MOSCOW (TASS): The newest Russian Checkmate fighter, first presented at the MAKS-2021 international air show, is in demand on the global arms market. This was announced on Monday by the general director of the state corporation “Rostec” Sergei Chemezov.
“There is no need to look for the geopolitical aspect in our new light tactical aircraft. The real reason is much simpler – the machines of this class are really in high demand in the global military equipment market,” he said in an interview with the Wall Street Journal .
According to him, Checkmate will become a “really working solution” for countries that cannot purchase the F-35 Lightning II fighter for $ 120 million. According to Rostec, the cost of the new Russian aircraft will be about $ 30 million.
The Checkmate fighter is made using stealth technologies and is equipped with an in-fuselage compartment for air-to-air and air-to-surface aircraft. The payload mass will exceed seven tons. The fighter will be able to simultaneously hit up to six targets.
The speed of the single-engine aircraft will be Mach 1.8, and the combat radius will be 3,000 km. The vehicle will be equipped with a highly efficient propulsion system. It is assumed that Checkmate will take off in 2023, from 2026 Rostec plans to start its serial production.
