The United Aircraft Corporation (UAC) has manufactured and transferred a new batch of multi-role Su-35S fighters to the Russian Ministry of Defense. The aircraft were produced at the Yuri Gagarin Aeronautical Factory in Komsomolsk-on-Amur, a subsidiary of UAC.
The 4++ generation Su-35S combat jets underwent a series of ground and flight tests under various operational conditions and have been deployed to their designated service locations.
Vladimir Artyakov, First Deputy Director of the State Corporation Rostec, said, “Our aerospace engineers are maintaining a steady production pace and are timely delivering these aircraft to the Russian Aerospace Forces. This is not the last delivery planned for this year. The Su-35S is a key fighter in the Russian military arsenal. This highly maneuverable aircraft can perform a wide range of missions and can be armed with an array of existing and future aeronautical munitions.”
Yuri Slyusar, CEO of UAC, added, “The aeronautical factory in Komsomolsk-on-Amur is successfully fulfilling its responsibilities under state defense orders. The factory is delivering according to the schedules established in contracts, thus meeting the needs of the Russian Aerospace Forces for modern aeronautical systems.”
The Su-35S is a Russian multi-role fighter of the 4++ generation that embodies a sophisticated blend of aeronautical technology and weaponry. Equipped with two AL-41F1S afterburning turbofan engines, each capable of delivering up to 142 kN of thrust with afterburning, the Su-35S can reach a maximum speed of about Mach 2.25 and an operational altitude of 20,000 meters.
These engines feature digital control systems and thrust vectoring, giving the aircraft exceptional maneuverability, including the ability to perform complex flight maneuvers like the Pugachev’s Cobra and the Herbst maneuver.
In terms of avionics, the Su-35S is fitted with an Irbis-E electronically scanned array radar, capable of tracking multiple targets at distances of up to 400 km for larger targets and about 90 km for stealth targets. It also has radar warning systems and an electronic countermeasures suite, including jammers and flare dispensers, to thwart enemy missiles and radars.
Regarding armament, the Su-35S can carry a variety of air-to-air and air-to-ground weapons, including long-range missiles like the R-77 for aerial combat and Kh-31 and Kh-35 missiles for anti-ship or anti-radar missions. The aircraft is also equipped with an internal GSh-30-1 30 mm cannon for close combat.
The delivery of new Su-35S aircraft is a critical point for the Russian military, particularly the ability to replace or repair equipment, which is paramount in the ongoing war of attrition in Ukraine. It remains to be seen whether Russia will be able to maintain the production of such aircraft.
