The Su-35 was called the most combat-ready fighter of Russia, which can hit targets at distances twice as large as the aircraft of the North Atlantic Alliance. Attention to the characteristics of domestic fighters turned out to be riveted after the Russian Aerospace Forces transferred the Su-35S to Belarusian airfields.
According to Military Watch, the relocation of the aircraft took place against the backdrop of high tensions between Moscow and NATO. At the same time, Russia and Belarus are increasingly combining their air defense assets.
The first fighters arrived in Belarus on January 26 and were deployed at the Baranovichi airfield. From there, the Su-35 can operate against targets across Europe, reaching as far as the UK.
According to the publication, the Su-35 is the most combat-ready fighter in service with Russia. It belongs to the 4++ generation fighters, but its capabilities correspond to the top-end NATO aircraft, because the Su-35 is designed specifically to combat Western stealth fighters.
The strengths of the Su-35, according to Military Watch, are very high endurance, powerful detection systems and an extreme level of maneuverability thanks to engines with a controlled thrust vector. And the Su-35 has a very long range of hitting the target. With the R-37M air-to-air missile, the aircraft can shoot down its opponent at a distance of 300-400 kilometers. This is more than twice as far as the range of the best NATO air-to-air missiles Meteor and AIM-120D.
According to the publication, Russia has just over 100 Su-35 aircraft, which makes them a very scarce military resource. Therefore, the publication suggests that their deployment during a period of tension should be regarded as a "strong signal".
Yuri Gen
