Russia is positioning the Su-57D, a two-seat aircraft, as a much more ambitious version of a conventional trainer. The aircraft is being developed as a platform for evaluating technologies that could eventually be incorporated into Russia’s sixth-generation combat aircraft, according to Mikhail Strelets, director of the Sukhoi Design Bureau.
The second cockpit is provided with importance that extends beyond pilot training as a result of the announcement. The additional crew member will coordinate drone groups, control unmanned aircraft, and assist in managing complex combat systems, rather than merely serving as an instructor.
The concept comes as combat aviation moves toward a model in which a manned fighter operates as the centre of a larger network of manned and unmanned aircraft.
The Su-57D prototype made its first flight on May 19, 2026, with Sukhoi chief test pilot and Hero of Russia Sergey Bogdan at the controls. A flight lasting approximately 40 minutes was conducted as part of the aircraft’s initial testing regimen. According to the United Aircraft Corporation, the aircraft would integrate the Su-57’s combat capabilities with airborne command functions and training.
The Second Cockpit Is About Combat, Not Just Training
Historically, two-seat fighter aircraft have played an essential part in training. A second crew member enables an instructor to accompany a student and offers a practical method of transitioning pilots to a new aircraft type.
The Su-57D retains this capability; however, Russian designers are designating the second cockpit with an additional, potentially more critical function.
Sergey Bogdan previously clarified that network-centric operations and the integration of unmanned systems into combat formations would become more prevalent in future air warfare. In such cases, a second crew member may assume the role of an operator, responsible for interacting with drones and other aircraft, while the pilot focuses on navigating and completing the primary mission.
This division of responsibilities could be especially beneficial during intricate missions. Simultaneously, a fighter pilot may be required to oversee navigation, sensors, armaments, threats, and communications. Adding several autonomous or semi-autonomous unmanned aircraft to that workload could quickly exceed what a single person can efficiently manage.
The Su-57D attempts to solve that problem by effectively turning the second cockpit into a dedicated command-and-control position.
The “Okhotnik” Becomes the Key Element
One of the most important systems associated with the concept is the S-70 Okhotnik heavy unmanned combat aircraft.
Russia has previously demonstrated cooperation between the Su-57 and Okhotnik, including flight testing aimed at developing interaction between the manned fighter and the unmanned aircraft. The fundamental concept is that the Su-57 serves as the lead platform, while the Okhotnik functions as its unmanned wingman.
The Su-57D has the potential to significantly expand upon this concept.
As per Strelets, the second crew member was capable of coordinating not only a single unmanned aircraft but also many highly intelligent drones or entire groups of unmanned systems. Therefore, the aircraft would function as an airborne command post, with the pilot focusing on the primary combat mission of the fighter and the second operator overseeing external unmanned assets.
This creates a potentially powerful division of labour. Unmanned aircraft could augment the formation’s sensor coverage, armaments capacity, and operational capabilities in hazardous regions, while the manned fighter could concentrate on the highest-priority tasks.
From Wingman to Drone Command Centre
The significance of the concept becomes clearer when viewed through the idea of a future combat formation rather than a single aircraft.
A Su-57D could potentially lead several unmanned aircraft to perform different functions. One may engage in reconnaissance, another may carry weapons, and yet another may potentially provide assistance with electronic warfare or communications. Artificial intelligence could help process the enormous amount of information generated by these systems.
Every drone’s movement would not necessarily require manual control by the second crew member. Alternatively, the operator could supervise autonomous systems, assign objectives, and manage missions while the aircraft’s computers handle routine tasks.
That would represent a major change from the traditional fighter cockpit.
A Flying Laboratory for Combat AI
The other major purpose of the Su-57D is artificial intelligence.
Sukhoi intends to use the two-seat aircraft as a flying laboratory for the evaluation of combat AI technologies. The platform has been characterized by Russian officials as a means of experimenting with sixth-generation capabilities before committing to their integration into future aircraft.
In the future, these systems could be used to process information from multiple sensors, identify and prioritize targets, plan missions, support electronic warfare, and coordinate unmanned aircraft.
Testing these technologies on an existing aircraft provides an important benefit. Engineers can assess new operational concepts and software in a real airborne environment without the need to wait for the completion of a completely new sixth-generation fighter.
Why the Su-57D Could Matter to Russia’s Next Fighter
The Su-57D therefore occupies an unusual position. It remains a fifth-generation fighter; however, its capabilities are expanding to include the technologies that are expected to shape the next evolution of combat aviation.
The first flight also demonstrated that the addition of a second cockpit has not fundamentally changed the aircraft’s handling characteristics. Bogdan acknowledged that the Su-57D’s controllability and stability were comparable to those of a single-seat aircraft, despite certain differences in aerodynamic limits.
That makes the aircraft a relatively practical platform for experimentation.
The most important development may therefore not be the two-seat fighter itself, but what happens around it. The Su-57D could serve as a crucial link between today’s fifth-generation fighters and tomorrow’s sixth-generation combat architecture if integrated with autonomous drones, AI-assisted decision-making, and networked combat systems.
The second cockpit, in this sense, is not simply an extra seat. It is potentially the control centre for an entirely new way of conducting air combat.