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Rostec already discussed possible foreign contracts for Checkmate fighter — head

Checkmate will have an open architecture configuration and can therefore be customized to meet every customer’s needs in the best possible way

Checkmate fifth-generation single-engine fighter Alexander Shcherbak/TASS

Checkmate fifth-generation single-engine fighter

© Alexander Shcherbak/TASS

MOSCOW, November 12. /TASS/. Russian state-run space corporation Rostec has already discussed the possible deliveries of Russia’s prospective Checkmate single-engine fighter jet with foreign customers, Rostec chief Sergei Chemezov told TASS in the run-up to the Dubai Airshow 2021 international exhibition.

"There were talks with foreign delegations, and we are now forming proposals about the plane’s layout. Some foreign customers want an aircraft that would be adjusted for their needs, including the geography of its use, available financing and some other factors," he said.

According to Chemezov, Checkmate will have an open architecture configuration and can therefore be customized to meet every customer’s needs in the best possible way.

Russia’s state tech corporation Rostec unveiled the latest domestic single-engine fighter dubbed Checkmate at the MAKS-2021 international air show that ran in the suburban town of Zhukovsky outside Moscow on July 20-25. The new plane created by Rostec at its own initiative, is a derivative of the Su-57 fifth-generation fighter.

The new single-engine fighter is based on stealth technology and is outfitted with an inboard compartment for airborne air-to-air and air-to-surface armaments. The fighter will carry a payload of over 7 tonnes and will be capable of striking up to six targets at a time.

The Checkmate fighter will be capable of flying at Mach 1.8 (1.8 times the speed of sound) and will have an operating range of 3,000 km. The aircraft will be outfitted with a highly efficient powerplant. The new fighter is expected to take to the skies in 2023 and Rostec plans to launch the combat plane’s serial production starting in 2026.

Russia’s latest, cutting-edge fighter is expected to compete with America’s F-35A Lightning II and Sweden’s JAS-39 Gripen. The Checkmate incorporates the latest systems, including its open architecture configuration and unique artificial intelligence technologies.

The Dubai Airshow 2021 will be held on November 14-18.

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