Russia to show Su-57E with new weapon at Egypt airshow

Russia’s state defense conglomerate Rostec says it will unveil a new, previously undisclosed weapon on its Su-57E export fighter at an airshow in Egypt next week, the company said in a statement.

The Su-57E, an export version of Russia’s fifth-generation Su-57 fighter, is scheduled to fly at the El Alamein International Airshow 2026, running September 8 to 10 at El Alamein International Airport on Egypt’s Mediterranean coast. Rostec said the aircraft will carry weaponry that has not previously been shown publicly, in Russia or abroad, and will perform aerobatic maneuvers as part of the show’s flying display.

“The Su-57 is the flagship fighter of the Russian Air Force, whose performance has been confirmed in real combat conditions,” Rostec said in the statement. “Now this aircraft is also winning export markets. Deliveries to foreign partners, who fully understand the advantages of this aircraft, are already underway. New modifications of the fighter are becoming even more effective and dangerous. In Egypt we are presenting the export variant with completely new weaponry, shown for the first time.”

Rostec did not identify the new weapon or specify which countries have received Su-57E deliveries. The company describes the Su-57E as featuring low observability to enemy detection systems, high maneuverability and compatibility with a wide range of weapons.

No country has officially confirmed operating the Su-57E. Algeria is widely reported by international observers to be the aircraft’s first export customer, based on statements from Algerian state television in February 2025 and a November 2025 comment from United Aircraft Corporation Director General Vadim Badeha, who said two Su-57E jets had been delivered to an unnamed foreign partner. Neither Moscow nor Algiers has issued a joint confirmation. Rosoboronexport has separately said it signed additional export agreements for the Su-57E during the DSA-2026 exhibition in Kuala Lumpur in April, without naming the countries involved or disclosing aircraft numbers.

This will not be the first time Rostec has shown the Su-57E in Egypt. The company’s aviation arm, United Aircraft Corporation, first exhibited the jet abroad at the Zhuhai Airshow in China in November 2024, followed by Aero India in February 2025 and the inaugural Egypt International Airshow in September 2024. The Dubai Airshow in November 2025 marked another public appearance, with a showcase unit bearing the number 509.

Egypt has previously walked away from a major Russian fighter deal. The country halted a planned purchase of roughly 30 Su-35 fighters in 2021 and 2022, even after Russia had produced about a dozen aircraft for the order, amid concerns over U.S. sanctions targeting countries that acquire Russian military hardware. Some of the jets built for Egypt’s canceled order were later reported to have been redirected toward Iran.

Rosoboronexport, Russia’s state arms export agency, is organizing the unified Russian exhibit at the El Alamein show. The event’s second edition is expected to draw exhibitors and delegations from across Africa and the Middle East, following a first edition in 2024 that drew more than 200 exhibitors and over 10,000 visitors, according to event organizers.