The secret landing of Sukhoi -Russian fighter in Iran; Is military cooperation on the way

Satellite images report Ford a fifth -generation Russian Sukhoi jet in Bandar Abbas, Iran. But what is the story? Is a new military cooperation on the way?

A advanced Sukhoi -Russian fighter has recently landed in Iran. The aircraft stopped on the way back from the Aero India 2025 International Exhibition in India, at the Bandar Abbas Air Force Base in southeast of Iran. This seems to be the first time that the fifth -generation Russian fighter has entered Iranian territory for any reason. Satellite images show that the fighter has been in Bandar Abbas’s base for several days, but it is unclear whether it has left the base so far.

What is the story of the Russian Sukhoi landing images in Bandar Abbas?

The TWZ Magazine has published a satellite image of the fighter on March 1, recorded by Maxar Technologies. In this image, in addition to the Su-57, two US-made P-3 Orion identification aircraft delivered to Iran before the Revolution, and a Russian IL-76 Candid aircraft. This is in line with a recently released video showing the SU-57 fighter alongside the Russian IL-76 Transport aircraft with the RA-76373 registration number. Online flight tracking data also confirm the presence of the Russian cargo aircraft in India by February 5.

Sukhoi -Russia at Bandar Abbas Base

Other satellite images reviewed by Planet Labs confirm the presence of the Sukhoi fighter along with two P-3 and one IL-76 in Bandar Abbas on February 5; But this recorded image, only mumps are still on the base. This has caused speculation about the fate of the advanced Russian fighter.

Another video released in cyberspace since March 1 shows the fighter running from Bandar Abbas base. However, reports on social media claim that the Sukhoi SU-57 fighter has been longer than the initial program in Iran due to technical failure in the engine. A history of technical problems in the engine of this fighter, which has been repeatedly served since its arrival, has reinforced this possibility.

Previously, Russian fighters have used Iranian air bases, including for military operations in Syria. Bandar Abbas, with its strategic location near the Persian Gulf, is a logical point for stopping between India and the main Su-57 base in Russian Akhtobinsk.

Is Russia seek to sell the Sukhoi fighter to Iran?

The event occurs when the SU-57 sales debate to international markets is hot. Algeria has recently been introduced as the first export customer of the fighter and has finalized the purchase of the fighter. The deal could be a turning point for Sukhoi, as the fighter has so far been slowing the service of the Russian Air Force and has experienced limited foreign sales.

However, there is no sign that Russia has used the opportunity to officially display the fighter to Iranian officials. At least so far there has been no credible report of Iran’s interest in buying this fighter.

Even if Iran is looking to buy this fifth -generation war aircraft, there is a major challenge on the decision; The operational and maintenance capability of this fighter is very complex. The aircraft is far more advanced than the old fighters in the Iranian Air Force. Iran had previously announced that he intends to buy the Russian Sukhoi-E-Fanker-E fighter; A fighter that is a significant promotion compared to the current Iranian fleet. The deal is linked to Iran’s support for Russia in the Ukrainian war, including the supply of suicide bombers.

Given Israel’s recent air strikes for strategic goals within Iran and Tehran’s urgent need to strengthen its air defense capability, the presence of the SU-57 in Bandar Abbas could be the starting point of new developments in Iran-Russia military cooperation. However, it is still unclear whether the Flon fighter is still present in Iran or whether this stop was just a random event on the way back to Russia.

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