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KUALA LUMPUR: Royal ÿÈÕ´óÈün Air Force (RMAF) chief General Datuk Seri Muhamad Norazlan Aris got up close with Russia's Sukhoi Su-57 fifth-generation fighter and other future air defence technologies at the Dubai Airshow 2025 in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

In an RMAF post on Facebook, Norazlan was seen inspecting the state-of-the-art jet, taking the rare opportunity to sit in the cockpit and receive briefings on the fighter's specifications.

The Su-57 is a twin-engine stealth multirole fighter aircraft, developed by the Sukhoi design bureau.

It is Russia's first fifth-generation fighter, designed to replace older aircraft and intended for both air combat and ground/maritime strike missions.

The aircraft's development began in the 1990s under the PAK FA programme, with the first flight in 2010 and official service entry in 2020.

Norazlan's visit, held from Nov 16 to 21 at Dubai World Central, formed part of the RMAF's ongoing effort to assess emerging aerospace capabilities while strengthening defence diplomacy with international partners.

At the airshow, featuring more than 1,500 defence exhibitors and over 200 aircraft in aerial demonstrations and static displays, the RMAF chief also inspected a wide range of advanced platforms.

These included next-generation fighters, transport aircraft, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV), avionics, sensors, mission-networking technology and other innovations aligned with the RMAF's long-term capability development.

Norazlan also met several foreign air chiefs, including the UAE Air Force and Air Defence deputy commander Major General Mohamed Salem Al Hameli, where discussions centred on enhancing bilateral cooperation in line with the RMAF's commitment to strengthening international defence diplomacy.

During the meeting, Norazlan also extended an invitation to the UAE Air Force and Air Defence, as well as the Al Fursan aerobatic team, to participate in the Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace Exhibition (Lima) 2027.