Unveiled at the MAKS 2021 outside Moscow on Tuesday, the stealth fighter, dubbed ‘Checkmate,’ has become a real point of attraction at the air show that runs until July 25.
Videos published by the Russian military-industrial conglomerate Rostec and local media on Friday showed a long line stretching for about half a kilometer that leads to the pavilion housing the fighter-jet prototype.
At some point, around 1,000 people were said to be patiently waiting on the Zhukovsky airfield in strong winds to get a sneak peek at the aircraft, advertised as superior to Lockheed Martin’s F-35 Lightning II joint strike fighter. The exhibition visitors also had to adhere to Covid-19 rules, as Moscow has been recovering from a recent spike in coronavirus cases seen in June and early July.