Russian fighter Su-35 – main aircraft for air superiority. Flanker-E does not lag behind the main Western fourth-generation fighters and is inferior to American fifth-generation aircraft. Writes about this the American edition of The National Interest.
According to the author, published in an American magazine, the Russian Su-35 fighter is the main aircraft of the Russian Aerospace Forces for gaining air superiority and will remain so until a significant number of serial Su-57 enters the troops. The aircraft has unrivaled maneuverability, and in terms of armament it does not lag behind such Western models, как F-15 Eagle. The fighter is a pretty formidable opponent for the F-15., Eurofighter and Rafale, but inferior to the F-22 and F-35.
Fighter Su-35 – further development of the Su-27 and is currently the most advanced in the line of the Flanker family. Engines with thrust vectoring provide it with high maneuverability and speed in 2,25 Maha, as well as the ceiling in 20 thousand meters. The aircraft has a range of 3 600 km, and with additional tanks – 4 500 km.
The Su-35 glider has no technology “stealth”, but modified air intakes and canopy, as well as radio-absorbing coating significantly reduced the effective reflective surface of the aircraft compared to its predecessors.
The fighter has from 12 to 14 nodes suspension arms, which allows you to carry a large combat load, significantly higher than that of many western fighters, including as F-22 and F-35. The aircraft's armament includes long-range aircraft missiles, medium and short-range missiles. Besides, Su-35 is armed with a 30-mm cannon with ammunition 150 shells, to conduct aerial combat or attack from low level flight.
The fighter is equipped with an electronic warfare system “Hibiny”, Radar with a passive phased antenna array Н035 “ounce”, as well as an optical location station OLS-35 with a declared range 80 kilometers, which can pose a serious threat to stealth fighters.
According to its characteristics, the Su-35 is not inferior to the best Western fourth generation fighters, but in the case of the F-22 and F-35, high maneuverability and armament may not help it, as they are difficult to detect at long distances. At the same time, American fighters can strike, being invisible.
Su-35 may be the best air combat aircraft in history and an excellent means of delivering missiles to the target - but will it have enough characteristics to, to be called a fighter for air superiority in the age of stealth technology? This question is still unanswered
– sums up the author.
