial and financial environment surrounding the Su-75 program has strongly shaped its progress and the balance between manned and unmanned variants. Since 2017, sanctions have restricted Russia’s access to semiconductors, high-precision machinery, and financial systems, limiting the country’s ability to develop new fighters and reducing foreign demand for Russian military aircraft. Reports of earlier funding involvement from the United Arab Emirates, followed by its suspension due to program delays, underscored the difficulty of assembling external investment. Russia has instead concentrated resources on sustaining production of Su-34 and Su-35 aircraft for ongoing operations, while also diverting funds to high-profile systems such as the 9M730 Burevestnik nuclear-powered cruise missile. These factors have raised doubts about the near-term viability of the Su-75, even though Sukhoi continues to market the aircraft at an estimated price of 25 to 30 million dollars and mentions interest from Africa, South America, the Middle East, and Asia. The program’s current status seems to reflect a heavy reliance on export opportunities to advance from conceptual models to full development.
However, the Dubai Air Show 2025 functioned primarily as a signal that Sukhoi intends to keep the Su-75 program active despite delays and the absence of a manned prototype. Industry statements during the airshow referred to an ongoing preparation for ground testing and suggested that a first prototype could be ready for trials around early 2026, although similar projections have shifted in previous years. The lack of a full-scale manned prototype four years after the program’s debut reinforced questions about the trajectory of the Su-75 Checkmate, but the updated unmanned model indicated continued refinement of the design. But the appearance of the LTA loyal wingman model highlighted Russia’s intent to participate in the global race toward autonomous combat aviation, even as industrial constraints and technological gaps continue to shape the program’s future.
Written by Jérôme Brahy
Jérôme Brahy is a defense analyst and documentalist at Army Recognition. He specializes in naval modernization, aviation, drones, armored vehicles, and artillery, with a focus on strategic developments in the United States, China, Ukraine, Russia, Türkiye, and Belgium. His analyses go beyond the facts, providing context, identifying key actors, and explaining why defense news matters on a global scale.
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Sukhoi unveiled a refined unmanned Su-75 Checkmate fighter jet model at Dubai Airshow 2025, featuring a reworked wing and revised rear fuselage, signaling Russia’s intent to keep the Su-75 program alive despite current development delays and funding uncertainties.
As reported by Michael Jerdev on November 16, 2025, Sukhoi presented a completed model of the unmanned variant of its future Su-75 Checkmate stealth fighter jet at Dubai Airshow 2025, which presents an updated wing and revised rear fuselage to distinguish it from the manned Su-75. The cockpitless airframe marked with the number 750 demonstrated the most complete iteration yet of the autonomous Checkmate derivative, a design first shown in 2021 and subsequently altered in several structural areas. This model also signaled Sukhoi’s intent to promote the Su-75 despite the absence of a full-scale prototype and ongoing uncertainty about development timelines.
Follow Army Recognition on Google News at this link
The Sukhoi Su-75 is intended to be available in one-seat, two-seat, and unmanned versions, allowing a single platform family to cover training, strike, and loyal wingman roles. (Picture source: X/Michael Jerdev)
Russia’s presence at Dubai Airshow 2025 combined static displays and flying aircraft, situating the unmanned mock-up of the Light Tactical Aircraft (LTA), also known as the Sukhoi Su-75 Checkmate, among a mix of commercial, military, and conceptual platforms. The LTA model was displayed alongside mock-ups of the MC-21-310 airliner and a model of the Su-57, while operational aircraft flown to the event included the Su-57E, Ka-32, Il-76MD-90A, Yakovlev Yak-130, and a light utility helicopter. Russian representatives declined to comment on specifications or development details for the unmanned variant, reflecting a recurring pattern at international shows where Russian industry exhibits models well before any flight article appears. This approach has been consistent throughout the Checkmate program, which has relied heavily on airshow visibility to maintain attention in the absence of confirmed testing milestones. Both the manned and unmanned versions remain central to the Su-75/LTA program’s narrative, possibly highlighting the degree to which the program depends on external investment or export interest, even while development progress remains uncertain.
The manned Su-75 Checkmate, which forms the basis of all LTA variants, continues to be presented as a lightweight single-engine stealth multirole fighter intended for export and possible domestic use. Sukhoi advertises the aircraft with a diverterless supersonic inlet, a V-tail, internal and external hardpoints for a payload between 6,000 and 7,400 kilograms, and an aerodynamic layout intended to reduce radar signature while supporting operations at high altitude. Published specifications state, for now, a length of 17.7 meters, an 11.8-meter wingspan, a maximum takeoff weight of roughly 26 tonnes, and performance targets including speeds near Mach 1.8 to 2.0, a range around 2,900 to 3,000 kilometers, a ferry range of about 3,000 kilometers, and a service ceiling near 16,500 meters. The Checkmate is marketed for air-to-air and air-to-surface missions with R-77, R-74M, Kh-38, Kh-59MK2, anti-ship missiles like Kh-35E, guided bombs of several classes, and optional gun pods. These characteristics could place the Su-75 Checkmate in the same broad segment as the Gripen E, KF-21, and other medium-weight multirole aircraft.
According to Sukhoi, the Su-75’s mission systems include open architecture avionics, onboard diagnostics, a low-cost active electronically scanned array radar, and multispectral optical targeting systems. The cockpit of the manned version is expected to resemble the Su-57 and Su-35S layout, with two large multifunction displays and a wide-angle heads-up display. The aircraft is promoted as capable of operating in contested electromagnetic environments, tracking multiple targets, and functioning within cooperative formations. Propulsion is believed to be based on a derivative of the Saturn AL-51 turbofan engine, described as more efficient and lighter than earlier Russian fighter engines. Sukhoi plans to produce the Su-75 in three main variants: a single-seat stealth fighter, a twin-seat version for training or strike, and a fully unmanned version for loyal wingman operations. This modular approach could allow the Su-75 factory to adapt to different mission sets while sharing a common airframe and avionics baseline.
The unmanned Su-75 LTA variant shown in Dubai also reflects Russia’s broader development of loyal wingman systems, which also includes the S-70 Okhotnik-B and the Kronshtadt Grom-U. These programs are intended to support manned fighters like the Su-57 Felon and Su-75 Checkmate by extending sensor reach, conducting reconnaissance, or carrying weapons into areas with elevated risk levels. Russian efforts in this field have encountered challenges, including a 2024 incident in which a Su-57 shot down a malfunctioning Okhotnik-B during operations over Ukraine. Possibly illustrating the technical challenges faced by Russia about autonomous control, link stability, and target identification, the unmanned Su-75 LTA mock-up displayed at Dubai featured modifications to the wings and rear fuselage to reduce radar signature and increase lifting surface area. The updated model confirmed that these redesign efforts have been integrated into the most recent configuration, although the timeline toward a prototype, either manned or unmanned, remains undetermined. The presence of the unmanned variant at Dubai, therefore, must be seen as a conceptual progress rather than a confirmed hardware development.
Indeed, the industrial and financial environment surrounding the Su-75 program has strongly shaped its progress and the balance between manned and unmanned variants. Since 2017, sanctions have restricted Russia’s access to semiconductors, high-precision machinery, and financial systems, limiting the country’s ability to develop new fighters and reducing foreign demand for Russian military aircraft. Reports of earlier funding involvement from the United Arab Emirates, followed by its suspension due to program delays, underscored the difficulty of assembling external investment. Russia has instead concentrated resources on sustaining production of Su-34 and Su-35 aircraft for ongoing operations, while also diverting funds to high-profile systems such as the 9M730 Burevestnik nuclear-powered cruise missile. These factors have raised doubts about the near-term viability of the Su-75, even though Sukhoi continues to market the aircraft at an estimated price of 25 to 30 million dollars and mentions interest from Africa, South America, the Middle East, and Asia. The program’s current status seems to reflect a heavy reliance on export opportunities to advance from conceptual models to full development.
However, the Dubai Air Show 2025 functioned primarily as a signal that Sukhoi intends to keep the Su-75 program active despite delays and the absence of a manned prototype. Industry statements during the airshow referred to an ongoing preparation for ground testing and suggested that a first prototype could be ready for trials around early 2026, although similar projections have shifted in previous years. The lack of a full-scale manned prototype four years after the program’s debut reinforced questions about the trajectory of the Su-75 Checkmate, but the updated unmanned model indicated continued refinement of the design. But the appearance of the LTA loyal wingman model highlighted Russia’s intent to participate in the global race toward autonomous combat aviation, even as industrial constraints and technological gaps continue to shape the program’s future.
Written by Jérôme Brahy
Jérôme Brahy is a defense analyst and documentalist at Army Recognition. He specializes in naval modernization, aviation, drones, armored vehicles, and artillery, with a focus on strategic developments in the United States, China, Ukraine, Russia, Türkiye, and Belgium. His analyses go beyond the facts, providing context, identifying key actors, and explaining why defense news matters on a global scale.
