Russia to Launch Mass Production of Checkmate Fighter Jet in 2026

DUBAI (Sputnik) - Russia will begin mass-producing its new single-engine, fifth-generation fighter jet Checkmate in 2026, Yury Slyusar, the general director of the Russian United Aircraft Corporation (UAC), said on Sunday. "The first flight of the fifth-generation fighter Checkmate is planned for 2023, serial production — in 2026," Slyusar said at the Dubai Airshow in the United Arab Emirates. Meanwhile, simultaneous production of several cutting-edge fighter jets has already been started by a plant in the city of Komsomolsk-on-Amur, in Russia's Far East region, according to the official. "The Komsomolsk-on-Amur plant has started building several Checkmate [fighters] at the same time," Slyusar announced. The Checkmate is a fifth-generation light fighter jet, developed by the Sukhoi designer bureau (part of state corporation Rostec) and first unveiled at the MAKS-2021 international aviation and space salon in the Moscow Region in July. Read more: https://sputniknews.com/20211114/russia-to-launch-mass-production-of-checkmate-fighter-jet-in-2026-1090729544.html