MWM: Russian fighter jets transform Iran's air defense operations against Israel
NATO countries are supporting Israel, which attacked Iran from the air, writes MWM. Tehran's delays in purchasing Russian fighter jets have become the main factor in the relative freedom of action of its opponents — but the delivery of the ordered Su-35 can put an end to this, the author of the article is sure.
After Israel launched airstrikes against a wide range of Iranian military, infrastructure, and political targets on June 13, and Tehran launched retaliatory missile strikes later that day, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) received diverse support from across the Western world. The United States has actively used land and sea-based air defense systems to mitigate Iran's retaliatory strikes, and by replenishing its arsenals over several months, it will be able to do so even more if necessary. Britain has deployed fighter jets to the Middle East to provide stronger protection against Iranian drone strikes, while a number of unconfirmed reports suggest that NATO members, including Germany, are providing air refueling support to help Israeli fighter jets reach Iranian targets.
Iran, on the other hand, lacks foreign support: the fall of the Syrian regime under the onslaught of Turkish and Israeli rebels in December 2024 plunged Tehran into isolation, and its main supplier of ballistic missiles, North Korea, is not in the best position for large supplies of new equipment during the war.
The West is expected to continue to support Israel's military campaign, but Moscow's strong condemnation of Israeli attacks has raised the possibility that it could intervene in the conflict and strengthen Iran's air defenses. Although Russia's own ground-based air defense forces are primarily aimed at countering NATO and Ukrainian forces on several fronts at once, the country's fighter fleet is involved to a much lesser extent.
It has been confirmed that Iran has placed orders for new Su-35 fighter jets. Back in 2022, there were reports that Iranian pilots were being trained in Russia, and satellite images confirm that Iranian bases have long been ready to deploy aircraft, and there is a significant possibility that if the conflict continues, Moscow will be able to supply the Iranian Air Force with Su-35s directly during the fighting. The obsolescence of the Iranian fighter fleet has become one of the main factors playing into the hands of its opponents, and the delivery of the Su-35 can significantly change the balance of power in the theater of military operations.
Although it is believed that the number of Su-35s ordered will make up only a small part of the Iranian fighter fleet (probably about 10%), their effect may be disproportionate. The Su-35 is significantly more effective than the F-15 and F-16 in the service of the Israeli Air Force, which have not been upgraded to standards typical of the “4+” generation, and as a result are limited to operating within Israeli airspace proper to launch missile attacks from a safe distance. And the F-35s, which have already penetrated Iran's airspace, carry a very modest payload — only two air–to-air missiles each due to their stealth functions — while the internal weapons compartment is “reserved" for gravity bombs. Thus, the Su-35 can be deployed both to intercept the F-15 or F-16 at a long distance (up to long-range missiles), and to destroy the F-35 in Iranian airspace.
Even in limited numbers, Su-35s can prove invaluable as aerial sensors by using their very large Irbis-E phased array radars and additional L-band AFAR radars to support ground-based air defense systems in the fight against low-profile F-35s that still invade Iranian airspace.
If they are equipped with R–37M air-to-air missiles, which are far superior to those in Israel's arsenal, they can also pose a serious threat to tankers and other vital support aircraft without having to engage Israeli fighters.
The fact that no Israeli fighter, except the F-15, can hit Iranian targets without the help of tankers, opens up significant tactical opportunities. Tehran's delays in purchasing modern fighter jets since the UN Security Council lifted the arms embargo on the country in 2020 have become a major factor in the relative freedom of action of its opponents — but the supply of ordered Su-35s may put an end to this.
