Air Forces Fighter Jets

Russia to Unveil Su-57E Stealth Drones and Bison Anti-Drone System at Egypt Airshow

Russia’s state arms exporter Rosoboronexport will use the El Alamein International Airshow 2026 in Egypt, running September 8-10, to give the world’s first public look at two stealth drones designed to fly alongside the export-configured Su-57E fighter, along with a new anti-drone weapon system, the company announced this week. The unveiling is one of the most substantial Russian defense-export showcases of the year and comes as Moscow works to convert a single confirmed export customer, Algeria, into a broader Su-57E sales campaign across Africa and the Middle East.

What Happened

Rostec and its export arm Rosoboronexport confirmed that the Su-57E will fly in Egypt carrying weaponry the company says has never before been shown publicly in Russia or abroad. Alongside the fighter, Rosoboronexport will present the S-71M and S-71K, described as multifunctional stealth drones built for launch from fifth-generation fighters, plus a new counter-drone system reported by regional outlets as the TKB-1167, marketed for export as “Bizon” (Bison).

Rosoboronexport Director General Alexander Mikheev framed the display as tailored to the region: “At the El Alamein International Airshow 2026, Rosoboronexport has prepared an exhibit featuring the most advanced combat-proven Russian products for Egypt, Africa and the Middle East. We are showcasing the latest aircraft and their weapons, air defence systems, including counter-UAV solutions, loitering munitions and drones. A number of these products are completely new, shown for the first time anywhere in the world,” Mikheev said, according to TASS. He also called Egypt “Russia’s most important strategic partner,” noting that military-technical cooperation between the two countries “has a long history and evolves continuously in line with global market trends.”

According to Rostec, the S-71 family features low observability, extended flight range, high speed and interchangeable wing configurations, and is pitched as serving as both a sensor node and a strike platform — in the company’s words, drones have become “not only the ‘eyes’ for other combat systems but also one of the primary means of engagement.” Rostec has not disclosed performance figures, payloads or the exact launch procedure from the Su-57E, and it remains unconfirmed whether the airshow examples will be flying hardware or static mock-ups.

The Product/System

The Su-57E is the export variant of Sukhoi’s Su-57 “Felon,” Russia’s only operational fifth-generation fighter, built by the United Aircraft Corporation (UAC), a Rostec subsidiary. At El Alamein, the jet is expected to carry the RVV-MD2 short-range and RVV-BD long-range air-to-air missiles, the Kh-38MLE air-to-surface missile, the Kh-69 cruise missile and the Kh-58UShKE anti-radiation missile — a loadout intended to demonstrate multirole strike capability alongside air superiority weapons.

The S-71M (“Monokhrom”) and S-71K (“Kover”) appear to be positioned as a loyal-wingman-style pairing: open reporting associates the M variant with longer-endurance reconnaissance work and the K variant with longer-range strike missions, though independent, verifiable specifications are not yet available and should be treated as provisional until Rostec publishes technical data or the aircraft are inspected on the show floor.

The counter-drone system reported as the TKB-1167/Bizon is described as a combat module built around four 7.62mm PKT tank machine guns paired with radar and electro-optical sensors, with a reported detection range of roughly 1.5 kilometers — a low-cost, hard-kill answer to the small quadcopters and FPV drones that have proliferated across recent conflicts, including in neighboring Sudan and Libya.

Who Uses It

Algeria is the only internationally confirmed Su-57E operator. Open-source tracking, including flight-spotting reports first published by The Aviationist, indicates Algeria received its initial aircraft beginning in late 2025, with reporting on the total order size ranging between roughly 12 and 14 units; neither Moscow nor Algiers has jointly confirmed a precise contract figure. Beyond Algeria, Rosoboronexport has repeatedly said it has signed contracts with “several” undisclosed countries, but independent observers have been unable to confirm additional buyers. Egypt has not ordered the Su-57E, and its presence at El Alamein should be read as a marketing and strategic-signaling exercise rather than confirmation of a pending purchase.

Export and Procurement History

Russia has pursued Su-57 export interest for close to a decade, including an earlier, ultimately abandoned joint development effort with India (the FGFA/PAK FA program) that New Delhi exited in 2018. Reporting this year indicates the Indian Air Force has revived informal, exploratory talks with Rosoboronexport following a border skirmish in May 2025, though India has publicly rejected committing to a new Sukhoi variant and is simultaneously weighing competing American and French offers. Vietnam, another traditional buyer of Russian hardware, is reported to be leaning toward the Rafale or F-16 instead. Indonesia and Malaysia — both existing operators of the Su-30 family, which shares some logistics and weapons compatibility with the Su-57 — have been named in Russian and regional press as potential future prospects, without confirmed negotiations.

Egypt’s own procurement track record with Russia includes a long-discussed, never-finalized interest in the baseline Su-57 dating back several years, complicated by the threat of U.S. sanctions under the Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA) given Cairo’s parallel reliance on American aid and hardware. Egypt has instead deepened ties with France, most recently requesting 24 additional Rafale F4 jets to expand its fleet toward 78 aircraft, while also expanding cooperation with China on aerial refueling support for its Rafale fleet.

Global Competitors

In the export fighter market, the Su-57E competes chiefly with the U.S. F-35 — which Egypt, Algeria and most regional buyers cannot access due to U.S. export restrictions — and with China’s J-35 and J-10CE, the latter of which China delivered to Uzbekistan this year as its second export customer. Loyal-wingman-style drones comparable to the S-71 family are also in development elsewhere, including Turkey’s Bayraktar Kizilelma unmanned fighter and China’s CH-series and FH-97 concepts, underscoring a broader global race to pair crewed fighters with autonomous or semi-autonomous strike drones.

Why It Matters

The timing and location of the unveiling matter as much as the hardware itself. El Alamein sits at the intersection of three of Rosoboronexport’s priority markets — Egypt, wider Africa and the Middle East — at a moment when Russia is trying to translate its sole confirmed Su-57E sale into a wider customer base, and when regional militaries from Sudan to the Sahel are rapidly adopting cheap counter-drone systems to blunt the kind of FPV and loitering-munition attacks that have reshaped recent African conflicts. A credible, low-cost hard-kill system like the Bizon/TKB-1167 could find buyers well beyond any Su-57E sale, independent of whether Cairo ever signs for the fighter itself.

What Happens Next

The clearest near-term signal will come from the show floor itself: whether the S-71M/S-71K appear as flying demonstrators or static displays, and whether Rostec releases technical specifications once the aircraft are exhibited September 8-10. Any Egyptian government statement of interest, or the absence of one, will also help clarify whether this showcase is aimed primarily at Cairo or at the wider regional audience the airshow draws.

FAQ

What is the Su-57E?

The Su-57E is the export-configured version of Russia’s Su-57 “Felon,” its only operational fifth-generation stealth fighter, built by the United Aircraft Corporation.

What are the S-71M and S-71K?

They are stealth drones Rostec says are designed to be launched from and operate alongside the Su-57E, intended for reconnaissance and strike roles, respectively. Detailed specifications have not yet been published.

Has any country other than Algeria bought the Su-57E?

No other purchase has been independently confirmed. Rosoboronexport has claimed contracts with unnamed additional countries, and India, Vietnam, Indonesia and Malaysia have all been mentioned in reporting as potential prospects without confirmed deals.

Is Egypt buying the Su-57E?

There is no confirmed order. Egypt’s hosting of the display is best understood as a marketing platform for Rosoboronexport rather than evidence of an impending Egyptian purchase, particularly given Cairo’s exposure to potential U.S. sanctions under CAATSA.

What is the Bison/TKB-1167 system?

It is a Russian counter-drone combat module reportedly combining four 7.62mm machine guns with radar and electro-optical sensors, aimed at intercepting small drones at close range.