Russian Checkmate fighter jet to perform first flight in 2024

Russia’s Rostec State Corporation has announced that the first flight of the Russian Su-75 Checkmate single-engine fighter jet will be performed in 2024.

Russian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Industry and Trade Denis Manturov has said that the preparation is underway for the production of the first prototypes of the fighter jet, while the first flight is postponed due to the adjustment of the project, according to Kommersant.

“Proceeding from this work, changes were made to the project, which corrected the timing of the first flight. However, these changes were made in a short period of time thanks to the principle of modularity and modern digital technologies and we plan to start flight tests in 2024,” Manturov said in an interview with Interfax.

The information about the postponement of the first Checkmate flight to 2024 was confirmed in the official Telegram channel of the Rostec State Corporation. No further details or comments were made.

Rostec CEO Sergey Chemezov announced in May 2022 that the corporation plans to launch serial production of the Su-75 fighter jets in 2027. The then Russian deputy prime minister Yuri Borisov said in June 2022 that the first flight of the fighter jet would take place in 2025.

Checkmate was presented in July 2021 at the MAKS-2021 air show. Chemezov said the aircraft is being created without budgetary funds and will be exported.

Rostec CEO said that the new jet "is capable of effectively resisting fifth-generation aircraft in long-range and short-range battles".