Will the Su-57 Find Clients in Southeast Asia? Russia Escalates Efforts to Market its Stealth Fighter

The Russian state arms exporter Rosoboronexport has confirmed that it will deploy a Su-57 fighter to participate in the LIMA 2025 international maritime and aerospace exhibition in Malaysia, which has been interpreted by analysts as part of an effort to market the fighter class to Southeast Asian clients. "The aviation component is the exhibition’s main theme. In this segment, the company will feature the latest Russian Su-57E fifth-generation fighter, which will be of interest for both representatives of the Malaysian Royal Air Force and other Southeast Asian countries. Its basic advantage before a small group of rivals is its successful combat experience in a real armed conflict amid the enemy’s use of advanced aerial attack, ai defence and electronic warfare capabilities," the Rosoboronexport press office stated regarding the decision. The deployment will follow the Su-57’s successful participation at the Aero India air exhibition in February, after which it was confirmed that a major <a href="https://militarywatchmagazine.com/article/russian-ambassador-details-terms-su57-deal-considered-india" target="_blank">license production deal</a> for the fighters was <a href="https://militarywatchmagazine.com/article/license-fifthgen-su57-aeroindia" target="_blank">under consideration</a> to <a href="https://militarywatchmagazine.com/article/indian-pakistani-clashes-win-su57" >equip the Indian Air Force</a>.&nbsp;<img src="https://militarywatchmagazine.com/m/articles/2025/05/21/article_682d369f50bb59_44197112.png" title="Su-57 and F-35 at Aero India 2025">Vietnam, Malaysia and Indonesia have long been considered leading potential clients for the Su-57, which is the only fighter of its generation in production outside China and the United States. With the U.S. imposing <a href="https://militarywatchmagazine.com/article/trump-pledges-export-f35-stealth-fighters-india-derail-su57" target="_blank">extensive conditions</a> on clients for the F-35, and seriously limiting their autonomy using the aircraft, the fighter is not expected to be a viable option for any of these countries much as it was not for India. Territorial disputes and other maritime tensions with China, meanwhile, are expected to also exclude Chinese fighters from consideration. This leaves the Su-57 as effectively the only near term option for most Southeast Asian states if they are seeking to procure fifth generation fighter aircraft. Vietnam is considered a leading potential client for the aircraft, and currently operates a fighter fleet comprised entirely of Soviet and Russian aircraft, reflecting an overall reliance on Russian supplies across its armed forces. <a href="https://militarywatchmagazine.com/article/vietnam-a-leading-customer-for-russia-s-fifth-generation-fighter-what-the-pak-fa-could-mean-for-hanoi" >Reports first emerged</a>&nbsp;in mid 2017 from Vietnamese paper Dat Viet that the acquisition of 12-24 Su-57s was being planned from around 2030.&nbsp;<a href="https://militarywatchmagazine.com/article/vietnam-plans-order-for-russia-s-elite-su-57-fighters-first-stealth-jets-in-southeast-asia" >Further reports to this effect&nbsp;</a>emerged in early January 2019.<img src="https://militarywatchmagazine.com/m/articles/2025/05/21/article_682d36c7c63915_46567757.jpeg" title="Royal Malaysian Air Force Su-30MKM Fighter">Beyond Vietnam, a $1.14&nbsp;billion contract signed between Indonesia and Russia in 2018 for the sale of 11 Su-35S fighter aircraft currently remains in force, with&nbsp; Indonesian Ambassador to Russia Jose Tavares in May 2024 <a href="https://tass.com/defense/1785383" >confirming</a> that Jakarta was waiting for the situation to become “more accommodating”&nbsp;before returning to implementation. This statement raised the possibility that, with the Su-57 now available, Indonesia could instead seek to procure the newer and more capable fighter. The acquisitions of F-35s by neighbouring Singapore and Australia, and deployments of both Chinese and American fifth generation fighters in the region, has made the older Su-35s appear increasingly inadequate to counter potential threats. As Malaysia has continued to bolster strategic ties with Russia, the country has also been considered a possible client for the Su-57, in particular due to the perceived need to counter Singapore’s deployments of F-35 fighters. In 2019 when questioned regarding possible procurements of new Russian fighters, Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad stated that Russian proposals were under consideration. The Su-57’s participation at LIMA 2025 is likely to be intended to showcase the fighter’s capabilities both to the Royal Malaysian Air Force, and to other potential clients in the region.&nbsp;