Battle for Air Dominance: Russian Su-35 vs US F-22
As a derivative of the 1980s era Su-27, the upgraded Russian Su-35 may not be fully understood as being the threat that it is
KRIS OSBORN, WARRIOR MAVEN - CENTER FOR MILITARY MODERNIZATIONMAY 11, 2024
By Kris Osborn, President, Center for Military Modernization
As a derivative of the 1980s era Su-27, the upgraded Russian Su-35 may not be fully understood as being the threat that it may actually be, given the scope and impact of the adjustments and upgrades built into the aircraft.
The Russian Su-35 aircraft is indeed a very capable aircraft, despite largely being a modern variant of the Su-27, for a number of key reasons. Not only is the Su-27 itself a high-speed, effective aircraft but the newer Su-35 variant of the aircraft could be called a 4th-generation ++++ (plus) due to the upgrades woven in. First of all, the aircraft is fast, as even the Su-27 can hit speeds of Mach 2.35, and the Su-35 is just as fast but also operates with an F-22-like "supercruise" ability to sustain speeds without needing afterburner.
Given this, and several other critical attributes of the Su-35, the question then becomes .. was it built to rival and challenge the F-22? The idea makes sense, because although the Su-35 may generally be regarded as a 4th-generation aircraft, it does possess a number of performance parameters and technology upgrades which might make it a formidable challenge to the largely unparalleled US Air Force F-22. This being said, the US Air Force and Lockheed have been quite diligent when it comes to upgrading the F-22 to ensure it retains its superiority. So -- ultimately, which aircraft would prevail in an air war?
https://warriormaven.com/air/battle-for-air-dominance-russian-su-35-vs-us-f-22
