Russia has publicly demonstrated the S-71K "Kover" and S-71M "Monokhrom" rocket-powered weapons for the first time; they can be deployed by Su-57 fighter jets. At the same time, these aircraft are already armed with Kh-69 missiles, which the Russian Federation used in spring 2024 to disable the Trypilska Thermal Power Plant, Defense Express reports, writes UNN.
Details
The S-71K "Kover" and S-71M "Monokhrom" were displayed at a defense exhibition in El Alamein, Egypt. Previously, these weapons had appeared only in individual images on social media.
Defense Express points out that the Su-57 can already carry up to 4 Kh-69 missiles in its internal weapons bay. The estimated range of the Kh-69 is up to 400 km, its launch weight is about 800 kg, of which 310 kg is accounted for by the warhead.
Why Russia needs another weapon for the Su-57
According to estimates by the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, the Russian Federation produces up to 5 Kh-69 missiles per month, while as of April 2026 its stockpile was estimated at only 25 units. Therefore, scaling up Kh-69 production could have been the logical option.
However, Russia has already used the S-71K and S-71M against Ukraine. The S-71K is designed to strike stationary targets, while the S-71M is supposed to autonomously detect and hit moving objects.
The DIU showed foreign components that Russia uses in weapons production12.09.26, 11:27
The estimated speed of the S-71K reaches 730 km/h, while its engagement range is estimated at 250–350 km. The first fragments of this munition recovered after strikes on Ukraine showed that an OFAB-250-270 aerial bomb was used as the warhead.
Defense Express suggests that the S-71 family may be created as a relatively mass-produced rocket-powered aerial munition with cheaper components, while also offering the possibility of using artificial intelligence for guidance. The export demonstration in Egypt may also be an attempt by the Russian Federation to find external resources to scale up its production.