There apparently indeed 2 seater version of Su-57. Patent got released
Patent received for multifunctional air control center
20.11.2023
The United Aircraft Corporation received a patent for a two-seat multifunctional aircraft for use as an air control center and ensuring interaction between aviation and military formations using network-centric methods for controlling weapons objects on the battlefield. The aircraft concept was developed at the Sukhoi Design Bureau. Patent RU2807624 registered by the Federal Service for Intellectual Property on November 17, 2023.
It is assumed that the aircraft can also be used as a control point for unmanned aerial vehicles, which is achieved through a wide range of communication means, including satellite, high-speed communication channel and the installation of equipment for group transmission of information over long distances.
The rear cockpit of the two-seater aircraft is optimized to perform the functions of a weapons operator and an air command post, its information field is provided by an expanded panoramic aviation indicator and an additional indicator to increase the operator's working field, controls are installed to transfer control priority from one cabin to another, and controls are eliminated controls not required by the second crew member. The equipment in the co-pilot's cockpit makes it possible to quickly receive information from various external sources, both aviation, land and sea, analyze it on board the aircraft and issue recommendations or commands for the group's aircraft to carry out a combat mission, taking into account their fuel reserves and combat equipment.
An increase in flight range and duration is achieved due to a 10 percent greater capacity of fuel tanks compared to the prototype, as well as by placing detachable fuel tanks in the cargo compartments of the aircraft. The increased cross-sectional area of the cockpit compared to the prototype allows the installation of large multifunctional indicators on the instrument panel for displaying various tactical and flight information, as well as equipment for separate control of aircraft systems between the cockpits.
Composite materials are widely used in the aircraft design, which ensures high weight efficiency. To increase the level of stealth, radio-absorbing materials and coatings are used. The tail, along with the use of an integral load-bearing fuselage and engines with deflectable thrust vectoring, helps ensure super-maneuverability, expanding the range of altitudes and flight speeds. To further increase stability, ventral ridges are installed on the lower part of the tail boom.
Based on the drawings presented in the patent, it can be assumed that the prototype of the multifunctional air control center is the fifth-generation fighter Su-57. However, the abstract of the patent indicates that the closest are the aircraft of the Su-30MK family. The common features include an integral aerodynamic layout with a smooth coupling of the wing and fuselage, an all-moving horizontal tail console and a vertical tail console.
As disadvantages of the prototype, the authors of the invention point out the shaping of the airframe and the placement of the target load on the external sling, which significantly reduces the effectiveness of the combat use of the aircraft and does not allow achieving a low level of visibility in the radar range. It is also noted that the prototype avionics complex has limitations in terms of integrated data processing in network-centric combat operations.
The invention of the Sukhoi Design Bureau is aimed at creating a two-seat multifunctional aircraft of an integral aerodynamic configuration with a low level of radar signature, designed to destroy air, ground and surface targets with guided and unguided weapons, capable of acting as an airborne command post for network-oriented actions of mixed groups of aircraft and, as a consequence of this, having a significantly higher level of combat effectiveness.
