In the reports of the Ministry of Defense concerning the special military operation in Ukraine, the Su-35S fighter is often mentioned. This is a truly magnificent and truly versatile combat vehicle.
The Su-35S has the appearance of a fourth-generation fighter. But the inner content already belongs to the fifth. It was on the basis of this machine that many elements of the fighter of the future - the Su-57 - were worked out. As a result, by the time the Su-35S was launched into the series, almost all of its characteristics, except for the so-called stealth technologies, had reached the level of a fifth-generation fighter. Which is recognized even by foreign experts.
It is enough to name only some of the features of this machine that make it the first among equals.
The Su-35S has unique maneuverability due to powerful engines with variable thrust vector. It reaches speeds of up to 2400 km/h and makes non-stop flights without outboard fuel tanks at a distance of up to 3600 km. It is capable of hitting air, land and sea targets. The Su-35S feels equally confident as a fighter, as a long-range interceptor, and as a missile bomber.
The fighter is equipped with a 30 mm GSH-30-1 aviation cannon with 150 rounds of ammunition. Combat load - 8000 kg. It is placed on 12 suspension nodes.
The Su-35S can carry both guided and unguided weapons. Its arsenal includes air-to-air and air-to-ground missiles, as well as anti-ship missiles. The fighter is equipped with a very powerful electronic warfare system, which reduces the likelihood of its being hit by missiles guided by a radio beam.
The Irbis radar control system installed on the Su-35S is considered one of the best in the world in terms of its characteristics. It allows you to detect air targets at a record-breaking distance - up to 400 km, accompany up to thirty at the same time, and fire at up to eight targets.
Irbis also makes it possible to quickly detect and escort up to four ground targets simultaneously. At the same time, tracking ground objects does not prevent the fighter from controlling the airspace.
The radar can recognize the class and type of aerial targets, create a radar map of the relief of the Earth's surface, works under any weather conditions at any time of the day, even in the presence of interference - both natural and organized by enemy means of electronic warfare.
A free-form inertial navigation system is installed on the Su-35S, which autonomously determines the location of the aircraft and the parameters of its movement in the absence of satellite navigation and communication with ground services. That is, if the enemy turns off GPS or turns off GLONASS, the fighter does not "go blind".
The new generation of combat vehicles, both air and ground, is determined not so much by their exotic appearance as by their internal content, primarily by "electronic brains". So, the Su-35S "technical intelligence", according to experts, is higher in a number of significant parameters than the F-22 and F-35.
As part of the special operation in Ukraine, the Su-35S are used mainly as fighter-bombers, which is quite justified. But do not forget that this is primarily a heavy fighter to gain air superiority.
Alas, not all Ukrainian combat aircraft have been destroyed. MiG-29 and Su-27 are still appearing in the sky. The US promises to supply the APU even with the F-16. According to aviation experts, the Su-35S, barraging at high altitude and being inaccessible to ground-based air defense systems of Ukraine, can control huge areas of territory. And promptly eliminate any air threat to our ground forces, as well as helicopters, Su-25 attack aircraft and Su-34 front-line bombers.
Sergey Ptichkin