An extraordinary video shows a ‘topless’ pilot flying Russia’s newest Su-57 stealth fighter – without the canopy on his cockpit.
The windscreen remains in place on Vladimir Putin’s latest warplane, but the main part of the protective shield on the deadly 1,320 mph aircraft is missing.
The bracing three-second footage was released by Russia’s defence ministry.
Video: Pilot flies Russia’s new stealth fighter with no roof on cockpit
The plexiglass canopy covering the top and sides of the cockpit prevents the pilot from freezing to death.
It was likely missing as part of a test of emergency procedures should the aircraft get into trouble ahead of ejection.
Analysts say the pilot is wearing a special outfit as protection against the cold.
The ministry did not give details of the altitude, speed or purpose of the flight.
One high-tech Sukhoi Su-57 in December spiralled from a height of five miles to crash near Komsomolsk-on-Amur.
The warplane – also known as T-50-8 – is designed to carry the advanced Kinzhal hypersonic nuclear-capable missile which operates at ten times the speed of sound.
The ‘topless’ flight was from the Chkalov Flight Test Centre at Akhtubinsk, Astrakhan region.
The Su-57, known to NATO as Felon, is also seen carrying new ‘modernised’ variant of the Russian R-77-1 medium-range active-homing air-to-air missile, say observers.
It is enabled to select targets even with hostile enemy jamming, claim the Russians.
This is the first time the missile – also known by the designation Article 180 – has been seen in open source videos.
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