Russia is making a serious bid to break into the West Asian market by showcasing its state-of-the art Checkmate fighter jet at the Dubai air show later this year.

The Checkmate is a derivative of the fifth generation Su-57 fighter.

The single engine fighter wants to carve a market for itself by outgunning competitors such as the F-35A Lightning II and Sweden’s JAS-39 Gripen. It hopes to meet its customers’ needs by making extensive use of Artificial Intelligence technologies and open architecture configuration.

The Checkmate fighter aspires to clock a speed  Mach 1.8 (1.8 times the speed of sound).  It will have an operating range of 3,000 km, Tass news agency reported. The new fighter is expected to take to the skies in 2023. The manufacturer Rostec plans to begin serial production in  2026.

The fighter will carry a payload of over 7 tonnes and will be capable of striking up to six targets at a time.

Also Read: Hypersonic Weapons: Global threats and India's preparedness