SU-35: specifications. Russian Air Force fighter

2024 Author: Howard Calhoun | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 10:16

The SU-35 is known as a multirole fighter that has the ability to show its best qualities in confrontation with an air enemy. It can also deliver powerful, high-precision long-range strikes against targets on land, at sea, and in the air.

The SU-35 fighter (according to the NATO version of Flanker-E +) is an airship with super maneuverability. It was created on the basis of the T-10S platform of the Sukhoi Design Bureau. MIG-35 and SU-35 are 4++ generation aircraft. This is not the latest military technology, but close to it.

The term "Generation 4++" shows that the performance characteristics of the SU-35 almost correspond to the level of the fifth generation. The absence of ste alth characteristics and a phased active array did not give the aircraft a fifth generation.

The SU-35 aircraft appeared as a result of a deep modernization of the SU-27 - a machine with excellent flight parameters. Multilateral modernization led to the creation of a new fighter. Innovations touched the design, equipment, capabilities and goals.

The start of the journey

Prototype SU-35 "Rossiya" made its first takeoffin the spring of 1985. The new aircraft retained its external resemblance to the SU-27, but significantly changed its aerodynamic characteristics.

Describe the weapons of the aircraft only in superlatives. This is a record number of missiles for fighters - 14. The total combat load of the vehicle is 8 tons.

History

2006 was the year of production of the initial batch of machines. The first prototype was released in 2007. A year later, the first flights began. By March 2009, the novelty had already made one hundred flights.

At the MAKS-2009 air forum, the Air Force signed a contract with the manufacturer for 48 aircraft until 2015. Based on the results of the contract, the country's military department plans to conclude a similar contract until 2020.

In 2010, information appeared on the results of preliminary tests, which proved the machine's compliance with the required parameters for super-maneuverability and the availability of on-board equipment.

The Ministry of Defense received the first six SU-35Ss as part of serial production in 2012. After 2 months, its state tests started.

Further arrivals of new items look like this:

• 2013 - 12 pieces;
• 2014 - 12 pcs.

Features

As already mentioned, the Su-35 fighter is a modernized Su-27. The braking of the aircraft during landing is carried out by deflecting the rudders to the sides.

The SU-35S aircraft has AL-41F1S engines with thrust vector control. The engine was developed by a research and production company"Saturn". The engines meet the conditions that must be met for the most modern fighters. Although the aircraft has an old control system, it allows it to move faster than the speed of sound without afterburner.

The life of an aircraft is thirty years or 6,000 flight hours.

Glider

SU-35, whose technical characteristics of the airframe are similar in design to its predecessor SU-27, is rightfully proud of its flight characteristics.

Its difference from its predecessor is that its edge is processed with special materials. In addition, the cockpit canopy has a special conductive coating. At the same time, there is no braking shield and horizontal tail.

Engines

Like other units, the power plant has been changed in the SU-35. The technical characteristics of the engines meet the requirements for the fifth generation of aircraft.

In addition to the main jet engines of the AL-41F1S aircraft, of which it has two, the SU-35 is equipped with an additional gas turbine engine with a capacity of 105 kilowatts, TA14-130-35. It is designed for use in an additional power plant that can supply AC 200V and 115V consumers up to 30 kVA and air-condition the cabin and compartments.

Technical parameters

• The crew is 1 person.
• Wing area reaches 62 m².
• Sweep angle of the wings - 42°.
• Length, m - 21, 90.
• Height, m - 5,90.
• The wingspan is 14.75 m.
• The empty aircraft has a weight of 19 tons, an operating take-off weight of 25 tons, a maximum weight of 34 tons, and a fuel load of 11 tons.
• Engines: turbojet weighing 1520 kg, having an afterburner and a controlled thrust vector, AL-41F1S. Thrust: 2 × 8800 kgf; afterburner: 2 × 14,500 kgf.

Flight parameters

Designers ensured super-maneuverability of the SU-35. The technical characteristics of the aircraft and its flight parameters are given below:

• Max speed at low altitudes - 1400 km/h.
• Speed at high altitudes - 2500 km/h.
• Flying range: at an altitude of 3.6 km - 4500 km, at an altitude of 200 m - 1580 km.
• Length of the run: with a parachute for braking, normal takeoff weight, applying brakes - 650 m, takeoff run with full afterburner - 450 m.
• Ceiling - 20 kilometers.
• Rate of climb - 280 m/s.
• Wing loading: maximum takeoff weight - 611 kg/m², normal - 410 kg/m².

As we can see, the speed of the SU-35 is very decent.

Armaments

• Combat load - 8 tons.
• 12 weapon hardpoints.

The aircraft has several types of weapons:

• gunnery;
• guided air-to-air missiles;
• unguided rockets and bombs;
• guided air-to-surface missiles.

From small arms and cannon armament, the aircraft is equipped with a built-in automatic single-barreled gun GSh-301 of 30 mm caliber with increased rate of fire. A gunlocated on the right half of the wing and has an ammunition load of 150 rounds.

The SU-35 missile and bomb weapons are located on launchers, ejection devices and beam holders.

Places for the suspension of weapons:

• wing consoles – 6 pcs;
• wingtips – 2 pieces;
• engines - 2 pcs.;
• center section - 2 pcs.

From the air-to-air armament, the aircraft can carry 8 R-27 medium-range missiles with radar or thermal homing heads. You can also use up to 10 RVV-AE homing missiles with radar heads or up to 6 R-73 short-range missiles with thermal homing heads.

The air-to-surface armament can include 6 Kh-29T, Kh-29L and S-25LD homing missiles with laser heads. In addition to missiles, the aircraft can be armed with adjustable bombs. X-31A anti-ship missiles are used to fight enemy ships.

Unguided air-to-surface weapons can reach 8 tons. The number of bombs can reach 16 pieces

Avionics

SU-35, whose radar performance gives it air supremacy, is capable of detecting targets even at long range.

Radar parameters:

• Diameter of the phase antenna array, cm - 0.9.
• Operates in the frequency range - 8-12 GHz.
• Viewing angle - 240°.
• Number of transceivers - 1772.
• Working power - 5000 W.
• Maximumpower - 20000 W.
• Targets are detected for oncoming courses with scattering areas of 3 m² at a distance of 350-400 km, with an effective scattering area of 0.01 m² - a distance of 90 km.
• 8 targets fired simultaneously.
• At the same time, target designation and detection of 30 targets in the air or 4 on the ground.

The H035 Irbis radar is capable of detecting targets with a scattering area of 3 m² at a distance of up to 400 km. The radar station is reinforced with an optical-electronic integrated system and an optical-location station.

In addition to the electronic countermeasures already available on the SU-35, group electronic countermeasures stations can be used.

In the cockpit there is a holographic indicator, which is located on its windshield, and two displays operating in multi-screen mode.

In addition, there is an L-150-35 complex that warns of exposure.

The optical location station allows you to track 4 air targets at a distance of up to 80 kilometers. Infrared sensors provide missile warning.

For EW purposes, the fighter is equipped with containers.

Combat equipment

SU-35 is armed with guided air-to-air missiles. They can be of different types in terms of range and guidance method. The pilot can hit ground and surface targets with television-guided missiles, guided and unguided bombs.

Especially impressive anti-jamming radaraircraft. It makes it possible to find air chains at a distance of 400 km. Ground detection range - 200 kilometers.

Comparison with F-35

The manufacturer defines the SU-35 as a 4++ machine, that is, it has a number of properties inherent in the fifth generation. The ability to shoot down ste alth aircraft gives the fighter its super-maneuverability. The SU-35 has slightly different specifications.

The propulsion system of the aircraft makes it possible to make the most difficult maneuvers. Piloting the SU-35 makes it possible to perform both the Pugachev Cobra and the Frolov Chakra.

European experts are somewhat skeptical about super-maneuverability, believing that in real combat, low visibility is much more important than increased maneuverability. Ste alth is a characteristic that a fighter has initially. Many experts believe that compliance with ste alth requirements was the main requirement of F-35 customers. Since it has low visibility, it does not need high maneuverability.

However, on the other hand, despite the great importance of ste alth technology for a fighter, it is not an invisibility cloak. Knowledge of air combat is constantly being updated. Military and post-war aircraft of the first generations used altitude, high speed, maneuverability and combat power as priorities. For the next generations, the requirements have changed somewhat: the main thing was the speed of the SU-35, then maneuverability.

Experts highly appreciated the maneuvers performed by the SU-35 fighter at the air show in Paris. Of course, they do not have an unequivocal victory in the air.mean, but an unpredictable flight path can cause failures in enemy missile guidance programs. At the same time, the SU-35 itself is capable of launching short-range missiles with a maximum probability of hitting an enemy aircraft.

F-35 is maximally dependent on its low visibility and tries to avoid collisions in close air combat (“stabbing” is contraindicated for him). Close combat gives significant advantages to the SU-35. The Russian machine has a large arsenal of weapons, a high flight range. But the main strong point of the SU-35 is its super-maneuverability, which is legendary. This characteristic has become a hallmark of these aircraft. The cost of the SU-35 for the Russian Armed Forces is approximately $40 million.

SU-35 Buyers

An order from the Ministry of Defense for these fighters is possible soon. In addition, four more foreign customers are interested in aircraft.

The planes can be delivered to China, Vietnam, Venezuela and Indonesia. 24 units can be delivered to China. Another 60 aircraft are waiting for other countries.

Until 2020, the number of cars produced can be increased to 96 units. Currently, the contract for 48 fighters for the Russian Air Force is being completed. The press reported that it was planned to order an additional batch of cars.

Conclusions

Thus, we can conclude that the SU-35 is an unusually efficient machine. Perhaps the best created in Russia. At the same time, evaluate the prospects for the SU-35 in the fight against the Raptorwithout their collision in a real battle it is very difficult, because it is not known what will outweigh, ste alth and electronic filling or super-maneuverability.