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Sukhoi Su-57 - New General Megathread for the 1st-3rd of November 2024

The Sukhoi Su-57 is a twin-engine stealth multirole fighter aircraft developed by Sukhoi. It is the product of the PAK FA (Russian: ПАК ФА, prospective aeronautical complex of front-line aviation) programme, which was initiated in 1999 as a more modern and affordable alternative to the MFI (Mikoyan Project 1.44/1.42). Sukhoi's internal designation for the aircraft is T-50. The Su-57 is the first aircraft in Russian military service designed with stealth technology and is intended to be the basis for a family of stealth combat aircraft.

A multirole fighter capable of aerial combat as well as ground and maritime strike, the Su-57 incorporates stealth, supermaneuverability, supercruise, integrated avionics and large payload capacity. The aircraft is expected to succeed the MiG-29 and Su-27 in the Russian military service and has also been marketed for export.

After repeated delays, the first Su-57 entered service with the Russian Aerospace Forces (VKS) in December 2020.

Origins

In 1979, the Soviet Union outlined a need for next-generation fighter aircraft intended to enter service in the 1990s. The programme became the I-90 (Russian: И-90, short for: Истребитель 1990–х годов, lit. 'Fighter of the 1990s') and required the fighter to be "multifunctional" (i.e. multirole) by having substantial ground attack capabilities, and would eventually replace the MiG-29 and Su-27 in frontline tactical aviation service.

Though not a participant in the MFI, Sukhoi started its own programme in 1983 to develop technologies for a next-generation fighter, eventually resulting in the forward-swept wing S-32 experimental aircraft, later redesignated S-37 and then Su-47.

Due to a lack of funds after the dissolution of the Soviet Union, the MFI was repeatedly delayed and the first flight of the MiG 1.44/1.42 prototype did not occur until 2000, nine years behind schedule.

Because of Russia's financial difficulties, the programme aimed to rein in costs by producing a single multirole fifth-generation fighter that would replace both the Su-27 and the MiG-29. Further cost-saving measures include an intended size in between that of the Su-27 and the MiG-29 and normal takeoff weight considerably smaller than the MiG MFI's 28.6 tonnes (63,000 lb) and the Su-47's 26.8 tonnes (59,000 lb).

In April 2002, the Ministry of Defence selected Sukhoi over Mikoyan as the winner of the PAK FA competition and the lead design bureau of the new aircraft. In addition to the merits of the proposal, Sukhoi's experience in the 1990s was taken into account, with the successful development of various Su-27 derivatives and numerous exports ensuring its financial stability.

Design

The Su-57 is a fifth-generation multirole fighter aircraft and the first operational stealth aircraft for the Russian armed forces. In addition to stealth, the fighter emphasizes supermaneuverability in all aircraft axes, capacious internal payload bays for multirole versatility, and advanced sensor systems such as active phased-array radar as well as the integration of these systems to achieve high levels of automation

The aircraft has a wide blended wing body fuselage with two widely spaced engines and has all-moving horizontal and vertical stabilisers, with the vertical stabilisers canted for stealth; the trapezoid wings have leading edge flaps, ailerons, and flaperons. The aircraft incorporates thrust vectoring and large leading edge root extensions that shift the aerodynamic center forward, increasing static instability and maneuverability.

Designed from the outset as a multirole aircraft, the Su-57 has substantial internal payload capacity that allows the carriage of multiple large air-to-surface ordnance. Weapons are housed in two tandem main weapons bays in the large ventral volume between the widely spaced engine nacelles and smaller side bays with bulged triangular-section fairings near the wing root.

The first aircraft in Russian military service to emphasize stealth, the Su-57 employs a variety of methods to reduce its radar signature. Similar to other stealth fighters such as the F-22, the aircraft aligns the planform edges to reduce its radar cross-section (RCS); the leading and trailing edges of the wings and control surfaces and the serrated edges of skin panels are carefully angled to reduce the number of directions the radar waves can be reflected. Weapons are carried internally in weapons bays within the airframe and antennas are recessed from the surface of the skin to preserve the aircraft's stealthy shape, while radar absorbent material (RAM) coatings absorb radar emissions and reduce the reflection back to the source.

As with other stealth fighters, the Su-57's low observability measures are chiefly effective against super-high-frequency (between 3 and 30 GHz) radars, usually found on other aircraft. The effects of Rayleigh scattering and resonance mean that low-frequency radars, employed by weather radars and early-warning radars are more likely to detect the Su-57 due to its size.

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  • Cascadia General Subthread

    Note: This is less ironic than it may initially sound. If you live in the region, read through before responding and it just might start to make sense.

    For comrades who live in "Cascadia", it is time to make use of the region's political and material environment to advance the socialist cause. There is no socialist future for anyone living in this area until uprooting the influence of the US empire is made a priority. The majority urban population of our region seeks a progressive future, and would likely even support socialist development if they were presented with a strong alternative.

    Cascadian socialists ought to perceive themselves as such, and organize with each other under a regional banner.

    Why "Cascadia" and that dorky flag that they fly at the soccer games?

    Because it exists and is known already. If the Cascadian socialist movement wants to lead a rebrand in the future, then they ought to get some power behind them so they can communicate it. In the absence of such, it's more effective marketing to latch on to the one thing that people may know about, even if you feel like it is sort of cringe (or worse, see below).

    Why is organizing under a regional banner so important?

    Geography is material. Proximity is also material. We know as Marxists that both are important to shaping a political movement alongside all the other material conditions that factor in. When you are close to one another physically, your conditions are going to be in closer alignment. A movement that accounts for geography is going to better adapt to the local nature of the conditions. Call it "Socialism with Cascadian Characteristics".

    Current socialist options available to an urban Cascadian at present include the DSA, PSL, and Socialist Alternative. While our comrades working with them may do some good work advancing the cause, they are organized in their current form as "American" organizations (the largest, DSA, in particular) and are unable to take advantage of the opportunity of developing a Cascadian political identity.

    We also have an opportunity in our region due to a couple of key factors:

    • We are physically far away from the center of the United States' capital territory (the NY/DC megalopolis). Our closest neighbor is California. While our comrades there are under different conditions that may not allow for the development of an independent "Californian socialism" (we encourage them to do so!), there is still a significant amount of separation even from them due to our mountainous and unpopulated border region.
    • The region was settled later than many others in the world, with the Lewis and Clark expedition only opening the door to white settlement after the year 1800. This is one reason the roots here are shallow and can be pulled out (then replaced).
    • The region has historically been an afterthought of the US and Canadian federal goverments, being so far from population centers, and a result of "manifest destiny" drive rather than an intent to develop it economically. Modern technology has lowered this boundary substantially, but it used to be uncommon to see anywhere (besides Seattle on occasion) mentioned in national headlines until around the late 1990s.
    • Many liberals from the rest of the United States have emigrated to Cascadia to seek a more progressive society. We should lament that we were unable to present them with a true alternative, and all they have been offered is an opportunity to vote Democrat without being shamed for it and little more.

    I will conclude this section by pointing out that American Indian activist movements have found great power from their small numbers by drawing on their relationship to the land (yeah I read theory). Even if they have been contained to reservations and unfair treaties over time, they have the advantage of being bound by and to their land. It also goes to say that Cascadian Socialism will engage with and include our First Nations/American Indian tribes and intend to develop a close alliance with them.

    OK so there may be some reasons to merge the "Cascadia" thing with socialism, but it almost sounds like you're taking the "balkanize the US" Hexbear memes a bit too far...

    We are taking them to just the right distance. USian socialists, especially here on Hexbear, recognize that the United States must be weakened substantially in order for socialism to thrive internationally. The same is surely true within its own borders. Cascadian socialists recognize that the path to progress is paved by turning away from the United States politically.

    There are many young communists who develop revolutionary tendencies and demand that a militant revolution get underway at the earliest convenience. Typically, as they become better informed on the history of socialist movements, they recognize that revolutionary movements do not happen spontaneously, and rely on decades of groundwork. Likewise, many Cascadian socialists may initially view themselves as part of a secessionist movement. Secession is one tactic, but it is not core to the movement in the foreseeable future. It is likely a question that will be decided by generations ahead, as centering secession as a goal of the movement will lead to an immediate termination of it as the United States will view it is a direct threat to its sovereign integrity. "Cascadian secession" is its own topic within Cascadian socialist thought, and can be addressed in a future thread.

    So you want to add tension to Cascadia's relationship with the USian (and Canadian?) federal government(s), go our own independent, socialist direction, but we aren't going to secede?

    Yep, you're getting it! Of course, there's much more discussion to be had within the party about how that would be executed.

    What is to be done?

    The author of this post is comfortable with this online community. Let's start with a chat this week in the general mega. Some topics:

    • What are the characteristics of a Cascadian socialist culture, and/or a Cascadia dominated by it?
    • What are the main political and economic issues at hand in Cascadia and its different regions?
    • How can we develop propaganda that would target existing socialists? progressive (but misguided) liberals? the public at large?

    If Cascadian Hexbears can't come together on this concept, what future is there for the greater movement?

    The next best move is to take this offline with /clean/ separation from Hexbear's shitposting. There is a scheme in the works to bridge that gap in a way that's secure. That can come in the future though.

    Last thing, I've heard the talk (/done the research) about the history of white nationalism in Cascadia, and the fact that your doug fir flag has been flown in its name. That's a bit dodgy isn't it?

    Yep, it's critical for Cascadians to be aware of the history of white nationalism in the region. Go ahead and read about the "Northwest Territorial Imperative" here to get an intro and make sure we are on the same page. This makes it all the more important to supplant the liberalism that will at best, give a white nationalism movement room to grow.

    In reality, the common perception of the Doug Flag and "Cascadia" have a lot more to do with "bioregionalism" than with white nationalism. You sort of need to be a nerd to understand that, but socialists are often huge nerds so we want to be cautious.

    It's another discussion point for the future, and could include something like a rebrand like mentioned above.

    • Cascadia is a natural fortress, sort of like Mordor. The ocean to the East, the Rockies to the west, deserts to the south, and north is BC and Yukon, for which the running joke is "You could get away with murder in Yukon if you could find anyone to kill."

      • Your map might be upside down, comrade.

        • This is a recurring problem for me.

          • Nonetheless, a militant branch of the movement would find itself well situated, although the major threat comes from the occupying military bases located internally along Puget Sound.

            As mentioned in the post we mustn't play ourselves into senseless violence that achieves nothing (adventurism?). The democratic arm of the movement will need to take priority and propose peaceful solutions that achieve progress.

        • Not when I piss on Montana and drink the Pacific.

    • Yo dawg we heard you liked megathreads

      • It's a good spot for now cause regular posts decay after like 12-20 hours. Much easier to Ctrl+F the current megathread if someone wants to check in later in the week.

        Also there are some times I end up cracking open a 5 day old mega and scroll the whole thing.

    • good post, keep it up!

      • Since you asked, I'll deliver more propaganda right here in your inbox! There's plenty more to write up, but why don't you throw in a question of your own to prompt me? If you don't like my first draft of my response, we can workshop it a bit.

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