Russia, which had, some time ago, offered to make its fifth-generation stealth multirole fighter, Su-57, developed by Sukhoi, in India, has delivered the jet to a foreign client under an export contract.
The mystery client is reportedly satisfied with the performance of the fighter jet.
"Our foreign customer has already received the first two aircraft. They have begun combat duty and are demonstrating their best qualities. Our customer is satisfied," Vadim Badekha, CEO of the United Aircraft Corporation, has been quoted as saying by Russian media.
ALSO READ: A game changer in manned-unmanned warfare? US stealth fighter F-22 Raptor controls combat drone in flight
He, however, did not name the country that took the delivery of the aircraft.
The development comes even as Su-57E, the export variant, made an appearance at the Dubai Air Show and conducted flight displays, showcasing the jet's agility and advanced maneuverability. According to news agency TASS, the aircraft was piloted at the air show by test pilot Sergey Bogd, who performed various aerobatic maneuvers.
Su-57E, which Russia pitches as an alternative to the US F-35 and Chinese J-20, was earlier showcased in China and India as well.
It is to be noted that Russia has been pitching Su-57 as a stopgap measure while India's Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) takes shape.
At the beginning of the year, Alexander Mikheyev, head of Russian defence conglomerate Rosoboronexport, had confirmed that Russia will deliver Su-57 fifth-generation fighter to a foreign client in 2025.
A few weeks ago, documents released by hacker group Black Mirror suggested that Algeria could be the buyer.