Key Points and Summary – Russia’s Su-35 “Super Flanker” is touted as the pinnacle of its 4th-generation fighters, a highly maneuverable jet meant to rival the best in the West.
-However, the aircraft is based on a Cold War design and suffers from a fatal flaw: its outdated radar system is comparable to 1980s U.S. tech and lacks key modern features.
Su-27 Flanker from U.S. Air Force Museum. Image Credit: National Security Journal.
-This weakness is showing in Ukraine, where the Su-35 has a mixed record and has suffered multiple losses.
-With one recently shot down, possibly by a U.S.-made F-16, the Su-35 appears to be an over-hyped and underperforming asset.
A History of the Su-35 That Could Be Russia’s Best Fourth-Generation Fighter Jet
The Russian Su-35 is one of the country’s best fighter jets. Known as the Flanker-E or Super Flanker, this warbird is capable of dogfighting with the best of them and is both fast and highly maneuverable. It’s a fourth-generation ‘++’ fighter that is the pinnacle of Russian aerospace engineering, which led to the development of the fifth-generation stealthy Su-57 Felon.
The Su-35 was born as an outgrowth of the Su-27. Russia’s United Aircraft Corporation (UAC) claims the Su-35 took the best of the Su-27 and minted a highly successful fighter jet.
What’s Great About the Su-35?
The Su-35 “combines the qualities of a modern fighter [with] super-maneuverability, superior active and passive acquisition aids, high supersonic speed and long range, capability of managing battle group actions, etc. And a good tactical airplane [with] a wide range of weapons that can be carried, modern multi-channel electronic warfare system, reduced radar signature, and high combat survivability,” according to UAC.
Is the Su-35 Better Than Key American Fighters?
The Su-35 can be compared to the F-15E Strike Eagle and the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, although that may be a stretch. The American fighters are of higher quality. Still, the Russians hold their Su-35 in high esteem and, before the war in Ukraine, considered the Su-35 no match for the Ukrainian Air Force.
A History Based on the Su-27M Family
The Flanker-E is not a new warplane. It first flew in June 1988 based on the Su-27M family of jets.
After the Cold War ended, funding for the Su-27 program was limited, and only a first batch of 14 were made. By 1993, the Russians were ready to show it off in public. It flew at a Dubai air show, and the engineers and technicians thought they had a hit on their hands.
Su-27 Flanker Fighter from Russia. Image Credit: National Security Journal.
Then it wowed audiences at expos in Berlin and Paris.
The Russians recognized the need to improve their performance, though. They wanted more than just air superiority mode.
Predicting that warfare would become a struggle to determine which air force could provide better close air support, they envisioned a multi-role ground strike fighter which could eliminate land targets, especially enemy air defenses, armor, and other military infrastructure.
They added a new N011 multi-mode radar with ground-mapping capabilities.
Engineers improved the cockpit to give aviators a better sense of where threats were coming from and the ability to aim air-to-surface missiles. A new system for in-air refueling was also a plus.
‘Big Modernization’ In Store
Later, the Russians deemed this airplane the Su-35BM in 2003. The BM designator stood for the Russian term for “Big Modernization.” Thrust vectoring and advanced avionics were added. The Su-35BM first flew in 2008. Later, the Su-35S was hatched and entered service in 2014. The Russians viewed the Su-35S as the pinnacle of multi-role flight, not just an upgraded Su-27.
The Su-35S boasts flight characteristics comparable to those of some of the best Western warplanes, but is considered superior by the Russians due to its advanced avionics and more powerful engines, which enable greater speed and thrust.
The Su-35S also uses titanium alloys and modern composite materials. The Russians believe it has thousands of hours and years of stellar performance ahead of it. The Su-35S also features improved fly-by-wire controls and a reduced radar cross-section with sensor-evading materials, making it a fourth-generation++ warbird. Fuel capacity was also increased by 20 percent.
However, the Su-35S does not have AESA radar or other types of sensor fusion. The Su-35 has a low radar range – even for sensing and tracking large bombers. The resolution of its radar is comparable to that of the F-15 models from the 1980s. There is also no imaging infrared seeker. Additionally, the radar system could be rendered useless due to enemy jamming and electronic warfare.
Munitions Make Up for Weak Points
Weapons are a notable strength of the Su-35S. It comes equipped with the MACH 6 R-37M air-to-air missile, which can destroy a large airplane, such as an early warning aircraft or tanker. There is also an anti-radiation missile that could suppress enemy air defenses.
The Su-35S also has endured a mixed war record over the skies of Ukraine and Russia during the war.
The Ukrainians said they just shot down a Su-35S in June. This incident occurred over Kursk, and video of the downing spread rapidly over social media, with even Russian military bloggers describing its demise. There was also video of the Russians trying to rescue the downed pilot.
It’s not clear if the destruction was due to a Ukrainian surface-to-air missile or fighter jet—perhaps an American-provided F-16 using an AMRAAM projectile. Either way, this was embarrassing for the Russians when their best fighter met its demise due to Ukrainian efforts. The Aviasionist claimed Russia has lost more than eight Su-35s since the beginning of the war.
F-16A Fighter. Image Credit: National Security Journal.
Thus, the Su-35S may be overrated in terms of combat performance, even though it has advantages on paper. Russia has come a long way since its origins during the Cold War. The radar-evading capacity may not be as good as advertised, and the airplane is not dominating the skies over Ukraine.
If the F-16 did win a dogfight over the Su-35S, it suggests that the Flanker-E is not what it is cracked up to be, boding ill fortune for the Su-57, which is billed as being fully stealthy. We will keep an eye on the Su-35S to see what kind of war it can fight over the long haul.
The airplane may be over-hyped and underperform in combat despite all the efforts to improve it over the years.
About the Author: Dr. Brent M. Eastwood
Brent M. Eastwood, PhD is the author of Don’t Turn Your Back On the World: a Conservative Foreign Policy and Humans, Machines, and Data: Future Trends in Warfare plus two other books. Brent was the founder and CEO of a tech firm that predicted world events using artificial intelligence. He served as a legislative fellow for U.S. Senator Tim Scott and advised the senator on defense and foreign policy issues. He has taught at American University, George Washington University, and George Mason University. Brent is a former U.S. Army Infantry officer. He can be followed on X @BMEastwood.
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