Sukhoi S-70 Okhotnik-B, Explained - As tensions continue to flare across Eastern Europe, Asia, and the Middle East, the arms race to develop sixth-generation platforms is on.

The U.S. Air Force and Navy are working on their respective next-generation aerial programs, while Russia and China are doing the same.

Like the USAF’s NGAD prototype, Moscow’s planned sixth-generation fighter jet is expected to fly alongside an array of “drone wingmen.”

Russian manufacturer Sukhoi is developing the S-70 Okhotnik-B unmanned combat aerial vehicle to fulfill this role.

The history of the S-70 “Hunter-B” UCAV:

The S-70 drone was first conceptualized back in 2011, when the Russian Defense Ministry awarded Sukhoi the contract to construct a new lethal UCAV program. According to Moscow, this new drone is a sixth-generation platform capable of penetrating outer space.

The first prototype of the new UCAV was revealed in 2017, showcasing the platform’s flying wing configuration. Two years later, the Okhotnik carried out its maiden flight, where it flew above the Chkalov State Flight Test Center in Akhtubinsky at an altitude of 600 meters.

Over the last few years, several variants of the drone have been introduced. By August 2023, Russian state-run media outlets reported that tests for the Okhotnik would be completed by the end of 2023, with the drone expected to enter mass production sometime this year.

How will Moscow use the S-70?

While exact details surrounding the S-70 UCAV remain classified, the drone is being designed to fly alongside Russia’s Su-57 fighter jet in a “wingman” role. Experts believe that the new drone will be powered by the same Al-41F turbofan that powers Moscow’s Su-35 Flanker fighter.

Producing roughly 32,000 pounds of thrust, this engine enables airframes to fly at speeds in excess of 600 miles per hour. Since the Su-57 was initially developed to counter the threat posed by America’s own fifth-generation platforms- the F-22 Raptor and F-35 Lightning II, this speed is significant.

According to Russian sources, the S-70 weighs approximately 20 tons with a wingspan of 14 meters long. It is equipped with electro-optical targeting and radio, in addition to other types of reconnaissance equipment. The drone also featured two internal weapons bays that can carry up to 2.8 tons of munitions.

Even though the new drone is smaller than the Su-57, the difference in size is minimal. Last year, War Zone published a piece analyzing a video released by Moscow depicting a reporter walking across the wing of a Su-57 next to the Hunter drone, and both appear similar in size.

As detailed by the article, the new drone is “covered in various intakes and exhausts, as well as antennas, and a forward-facing camera system under the central part of the forward fuselage.”

Now that Russia is heavily sanctioned due to its unprovoked and ongoing invasion of Ukraine, acquiring all the advanced artificial technology needed for the drone to enter mass production may be difficult. However, Moscow has been buddying up to Iran in the lethal UAV space, indicating that a potential partnership in some capacity may be in the works.

About the Author: Maya Carlin

Maya Carlin, National Security Writer with The National Interest, is an analyst with the Center for Security Policy and a former Anna Sobol Levy Fellow at IDC Herzliya in Israel. She has by-lines in many publications, including The National Interest, Jerusalem Post, and Times of Israel. You can follow her on Twitter: @MayaCarlin. 

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