Rostec Reveals a Significant New Su-57 Capability Focused on MUM-T

 Rostec, in a statement on September 16, 2026, revealed that for its ferry flight to the recent El Alamein International Airshow in Egypt, the Russian Su-57E carried drop tanks in its internal weapons bay.

This appears to be the first time Rostec has publicly confirmed that the Su-57 can carry auxiliary fuel tanks inside its weapons bays. Until now, extra range was associated with external drop tanks. The El Alamein ferry is therefore the first official example of internal tank carriage on the type.

The stealth fighter completed the ferry with just one intermediate landing and, after that, still had enough fuel for another 1,000 km. That was enough to carry out a demonstration flight the next day.

Su-57 Internal Weapons Bays

The Su-57 has four internal weapons bays: two large tandem main bays in the fuselage between the engines (one forward, one aft). These typically carry four medium- or long-range missiles such as the R-77M, or larger weapons such as the R-37M or Kh-69. It also has two smaller side bays at the wing roots. Each side bay is designed for one short-range infrared missile (R-74M2).

It is highly likely that the Su-57 can carry drop tanks in one or both tandem main bays. In other words, the aircraft could carry a mix of weapons and drop tanks.

Standout MUM-T Capability

Internal carriage of fuel would not only extend its ferry range but also its combat radius. Most of all, it would greatly enhance its MUM-T endurance. Operating as a drone mothership, it could remain well clear of adversary air defenses while carrying a smaller air-to-air missile load.

Neither the F-35 Lightning II nor the F-22 Raptor can carry drop tanks in their internal weapons bays.

The F-35’s combat radius is similar to the Su-57’s, but its combat load is smaller. With similar combat loads, a Su-57 carrying some fuel internally would have a significantly longer combat range.

The F-22’s combat radius is significantly shorter than the F-35’s.

F-22,F-35 Weapons Bays

The Raptor’s three internal bays are for weapons only—typically six AIM-120s in the main ventral bay (or two 1,000 lb JDAMs plus missiles), plus two AIM-9s in the side bays.

The Lightning II has two internal bays sized and configured specifically for weapons—typically two 2,000 lb-class bombs plus AIM-120s (or more missiles with the Sidekick adapter), for a total internal payload of about 5,700 lb while remaining in a low-observable configuration.