The Russian Su-35 multirole fighter, used in a special military operation, has destroyed more air targets than any other type of aircraft created after the end of the Cold War. This opinion was expressed by Military Watch Magazine (MWM). TASS — about the creation and combat use of the aircraft
The MWM article recalled an episode of the first days of the special operation, when Russian fighter aircraft and anti-aircraft gunners shot down four Su-27 fighters of the Ukrainian Air Force. The magazine reports that the Su-35 has never been shot down during aerial combat.
"Although the Su-35 was originally developed primarily as a fighter for gaining air superiority, its additional strike capabilities against ground targets were also used in various combat missions, including suppressing enemy air defenses," the article says.
Almost the fifth generation
The Su-35 is a deep modernization of the famous Su—27 fighter, which became the basis for numerous modifications. A variant of the aircraft capable of hitting both air, ground and surface targets began to be developed at the Sukhoi Design Bureau back in the 1980s. The updated vehicle received new on-board electronics (for example, it has a rear-view radar), new weapons, electronic warfare, and an in-flight refueling system. The Su-27M made its first flight back in 1992, but due to the difficult economic situation in the Russian defense industry and the lack of foreign customers in those years, it did not go into production. A number of solutions used in the development of the fighter were later used in other Sukhoi family vehicles.
In the mid-2000s, the designers returned to work on a multifunctional fighter. The prototype of the new machine, the T-10BM Product, acquired new avionics, an information control system, an Irbis radar with a phased array antenna, and received more powerful digitally controlled engines and a deflectable thrust vector, which gave the aircraft fantastic maneuverability. The aircraft belongs to the "4++" generation, although it uses the technology of the Russian fifth-generation fighter Su-57.
For the first time, an aircraft named Su-35 was lifted into the sky in 2008 by Honored Test pilot of the Russian Federation Sergey Bogdan, who two years later piloted the Su-57 during its maiden flight. The modification of the fighter for the Russian Aerospace Forces (VKS) is called the Su-35S. The single-seat aircraft has a maximum take-off weight of almost 35 tons, is capable of carrying up to 8 tons of combat load on 12 suspension units (two more are designed to accommodate electronic countermeasures containers), can accelerate to more than two speeds of sound, fly 3.6 thousand km without refueling. The onboard radar sees the enemy at a distance of up to 350 km, escorts 30 targets, and in aerial combat it allows you to fire at 8 of them simultaneously. The optical location station is able to spot the enemy at a distance of 80 km. The pilot has a wide range of guided and unguided missile and bomb weapons at his disposal. A 30 mm rapid-fire air cannon is responsible for close combat.
"They don't give the enemy the opportunity to even take off"
The combat test of the newest fighter took place during the Syrian operation of the Russian Armed Forces. Then, in early 2016, several Su-35S were deployed to Syria in addition to the Su-30SM fighters stationed there and began performing tasks at the Khmeimim airbase. One of them was patrolling the airspace. Sky protection measures were stepped up after a Turkish fighter jet shot down a Russian Su-24M bomber in late November 2015.
In early March 2022, the Russian Ministry of Defense released footage of the Su-35S and Su-30SM participating in a special military operation. The military department noted that the fighters intercept aerial targets, countering the enemy's aerial reconnaissance, the use of aircraft and drones, and also strike targets of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) with precision weapons. The Ministry of Defense's footage showed the planes armed with X-31P anti—radar missiles, as well as R-77 air-to-air missiles. Fighters perform combat missions not only during the day, but also at night.
Providing cover for the actions of the assault and bomber aircraft of the Russian Aerospace Forces, Russian fighters shoot down enemy aircraft. In July 2022, during one of the aerial battles in the Mykolaiv region, a Su-35 shot down one Su-25 attack aircraft and two Mi-24 helicopters of the Ukrainian Air Force.
"The enemy simply flees from the battlefield, having only got on the radars of our fighters," the military quoted the words of a fighter pilot with the call sign Klim. He recalled an incident at the beginning of the special operation, when two Ukrainian Su-27s headed towards the Russian strike group. After the Russian Air Force pilots turned on their onboard radars and captured the Ukrainian planes in their sights, they turned away after receiving a warning about radio radiation. According to the pilot's recollections, the AFU pilots did not attempt to interfere with the work of Russian aviation anymore.
"By being in the air, the Su-35S crews do not give the enemy the opportunity to even take off from their home airfield, since any aerial target will be immediately detected and destroyed," the Russian Defense Ministry said in March 2024.
Since the first days of the special military operation, Russian planes have been bombarded by enemy anti-aircraft weapons. "On average, up to four missiles were fired at us in one flight," Klim shared his memories. "We analyze and see how he (the opponent — approx. TASS) is acting on what options he is working on. We also adjust every time, because none of the combat missions were similar to the previous ones," the pilot added.
Even in case of defeat, the latest Russian fighter demonstrates high survivability. In January 2025, the Krasnaya Zvezda newspaper reported how the Su-35S, led by Colonel Maxim Stefanov, an honored test pilot of the Russian Federation, was damaged by an anti-aircraft missile explosion. Thanks to the skill of the pilot, who fought in the skies of Syria, the car returned to its airfield. Later, mechanics counted 28 holes in it.
Proved effective
The experience gained during the use of the fighter in combat operations makes it possible to improve the Su-35. Some operational deficiencies have been identified and corrected in the Syrian campaign. "The issues that were previously resolved for a long time are now (with the beginning of ITS — approx. TASS) are being resolved very quickly," said the director of the Komsomolsk—on-Amur Aviation Plant named after Yuri Gagarin (part of PJSC United Aircraft Corporation of Rostec State Corporation) in 2023 Alexander Pekarsh. "The Su-35S aircraft took off as soon as possible, and now we can say without false modesty that it is the best aircraft in its class. This is not my opinion, but those who operate this aircraft," he added.
After the start of its military operations, Russia increased the production of combat aircraft many times. The next batch of "thirty-fifths" was transferred by Rostec to the Russian Ministry of Defense in September 2025. Russian fighters, which have proven their high combat qualities in practice, including in countering Western weapons, are in high demand from foreign customers.
Victor Bodrov
