At the beginning of 2015, the famous American analytical publication The National Interest published a material entitled 5 Russian Weapons of War America Should Fear (“Five Types of Russian Weapons that Americans Should Fear”). This list included the T-90 MBT, the Onyx anti-ship missile, Lada project submarines and 53-65 homing torpedoes. According to the author of the article, American pilots should be most wary of meeting the newest Russian Su-35 fighter, which has been called an “extremely formidable adversary” for any American combat aircraft.

And this is really true. Today the Su-35 is one of the most powerful combat vehicles in the world. In terms of its capabilities and performance characteristics (flight characteristics), it comes close to fifth-generation fighters. Foreign experts especially note the significant combat load of the new Russian aircraft, its lightning speed and super maneuverability. Aerobatics on the Su-35 invariably creates a real sensation at air shows. But let's talk about everything in order.

The Su-35 is a heavy multi-role super-maneuverable fighter equipped with thrust vectoring (TCV) engines. The main task of this combat vehicle is to gain air superiority, but at the same time it can also “work” against ground targets. The Su-35 aircraft was developed by designers from the Design Bureau named after. Sukhoi, and, in fact, it is a deep modernization of the honored Soviet fighter Su-27, which belongs to the fourth generation. The serial vehicle, which is currently supplied to the Russian Aerospace Forces, is designated Su-35S. It is usually classified as the 4++ generation, although this gradation is somewhat arbitrary and, rather, is a marketing ploy by the developers. The two pluses in the designation simply show how close the Su-35 is to a full-fledged fifth-generation fighter.

The Russian Su-35 fighter meets most of the requirements for 5th generation aircraft. The aircraft is equipped with an integrated avionics system, which includes a weapons control system, communications equipment and navigation and sighting equipment. The Su-35 has a phased array radar and new engines that allow it to reach supersonic speed without turning on afterburner.

The Su-35 took off on its first flight on February 19, 2008, and mass production of the vehicle began in the same year. As of April of this year, 64 Su-35 fighters have been manufactured.

Before moving on to the description of this magnificent machine, a few words should be said about the stages of its creation, because it is truly interesting. Few people know that in the recent history of Russian aircraft manufacturing there were two fighters under the designation “Su-35”. We can say that it was possible to establish mass production of this wonderful combat vehicle only on the second attempt.

Story

In fact, the Su-35 designation is well known to military aviation enthusiasts. Aircraft under this name were repeatedly demonstrated at international air shows in the mid-90s.

The idea to develop a multi-role aircraft based on the Su-27 fighter-interceptor was born in the early 80s. At the development stage, the promising vehicle received the T-10S index; in 1982, technical specifications were prepared for it. To ensure the ability to destroy the enemy on the ground, they planned to install a new on-board radar on the aircraft and seriously change the weapons control system. The airframe of the vehicle was also redesigned: for example, a front horizontal tail unit (FHT) appeared.

The T-10S first took to the skies in 1988. However, this car never went into production. For some time, work continued by inertia, but after the collapse of the USSR, the designers had no time for new projects; they simply had to survive. OKB im. Sukhoi produced well-proven Su-27 fighters for foreign customers, modernized the machines that were in Russian combat units to the level of the Su-27SM, and was involved in the Su-30MK project, which later became a real “star of air shows.”

The idea of ​​a multi-role fighter based on the Su-27 was only returned to in the middle of the last decade. At this time, the designers already had a clear understanding that to create a modern aircraft of this class, a serious modernization of the Su-27 was required, which would include not only the replacement of on-board equipment systems and electronics, but also significant reworking of the airframe, as well as equipping the fighter with a new powerful power plant. Only in this case could we count on the successful promotion of the new car on the international market. They decided to keep the old designation for the promising aircraft - Su-35. Although, in some sources the car is called Su-27BM (“big modernization”) or Su-35BM.

Production of the pilot batch of “thirty-fifths” began in 2006. Assembly of the first fighter was completed in mid-2007; the aircraft was even presented at the MAKS-2007 air show. The first flight of the Su-35 took place at the beginning of 2008, with Honored Test Pilot of Russia Sergei Bogdan at the controls of the vehicle. The day after the tests, the Su-35 was shown to Putin, who visited Zhukovsky especially for this purpose.

It should be noted that the plane that took off on a February morning from the Ramenskoye airfield had little in common with the T-10S, which was developed in the mid-80s. The only thing they had in common was their common “ancestor,” the Soviet Su-27 fighter. Initially, the new car was called Su-35BM, and then simply Su-35. After the Russian defense department showed interest in the fighter, the aircraft received the letter “C” in its designation, which is traditionally present in production models of military equipment for the needs of the Russian Ministry of Defense.

One of the most important differences between the “thirty-fifth” and its predecessors is the installation on it of the latest AL-41F1S engines (“product 117”), developed and manufactured by specialists from NPO Saturn OJSC. Like the Su-35 fighter, these aircraft engines have a long history.

Bench tests of “product 117” began back in 2003. Five new engines were built for them. Later, the Su-27M flying laboratory was used for flight testing.

AL-41F1S has significantly better characteristics in terms of thrust and specific fuel consumption compared to its predecessors.

In 2009, a contract was signed between the Russian Ministry of Defense and the Sukhoi Corporation for the supply of 48 Su-35S fighters with a completion date until the end of 2015. The second agreement was concluded in December 2015. It provides for the production of 50 Su-35 aircraft by 2020.

In 2010, tests of the Su-35 were successfully completed. Already in May of the following year, the first production fighter Su-35S took to the skies, and six months later the second production aircraft made its flight.

Not only the Russian military became interested in the Thirty-Fifth; the new fighter was also appreciated abroad. In 2015, a contract was signed with China for the supply of 24 Su-35s; as of the beginning of this year, 4 aircraft have already been sent to the customer. The Russian fighter also “came to the liking” of the Indonesian military; by 2019, it is planned to deliver 11 Su-35s to this country. The contract amount is $1.14 billion. Negotiations are currently underway with India, Malaysia and the UAE.

Production of the new fighter was launched at the aircraft plant named after. Yu. Gagarin (Komsomolsk-on-Amur).

Currently, several Su-35 units (four aircraft were reported) are part of the Russian aviation group in Syria.

The domestic air force has not received new aircraft in significant quantities for almost fifteen years. Therefore, new aircraft - including the Su-35 - are head and shoulders above the aircraft that entered service in the late 80s and early 90s. Today, the Su-35 is the most advanced fighter of the Russian military space forces and the real pride of the glorious family of Su-27 aircraft.

In conclusion, you can add the following. The Su-35 fighter is not just an excellent combat unit, but also a test platform that was fully used to create the 5th generation fighter. Despite the fact that the PAK FA as a whole bears little resemblance to the "thirty-fifth", many components, assemblies and technical solutions were tested on the latter, which were later used on the Russian fifth-generation fighter. This primarily concerns avionics, propulsion and weapons systems.

Description

Like other aircraft of the Su-27 family, the Su-35 fighter is made using an integrated aerodynamic design. That is, the wing of the aircraft is smoothly connected to its fuselage, forming a single whole. The aircraft has a two-fin vertical tail and a landing gear with two main and one front strut. The fighter is piloted by one pilot.

When creating the Su-35, the designers of the Design Bureau named after. Sukhoi decided to deviate from the design with the front horizontal tail, which was used in the Su-33, Su-30MKI and Su-27M. Therefore, in appearance, the “thirty-fifth” looks more like the Su-27 than the later vehicles of this family. The use of new modern materials made it possible to abandon PGO without losing the benefits that it provides.

Compared to its predecessors, the Su-35 received a new modernized airframe with a reinforced design, which provided the fighter with a significant increase in service life (6 thousand hours or 30 years of service). Strengthening the aircraft's airframe made it possible to increase its take-off weight, which made it possible to accommodate more fuel and install new equipment and weapons systems. The internal tanks of the fighter can accommodate 11.3 tons of fuel (for the Su-27 - 9.4). The Su-35 is equipped with an in-flight refueling system and can also carry additional drop tanks.

The Su-35 does not have a brake flap; its functions are performed by deflectable rudders.

Separately, it should be noted the integrated control system of the KSU-35 fighter. The aircraft does not have the usual mechanical rods; all three channels are controlled using the EMDS. The KSU-35 performs several functions at once, which has significantly improved flight characteristics and achieved the “trademark” high maneuverability of the Su-35.

The power plant of the vehicle deserves special attention, the basis of which is the AL-41F1S engines with an afterburner and controlled thrust vector. They are a further development of the AL-31F engine. At the same time, the afterburning thrust of these engines is 16% higher than that of their predecessor. It should also be noted that the service life of the Su-35 engines has been increased to 4 thousand hours. Compared to the base model, the fan was slightly enlarged (from 905 mm to 932 mm), new low- and high-pressure turbines were installed. Rotary all-angle nozzles are also controlled using the KSU-35 system.

In addition to the main power plant, the Su-35 fighter is also equipped with an auxiliary gas turbine unit VGTD TA14-130-35. Its power is 105 kW. It supplies electricity to various aircraft systems, and also provides air conditioning for the pilot's cabin and other compartments of the aircraft.

However, the main difference between the Su-35 and other combat vehicles of the Su-27 family is the avionics complex; it is this that brings the “thirty-fifth” as close as possible to fifth-generation fighters. Its basis is an information and control system (ICS), which links together information, functional, logical and software systems of fighter equipment into a single complex and ensures a high level of interaction between the pilot and the aircraft. In addition to two central digital computers, it includes data conversion tools and a unique display system that implements the most “advanced” “glass cockpit” concept to date.

If we look into the cockpit of the Su-35, we will see two multifunctional color liquid crystal screens with a diagonal of 15 inches, remote controls with a display processor and display control, as well as a collimator-type indicator against the background of IKSh-1M glass.

LCD screens display graphic, symbolic and alphanumeric information in multi-window mode, as well as data from on-board television sensors. A multifunctional remote control with a built-in display processor makes it much easier to issue commands at all stages of the flight. And with the help of the IKSh-1M collimator indicator, various information is observed against the background of the out-of-the-cockpit space, which is generated in accordance with control signals. Its field of view is 20×30°. The pilot also has a helmet-mounted target designation system at his disposal.

Thus, control of all fighter equipment and its weapons is carried out according to the HOTAS concept, which is that the pilot can perform all his functions without removing his hands from the main controls. It should also be noted that the ergonomics of the cabin deserves the highest praise.

The aircraft cabin is equipped with means for evacuating the pilot during an emergency.

Another “highlight” of the machine that needs to be discussed is the on-board radar with a passive phased array antenna N035 “Irbis”. It allows you to detect targets with an ESR of 3 m2 at a distance of 400 km, and with an ESR of 0.01 m2 - 90 km. The Irbis can track up to thirty targets simultaneously, while aiming missiles at eight of them. In addition, it can provide target selection on the ground and provide low-altitude flight.

In addition to the radar, the Su-35 pilot has at his disposal the OLS-35 optical-location station, which includes a laser rangefinder-target designator, a heat direction finder and a television channel. If necessary, an optical-electronic container can be attached to the Su-35, which houses a laser-television complex capable of detecting, tracking and illuminating targets with a laser beam. Such equipment is necessary when a fighter operates against ground targets. The aircraft is equipped with electronic warfare equipment and an early warning system for radiation exposure.

Now about the armament of the Su-35. The fighter has twelve hardpoints, ten of which are usually used for mounting missiles and bombs, and two for containers with electronic warfare systems. The aircraft can use almost all types of guided and unguided aircraft ammunition that are currently in service with the Russian army. The combat load of the fighter is 8 thousand kg. The Su-35's small arms and cannon armament consists of the GSh-30-1 (30 mm) aircraft cannon, its ammunition capacity is 150 rounds.

Experts note that the “thirty-five” had to deal with the “raptor” in Syria. As if on November 23, 2017, an F-22 approached two Su-25 attack aircraft covering Syrian government forces and began to maneuver, simulating an attack. Su-35s immediately took off from the Khmeimim base, whose quick arrival at the scene of the incident forced the Raptor to hastily retreat.

Other observers confirm that on a Russian aircraft the pilot does not need to limit himself in aerobatic maneuvers, since the risk of going into a tailspin is practically zero. Whereas this cannot be said about NATO fighters.

At the prestigious world air show in Le Bourget 2013, the Russian multi-role aircraft not only attracted everyone's attention, its demonstration in the air performed by the same S. Bogdan caused a real success. To the delight of the public, the Su-35S made a “pancake” several times - this is what is called a 360° turn virtually on the spot without reducing speed. One of the local aviation engineers, without hiding his emotions, used the expression “...just a UFO!” in relation to the car.

We know nothing about the shortcomings of the Su-35. The aircraft in service with the Russian Aerospace Forces successfully perform combat missions, but there is no information about any emergency situations during operation. The only accident involving a fighter was recorded before the acceptance of serial products: in 2009, only a Su-35-4 prototype was involved in an accident (the pilot ejected).

Basic fighter missions

Unlike fighter-bombers and attack aircraft, whose weapons are aimed primarily at the destruction of land and sea targets, multi-role fighters are created primarily for air combat, the elimination of any enemy aircraft, helicopters and other aerial devices, although they can be used for missile attacks "air-to-ground".

In Syria, the main mission of the Su-35 was to cover transport aircraft and strike combat vehicles hitting ground targets in order to prevent a repeat of the incident with the destruction of the Su-24 bomber by a Turkish fighter on November 24, 2015. The “thirty-fives” also performed reconnaissance functions.

In August 2019, electronic media reported a new incident starring “artists” from the Turkish Air Force. The command sent a group of fighters into Syrian airspace, presumably to Idlib, where government troops successfully attacked militants of the terrorist organization Tahrir al-Sham (banned in Russia). According to anonymous observers, the Turks covered a distance of more than 40 kilometers, but as soon as their radar detected the Su-35, they turned around and took the opposite direction. True, there were no official comments about the episode, which journalists explained by the Sushki carrying out a secret flight, during which they allegedly “drived away” the Turkish provocateurs by accident.

Armament of the Su-35 fighter

The Su-35 carries on board a 30-mm GSh-30-1 air cannon with 150 rounds of ammunition.

There are twelve weapons hardpoints, that is, devices for attaching missiles, located on the wings and under the fuselage.

Their complete list includes the following number of air-to-air missiles:

• medium range - up to 12 RVV-SD, up to 8 R-27ER1, up to 4 R-27EP1/ET1;
• small radius - up to 6 R-73 (RVV-MD).

And air-to-ground:

• anti-ship - six X-31, X-35U or two X-59M;
• high-precision - six X-29T or X-38Mxx, five X-59MK, eight KAB-500KR(OD), three KAB-1500KR(LG);
• unguided - six S-25s, the same number S-8s.

The maximum combat load of a multi-role fighter is 8000 kg.

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The fourth generation multi-role highly maneuverable all-weather fighter Su-27 (NATO designation: Flanker, “Flanker”) was originally created as an interceptor for the USSR air defense forces as a response to the US development of the new F-15 Eagle fighter. The main “specialization” of the Su-27 fighter is gaining air superiority.

HISTORY OF THE CREATION OF THE SU-27 FIGHTER The first development of a promising fourth-generation fighter began at P.O. Sukhoi on the initiative of the head of the general department O.S. Samoilovich in the late 1960s almost underground. The first version of the aircraft layout, which received the “branded” designation T-10, was developed by V.I. Antonov. At the origins of the creation of the famous aircraft were O.S. Samoilovich, V.I. Antonov, V.A. Nikolaenko and P.O. himself. Dry. The requirements for the new fighter were high maneuverability, long flight range, powerful weapons and a modern avionics system necessary to effectively counter the American F-15 fighter. The first version of the “Soviet answer” to the F-15 was prepared in February 1970. It received the designation T-10. The preliminary design turned out to be somewhat unusual for that time - an integral layout combined with a moderately swept wing with developed root overhangs. On aircraft of this type, there is no fuselage as such. The lift is created not only by the wing, but also by the body. Due to this, it was possible to increase the internal volumes of the airframe by placing high-capacity fuel tanks and electronic equipment in them. The T-10 was initially designed as a statically unstable aircraft in the pitch channel. Stability was ensured by a fly-by-wire control system. For the first time in the world, the Sukhoi Design Bureau installed the EDSU on the long-range missile carrier T-4; this system, in a modified form, was transferred to the future Su-27. Officially, the USSR Air Force formulated the requirements for a promising front-line fighter (PFI) in 1971; They took the characteristics of the American F-15 as a basis, increasing them by 10%. During this period, the US Air Force adopted the concept of a fighter fleet consisting of two types of vehicles: light - F-16 and heavy - F-15. The Soviet Union did exactly the same. Calculations have shown that the optimal composition of the fighter fleet of the USSR Air Force should include one third of heavy and two thirds of light fighters (in the modern Russian Air Force, Su-27 fighters are considered heavy, and MiG-29 fighters are considered light). In the summer of 1972, the country's leadership decided on the full-scale development of promising front-line fighters. The first chief designer on the T-10 topic was N.S. Chernyakov, the design was carried out by the team of L.I. Bondarenko

During the design process, the designers encountered an unusual problem: in the USSR, the calculated flight weight was considered to be the weight of an aircraft with 80% fueling, but in terms of tank capacity, the T-10 turned out to be much closer to a front-line bomber than to a fighter. Refusal of “extra” fuel made it possible to reduce weight and satisfy customer requirements at the expense of the effectiveness of combat use. The developers and customers managed to find a compromise solution - they divided the requirements for the T-10 into two parts: with the main refueling option (approximately 5.5 tons of kerosene) and with full refueling (about 9 tons) while reducing the requirements for maximum operational overload. As a result, the Su-27 fighter's range when fully fueled exceeds that of most fighters with external fuel tanks. The preliminary design was completed in 1975, and in 1976 the USSR Council of Ministers issued a decree on the development of the Su-27 aircraft. Since February 1976, M.P. became the chief designer of the Su-27. Simonov. The first flight of the T-10-1 was performed on May 20, 1977 by B.C. Ilyushin, In 1978, the assembly of pilot batch aircraft began in Komsomolsk-on-Amur. It turned out that although the aircraft could be put into mass production, it did not meet the technical requirements for a number of parameters, moreover, it was inferior to the F-15. Therefore, at the insistence of M.P. Simonov, this version of the fighter was never put into mass production. De facto, the fighter had to be redesigned. Without the strong support of the Minister of Aviation Industry I.S. Silaev's Su-27 (T-10S) fighter in its world-famous guise would hardly have come to fruition - too much time and money was spent on the design and construction of the first T-10. The first T-10S (T10-7) took off from the LII airfield in Zhukovsky on April 20, 1981 B.C. Ilyushin. State tests of the Su-27 were completed in 1985, while serial production began earlier - in 1982. Serial Su-27s began to enter service with the troops in 1984, but were officially accepted into service only in 1990, after the shortcomings identified during operation were eliminated. The fighters entering service with the Air Force were designated Su-27S (serial), and the Air Defense Forces - Su-27P (interceptor).

DESIGN OF THE SU-27 FIGHTER The Su-27 fighter is a twin-engine monoplane with a two-fin tail and a trapezoidal wing with moderate sweep along the leading edge, with developed root overhangs. The fighter body is all metal. Titanium alloys are widely used. Composite materials are used to a limited extent. The aircraft has an integral layout, the wing smoothly mates with the fuselage. The fuselage of the Su-27 fighter consists of a head, middle and tail sections. The head section houses the radar and other systems of the sighting and navigation complex, the pilot's cockpit, and the nose landing gear niche. The pressurized cabin contains a K-36 DM zero-zero ejection seat; the cabin is closed by a drop-shaped canopy with a movable segment that opens upwards and backwards; on two-seat aircraft, the crew members are positioned in tandem. The middle part of the fuselage includes the wing center section, fuel tanks are located in it, and a large-area air brake deflected upward is installed on the upper surface. The tail section includes two engine nacelles spaced from the longitudinal axis of the airframe and a central boom with a fuel tank, an equipment compartment and a brake parachute compartment.

The wing is of a three-spar caisson structure, the sweep angle along the leading edge is 42 degrees, the negative transverse angle V is 2.5 degrees. The wing mechanization consists of flaperons that perform the functions of flaps and ailerons, and adaptive deflectable two-section wing tips. The tail of the Su-27 fighter includes a differentially deflectable stabilizer and two fins with rudders. The landing gear is retractable, tricycle with single-wheel struts. All supports are retracted by turning forward in flight, the nose one - into the fuselage, the main ones - into the center section. The Su-27 power plant consists of two turbojet engines with an AL-31F afterburner with a maximum thrust of 7770 kgf, and in the afterburner mode - 12500 kgf. The total capacity of the five fuel tanks is 12,000 liters (fuel weight is 9,400 kg). Thanks to its large fuel reserve, the Su-27 has a solid combat radius for a fighter: 1,400 km, with a flight range of 3,900 km. The ability to mount external tanks is not provided, but with such a fuel supply it is not really needed. The Su-27 fighter is equipped with a fly-by-wire control system with four-fold redundancy in the pitch channel and three-fold redundancy in the roll and heading channels, which ensures normal piloting in case of static instability in the longitudinal channel of up to 5% and automatic deflection of the wing tips depending on the flight mode. The instrumentation of the Su-27 cockpit is made on the basis of analog instruments, taking into account ergonomic requirements. The instrumentation of the Su-27 of the latest modifications is made according to the “glass cockpit” principle using color displays. Traditional controls: RUS and RUDs. The target equipment includes the RLPK-27 “Sword” radar sighting system based on the N-007 radar with a detection range of 80-100 km in the front hemisphere of a fighter-type target; The radar is capable of simultaneously tracking up to 10 targets, including against the background of the earth's surface, and ensuring the destruction of one of them. The RLPK-27 is supplemented with an optical-electronic sighting system OEPS-27 based on the OLS-2 optical-location station, including a heat direction finder and a laser rangefinder; OLS-27 sensors are placed under a transparent spherical fairing installed in front of the canopy canopy. The PNK-10 flight and navigation system ensures aircraft piloting day and night in normal and adverse weather conditions. The main elements of the complex are an inertial heading system and a short-range navigation radio system. The Su-27 fighter is equipped with all the necessary general aircraft systems and electronic warfare equipment. The Su-27 fighter is armed with a built-in 30-mm GSh-301 cannon with 150 rounds of ammunition. The guided weapons of the original Su-27 version are limited to the R-27 R/T/ER/ET air-to-air missiles and the highly maneuverable R-73 close-in missiles. The fighter is equipped with ten hardpoints - two under the center section between the engine nacelles (UR R-27), one under the air intakes (R-27), three under each wing console (internal - R-27, two external - R-73). Initially, the Su-27 was intended to be armed with conventional bombs and unguided missiles, but the equipment allowing the use of such weapons was dismantled under the terms of the Treaty on Offensive Arms Reductions in Europe. The range of weapons for export modifications of the Su-27 and the Su-27SM variant has been expanded to include air-to-surface guided weapons. The maximum combat load of the Su-27 is 6000 kg.

OPERATION AND COMBAT USE OF THE SU-27 The first in the USSR Air Force to receive Su-27 fighters in 1984 was the 60th Air Defense Fighter Regiment, stationed at the Dzemgi airfield (Komsomolsk-on-Amur). Pilots were trained on the new one at the Air Force Combat Use Centers in Lipetsk and Air Defense Fighter Aviation Centers in Savaslake. In the West, the Su-27 fighter became widely known after the collision on September 13, 1987 of a Su-27 with a patrol P-3S of the Norwegian Air Force. "Orion" was flying over the Northern Fleet exercise area. The Soviet fighter was supposed to push him out of the exercise area. As a result of the collision, both aircraft were slightly damaged. After this event, photographs of the Su-27 with full missile armament circulated throughout the Western press.
The Su-27, in fact, in its basic configuration, was in service with both the Air Force and fighter aircraft (IA) of the USSR air defense. Before the collapse of the Soviet Union, most of the Su-27s stationed on the European territory of the Union belonged to the air defense forces. In 1991, the USSR Air Force and Air Defense Agency had about 500 Su-27 fighters in service. The Su-27 has been successfully demonstrated at air shows around the world. Its maneuverability allows it to perform a number of unique aerobatics (“Pugachev’s Cobra”, “Bell”). True, only pilots cleared to fly at extreme conditions can perform them. However, even without the implementation of these figures, not a single fighter in the world could compare with the Su-27 in terms of maneuverability in the 1990s. By the way, the well-known Russian Knights aerobatics team is equipped with Su-27 fighters. Now the Su-27, along with the MiG-29, remains the main fighter of the Russian Air Force and Air Defense, and perhaps one of the most effective in the world. Currently, Russia has approximately 350 Su-27 fighters. In general, only large states can afford to have heavy fighters in their air forces en masse. Other countries, if they have similar aircraft, do so only in very modest quantities. In this regard, it is worth mentioning the unspoken confrontation between the MiG and Su in the 90s, due to the fact that the Sukhoi management strongly lobbied for the replacement of the MiG-29 fighters with the Su-27. If these plans were implemented, the fighter fleet of the Russian Air Force would consist of 100% heavy fighters, which would place too high a burden on the budget. Ultimately, about 300 twenty-niners remained in the Russian Air Force. After the collapse of the USSR, regiments armed with Su-27 remained in Ukraine (831st IAP, Mirgorod; 136th IAP Air Defense, Kirov, Crimea; now Ukraine has 70 Su-27s, of which only 16 are operational) and Uzbekistan (9th Guards Air Defense IAP, Andijan). Belarus “inherited” from the USSR more than 20 Su-27s that were being repaired in Baranovichi. Kazakhstan received the Su-27 in the 1990s from Russia in exchange for the Tu-95MS strategic missile carriers. The first four Su-27s arrived in Kazakhstan in 1996. Su-27s are in service with the Air Forces of Angola (14 units) and Eritrea (10 units). The planes were presumably supplied to Angola by Belarus. In 1998-1999, the Ethiopian Air Force was supplied with eight Su-27/Su-27UB, previously in service with the Russian Air Force. Unlike the MiG-29, until now there have not been many cases of the Su-27 being used in real combat. During the 1999 Ethiopian-Eritrean armed conflict, Ethiopian Su-27s clashed three times in air battles with Eritrean MiG-29s, in each of which they shot down one MiG without suffering losses. The advantage of the Su-27 in speed and maneuverability was felt. According to some reports, former Soviet pilots fought in the air on both sides (Russians on Ethiopian planes, and Ukrainians on Eritrean planes). In 2000, the Eritrean Ambassador to the Russian Federation even directly stated that a number of former Soviet officers participated in the conflict on the Ethiopian side, indicating their names and military ranks. In 2000, the Angolan Air Force lost a Su-27 fighter to ground fire. In 1992, Georgian air defense shot down a Russian Su-27 while patrolling in the area of ​​the Georgian-Abkhaz conflict. During the “five-day war” of 2008, Russian Su-27s, together with Mig-29s, controlled the airspace over South Ossetia. The Su-27 fighter has never operated in real combat against its main competitor, the F-15. But the Su-27 had to face it in simulated battles at various air shows and joint exercises. In close combat between the Su-27 and the F-15, the Russian fighter has an unconditional advantage, easily “getting on the tail” of the American. The maneuverability and thrust-to-weight ratio of the Su-27 are significantly higher. But the F-15 avionics are considered more advanced, which could give the American fighter an advantage in long-range missile combat. However, in the Cope India 2004 exercise, where the Indian Air Force Su-27 and the US Air Force F-15C fought, the Americans looked pale, losing 2/3 of the total number of air battles. Indian pilots used unconventional tactics: they turned off the radar and approached the enemy within range of targeted cannon fire, using the optical-electronic systems of their Su-27s. True, under the terms of the exercise, the Americans did not use their AIM-120 missiles, but it was with the help of these missiles that American fighters effectively shot down MiG-29s in Yugoslavia.

MODIFICATIONS OF THE SU-27 The Su-27 family includes many modifications. Within this family of aircraft, four “lines” can be traced: the single-seat Su-27 fighter, the two-seat Su-27UB (combat trainer) and the Su-30 (designed to control the actions of groups of fighters); carrier-based fighter Su-33 (for the Admiral Kuznetsov TAVKR air group, 26 units were produced); front-line bomber Su-32FN/Su-34. Modifications of the single-seat Su-27 fighter will be considered here. T-10 The first prototypes that never went into production. Su-27 (T-10S) A radically modernized T-10, actually a new aircraft, the letter “S” stands for “Serial”. The shape of the airframe was almost completely changed; a wing with straight tips was installed. The keel tips of the first production Su-27s were made straight, later they began to be beveled, the shape of the central tail boom changed, and anti-flutter weights disappeared from the keels. The maximum take-off weight of late-built aircraft increased to 33,000 kg, and the flight range to 4,000 km. On some aircraft, instead of external pylons, containers with electronic warfare equipment are installed (at the ends of the wing). Su-27P Single-seat fighter-interceptor for air defense forces. The possibility of working on the ground is excluded from the weapons control system; The composition of the avionics has been slightly changed. Su-27SK Serial commercial version of the Su-27 fighter. Produced since 1991 in Komsomolsk-on-Amur. Often designated simply as Su-27K (previously the designation Su-27K was adopted for carrier-based fighters, but then they were renamed Su-33). Su-27SKM The export version of the Su-27SKM was developed in the mid-1990s; it differs from the Su-27SK in the updated composition of its avionics, the number of missile hardpoints has been increased to 12. The aircraft's missile armament is supplemented with RVV-AE air-to-air missiles and guided weapons air-to-surface class, including the Kh-29T guided missile, Kh-31 anti-ship missiles and KAB-500 laser-guided bombs. Combat load increased to 8000 kg. The ability to attach two fuel tanks with a capacity of 2000 liters to the underwing units has been added. Su-27M (Su-35) The Su-27M has been developed since 1988 as a multi-role air superiority fighter with even greater maneuverability than the Su-27. At the same time, its strike capabilities have become wider than those of the Su-27. In 1993, this fighter received the designation Su-35.

The aircraft is designed according to the “integral triplane” design with a front horizontal tail. Composite materials are used more widely in the airframe design than in previous modifications. Additional fuel tanks are located in the larger keels; the capacity of the internal tanks has increased by 1,500 kg. The fighter was able to refuel in the air. The retractable fuel receiver is mounted on the left side in front of the cabin. Onboard electronic warfare equipment is capable of providing both individual and group protection. To a limited extent, the aircraft is capable of conducting electronic reconnaissance. It is equipped with a new optical location station and N-011 radar with a target detection range of up to 400 km, capable of simultaneously tracking up to 15 targets and launching missiles at six of them. The aircraft is capable of using air-to-surface guided weapons. The instrumentation is made according to the “glass cockpit” principle. The super-maneuverable multirole fighter Su-35 is a deep modernization of the Su-27 and belongs to the “4++” generation. Its design began in 2002. The Su-35 uses 5th generation fighter technology and radically improved avionics. The power plant consists of two AL-41 turbofans of increased thrust with nozzles rotating in two planes. The fighter is equipped with a H035 Irbis passive phased array radar. A total of 12 Su-27M/Su-35 were built, some of them were transferred to the Russian Knights aerobatic team. However, the Su-35 fighter construction program is currently closed. Su-27SM In 2004-2009, 48 Su-27 fighters were repaired and upgraded to the Su-27SM variant for the Russian Air Force. Under the so-called “small modernization” program, cockpit instrumentation and part of the avionics were replaced (there is the ability to detect ground and surface targets), the airframe was modified; the aircraft gained the ability to use air-to-surface guided weapons. P-42 One of the first production Su-27 (T-10-15), maximally lightweight for setting a world rate of climb record; in order to reduce weight, the paint was even washed off from the aircraft. The take-off weight was reduced to 14,100 kg, the afterburner thrust of each engine was increased to 29,955 kN. In 1986-1988, the P-42 set 27 world speed and climb records. T-10-20 The serial T-10-20 was modified into a version for breaking the speed record on a closed 500-km route; no world record was set. The aircraft was lightened, ogive-shaped tips were installed on the wing (similar to the first T10), the fuel supply was increased to 12900 kg T-10-24 The serial T-10-24 was converted into a flying laboratory to evaluate the influence of the front horizontal tail (FH) on stability and controllability. T-10-26 (LL-UV (KS)) Another flying laboratory for testing the AL-31F engine with an experimental rotary nozzle. The T-10-24 was converted into it. Su-37 In 1995, the Su-27M No. 711 was equipped with AL-31 FP engines with a thrust of 14510 kgf in afterburner and thrust vectoring. This fighter was named Su-37.

The avionics and control system of the fighter were significantly modernized. The instrumentation is made according to the “glass cockpit” principle, equipped with four large-format color displays and a wide-angle indicator on the windshield. The aircraft is equipped with a quad-duplex digital fly-by-wire control system. Instead of the usual control stick, a side joystick was installed in the cockpit, and the engine controls were changed. The Su-37 fighter was equipped with two radars: an upgraded pulse-Doppler N011M with phased array, located in the forward part of the fuselage, and a rear hemisphere viewing station, which provides control of missiles launched into the rear hemisphere. The optical-electronic systems of the fighter included a thermal imager combined with a laser rangefinder-target designator. The aircraft was able to refuel in the air by being equipped with a retractable fuel receiver boom. The controlled thrust vector allowed this fighter to perform effective combat maneuvers at near-zero speeds, which are simply impossible to perform on the Su-27 with conventional engines. Among them are the well-known maneuver “Frolov’s Chakra” (“dead loop”, only with a very small radius, actually turning the aircraft around its tail), a forced combat turn (in less than 10 seconds) and others. Unfortunately, fighter No. 711 crashed during a test flight in 2002. The Su-37 program has now been discontinued. Chinese Su-27 In 1991, a contract was signed to supply China with 20 Su-27SK, and in 1996 - for another 16 Su-27SK. In China, the aircraft was designated J-11. Deliveries began in 1992. The aircraft of the second batch were distinguished by the ability to install Sorption electronic warfare containers, a reinforced landing gear and the ability to use unguided air-to-surface weapons. In 1996, China acquired a license to produce 200 Su-27SK aircraft without the right to re-export to third countries. China has repeatedly insisted on modernizing the J-11 by replacing the H001 radar with a more advanced one, expanding the range of air-to-air missiles and installing multifunctional indicators in the cockpit. By 2006, about 60 J-11s had been modified into the J-11A variant. The country was also developing its own version of the Su-27 with WS-10A engines, a new Chinese-designed radar and the ability to use Chinese-designed guided weapons. China officially confirmed the existence of the J-11B in May 2007. In 2010, it was officially announced that the J-11B fighters were entering service with the Chinese Air Force, which supposedly have nothing in common with the Su-27. In total, the Chinese Air Force currently operates a total of 276 Su-27, Su-30 and J-11 aircraft.

Su-27 (internal designation: product 10B, according to NATO codification: Flanker, Flanker - English. “Coming from the Flank”, nicknamed “Dude”) is a fourth-generation Soviet/Russian multi-role highly maneuverable all-weather fighter, developed at the Sukhoi Design Bureau and designed to gain air superiority. The main designers of the Su-27 at different times were Naum Semenovich Chernyakov, Mikhail Petrovich Simonov, A. A. Kolchin and A. I. Knyshev. The first flight of the prototype took place in 1977, and in 1984 the aircraft began to arrive in aviation units. Currently, it is one of the main aircraft of the Russian Air Force; its modifications are in service in the CIS countries, India, China and other countries. A large number of modifications have been developed on the basis of the Su-27: the Su-27UB combat trainer, the Su-33 carrier-based fighter and its combat training modification Su-33UB, the Su-30, Su-27M, Su-35 multi-role fighters, the Su-35 front-line bomber 34 and others.

History of creation

Start of development

In the late 1960s, a number of countries began developing promising fourth-generation fighters. The United States was the first to begin solving this problem, where back in 1965 the question of creating a successor to the F-4C Phantom tactical fighter was raised. In March 1966, the FX (Fighter Experimental) program was launched. Design of the aircraft according to specified requirements began in 1969, when the aircraft received the designation F-15 Eagle. The winner of the competition to work on the project, McDonnell Douglas, was awarded a contract on December 23, 1969 to build prototype aircraft, and in 1974 the first production fighters F-15A Eagle and F-15B appeared. As an adequate response, the USSR launched its own development program for a promising fourth-generation fighter, which was launched by the Sukhoi Design Bureau in 1969. It was taken into account that the main purpose of the aircraft being created would be the fight for air superiority. Air combat tactics included close maneuver combat, which was again recognized at that time as the main element of the combat use of a fighter.

Prototypes

T-10

T-10-1 - the first prototype of the Su-27 fighter.

In 1975-1976, it became clear that the initial layout of the aircraft had significant shortcomings. However, a prototype aircraft (named T-10-1) was created and took off on May 20, 1977 (pilot - Honored Test Pilot Hero of the Soviet Union Vladimir Ilyushin. In one of the T-10-2 flights, piloted by Evgeniy Solovyov, fell into an unexplored area of ​​resonant modes and collapsed in the air. The pilot died. At this time, data about the American F-15 began to arrive. Suddenly it turned out that in a number of parameters the machine did not meet the technical specifications and was significantly inferior to the F-15. For example, the developers electronic equipment did not fit into the weight and size limits allotted to them. It was also not possible to achieve the specified fuel consumption. The developers faced a difficult dilemma - either bring the aircraft to mass production and hand it over to the customer in its existing form, or undertake a radical redesign of the entire aircraft. It was decided to start creating the aircraft practically from scratch, without releasing a car that lags behind its main competitor in terms of its characteristics.

T-10S

In the shortest possible time, a new vehicle was developed, the design of which took into account the experience of developing the T-10 and the experimental data obtained. And already on April 20, 1981, the experimental T-10-17 aircraft (another designation T-10S-1, that is, the first production one), piloted by V. S. Ilyushin, took to the skies. The machine has been significantly modified, almost all components were created from scratch. There were many innovations in the fuselage design: on the T-10, one of the wing edges was rounded (as on the MiG-29). On the T-10S the wing had a completely trapezoidal shape. On the T-10, the fins were located above the engines, then they were installed on the sides. The nose landing gear was moved back 3 meters so that splashes during takeoff or landing after rain would not enter the air intakes. Previously, the brake flaps were located at the bottom of the fuselage, but when they were released, the plane began to shake. On the T-10S, the brake flap is installed behind the cockpit. In this regard, the cockpit canopy did not move back, as on the T-10, but opened upward. The contours of the nose of the aircraft were changed. The number of missile hardpoints increased from 8 to 10. The data obtained during testing showed that a truly unique aircraft had been created, which in many respects had no analogues in the world. Although this was not without disasters: during a flight on December 22, 1981 at a speed of 2300 km/h in critical mode due to the destruction of the nose of the aircraft, test pilot Alexander Sergeevich Komarov died. Some time later, under the same regime, N. Sadovnikov found himself in a similar situation. Only thanks to the great skill of the test pilot, later Hero of the Soviet Union, world record holder, the flight ended safely. N. F. Sadovnikov landed a damaged plane at the airfield - without most of the wing console, with a chopped off keel - and thereby provided invaluable material to the developers of the aircraft. Measures were urgently taken to modify the aircraft: the structure of the wing and airframe as a whole was strengthened, and the area of ​​the slat was reduced.
Subsequently, the aircraft underwent numerous modifications, including during mass production.

Adoption

The first production Su-27s began to enter service with the troops in 1984. The Su-27 was officially adopted by government decree of August 23, 1990, when all the main deficiencies identified in the tests were eliminated. By this time, the Su-27 had been in operation for more than 5 years. When adopted by the Air Force, the aircraft received the designation Su-27S (serial), and in air defense aviation - Su-27P (interceptor).

Design

Glider

The Su-27 is made according to a normal aerodynamic design and has an integral layout: its wing smoothly mates with the fuselage, forming a single load-bearing body. The wing sweep along the leading edge is 42°. To improve the aerodynamic characteristics of the aircraft at high angles of attack, it is equipped with highly swept root nozzles and automatically deflected noses. The swells also help to increase the lift-to-drag ratio when flying at supersonic speeds. Also on the wing are flaperons, which simultaneously perform the functions of flaps in takeoff and landing modes and ailerons. The horizontal tail consists of an all-moving stabilizer, which, with symmetrical deflection of the consoles, acts as an elevator, and with differential deflection, it serves for roll control. The vertical tail is two-finned. To reduce the overall weight of the structure, titanium is widely used (about 30%). Many modifications of the Su-27 (Su-27M, Su-30, Su-33, Su-34, etc.) have a front horizontal tail. The Su-33, a variant of the sea-based Su-27, also has folding wing and stabilizer consoles to reduce its size, and is also equipped with a brake hook. Su-27 is the first Soviet production aircraft with a fly-by-wire control system (EDCS) in the longitudinal channel. Compared to the booster irreversible control system used on its predecessors, the EDSU has greater speed, accuracy and allows the use of much more complex and effective control algorithms. The need for its use is due to the fact that in order to improve the maneuverability of the Su-27, it was made statically unstable at subsonic speeds. Averaged over a range of angles ±30° EPR of a glider 10-20 m²

Power point

The basic Su-27 is equipped with a pair of widely spaced AL-31F turbojet engines with afterburners located in engine nacelles under the rear fuselage. The engines developed by the Saturn design bureau are characterized by low fuel consumption both in afterburner and in minimum thrust mode. The engine weight is 1520 kg. Currently produced at the Ufa Engine Production Association (UMPO). The engines consist of a four-stage low-pressure compressor, a nine-stage high-pressure compressor and single-stage cooled high and low pressure turbines and an afterburner. The separation of the engines was dictated by the need to reduce mutual interference, create a wide internal tunnel for the lower weapon mount and simplify the air intake system; Between the engines there is a beam with a brake parachute container. The air intakes are equipped with mesh screens that remain closed until the nose wheel leaves the ground during takeoff. The concentric nozzles of the afterburners are cooled by an air flow passing between two rows of “petals”. On some modifications of the Su-27, it was planned to install a rear-view radar in the tail boom (in this case, the braking parachute was transferred under the aircraft body). The modernized Su-27SM2 ​​fighters are equipped with more powerful and economical AL-31F-M1 engines equipped with thrust vector control. The engine thrust was increased relative to the base AL-31F engine by 1000 kgf, fuel consumption was reduced from 0.75 to 0.68 kg/kgf*h, and an increase in compressor diameter to 924 mm made it possible to increase air consumption to 118 kg/s . AL-31FP (on some modifications of the Su-30) and more advanced “Izdeliye 117S” (on the Su-35), equipped with a rotating nozzle with a thrust vector deflected by ±15°, which significantly increases the maneuverability of the aircraft. Other modifications of the fighter are also equipped with upgraded engines with thrust vector control AL-31F-M1, AL-31FP and Izdeliye 117S. They are equipped with deeply modernized Su-27SM2, Su-30 and Su-35 aircraft, respectively. The engines significantly increase maneuverability and, above all, allow you to control the aircraft at near-zero speeds and reach high angles of attack. The engine nozzles deviate by ±15°, which allows you to freely change the flight direction along both the vertical and horizontal axis. The large volume of fuel tanks (about 12,000 liters) ensures a flight range of up to 3,900 km and a combat radius of up to 1,500 km. The placement of external fuel tanks on base models is not provided.

Onboard equipment and systems

The aircraft's onboard equipment is conventionally divided into 4 independent, functionally related complexes - the weapons control system (WCS), the flight navigation complex (FNC), the communications complex (CS) and the airborne defense complex (ADS).

Optical search and aiming system

As part of the weapons complex of the base Su-27, the OEPS-27 electro-optical system includes a laser range finder (effective range up to 8 km) and an infrared search and targeting system (IRST) (effective range 50-70 km). These systems use the same optics as mirror periscopes, coupled with a coordinating glass ball sensor that moves in elevation (10° when scanning, 15° when aiming) and azimuth (60° and 120°), allowing the sensors to remain "directed". The big advantage of the OEPS-27 is the ability to covertly target a target.

Integrated thrust vectoring and flight control system

The control of the AL-31FP engine nozzles is integrated into the flight control system (FCS) and software. The nozzles are controlled through digital computers, which are part of the entire UPC as a whole. Since the movement of the nozzles is fully automated, the pilot is not busy controlling individual thrust vectors, which allows him to fully concentrate on controlling the aircraft. The SKP system itself reacts to any action of the pilot, who works, as usual, with the stick and pedals. During the existence of the Su-27, the SKP system has undergone significant changes. The original SDU-10 (radio-controlled remote control system), which was installed on early Su-27s, had limitations on the angle of attack and was characterized by vibration of the thrust vector control handle. Modern Su-27s are equipped with a digital control system, in which the traction control functions are duplicated four times, and the yaw control functions are duplicated three times.

Cabin

Cockpit of Su-27

The cabin has a two-section canopy, consisting of a fixed visor and a resettable part that opens up and back. The pilot's workplace is equipped with a K-36DM- ejection seat. In the base model SU-27, the cockpit was equipped with the usual set of analogue dials and a small radar display (the latter was removed from the Russian Knights group). Later models are equipped with modern multifunctional liquid crystal displays with control panels and an indicator displaying navigation and targeting information against the background of the windshield. The steering lever has autopilot control buttons on the front side, trim and target joysticks, a weapon selection switch and a shooting button on the back side.

Weapons and equipment

The H001 airborne pulse-Doppler radar is equipped with a Cassegrain antenna with a diameter of 1076 mm and is capable of detecting air and ground targets in conditions of active interference. In addition, there is a quantum optical location station (KOLS) with a 36Sh laser rangefinder, which tracks targets in simple weather conditions with great accuracy. OLS allows you to target a target at short distances without emitting radio signals or unmasking the fighter. Information from the on-board radar and from the OLS is displayed on the line-of-sight indicator (LOS) and the HUD frame (indication on the windshield).
air-to-air mode

Aerial targets, with a probability of 0.5, the minimum target speed is 210 km/h, the minimum difference between the carrier and the target is 150 km/h.

Target detection range

• Fighter class (RCS = 3 m² at medium altitude (over 1000 m)),

  • PPS 80-100 km (150 km in long-range detection mode)

    ZPS 25-35 km

Detection of up to 10 targets

Firing 1 target

Guiding up to 2 missiles at one target

air-to-ground mode(only for Su-30, Su-27SM)

Provides surface mapping

• Detection of ground and surface targets in real beam mapping mode

  Detection of ground and surface targets in mapping mode with antenna aperture synthesis with medium and high resolution

  Detection of ground and surface moving targets in moving target selection mode

  Tracking and measuring the coordinates of a ground target;

Detection of a tank with an ESR of 10 m or more, moving at a speed of 15-90 km/h (in moving target selection mode)

Detection range, km

• aircraft carrier (RCS = 50,000 m²): 350

  destroyer (RCS = 10000 m²): 250

  railway bridge (EPR = 2000 m²): 100

  missile boat (RCS = 500 m²): 50-70

  boat (EPR = 50 m²): 30

MTBF 200 hours

The missile armament is located on the APU-470 and P-72 (aviation launch device) and AKU-470 (aviation ejection device), suspended at 10 points: 6 under the wings, 2 under the engines and 2 under the fuselage between the engines. The main armament is up to six R-27 air-to-air missiles, with radar (R-27R, R-27ER) and two with thermal (R-27T, R-27ET) guidance. And also up to 6 highly maneuverable close-in missiles R-73 equipped with TGSN with combined aerodynamic and gas-dynamic control.

Modifications

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Su-30MK MAKS-2009

T-10 (Flanker-A)- prototype.

T-10S- improved prototype configuration.

Su-27- pre-production version with AL-31 engines.

Su-27S (Su-27) (Flanker-B)- a single-seat Air Force interceptor fighter, the main modification of the aircraft, mass-produced. Equipped with AL-31F engines.

Su-27P- a single-seat fighter-interceptor for the country's air defense forces; the ability to operate on the ground has been removed from the weapons control system.

Su-27UB (T-10U) (Flanker-S)- two-seat combat training fighter. Designed for retraining pilots for the Su-27 aircraft, it retains all the combat capabilities of the Su-27, and the N001 radar is installed in the bow. The first flight of the Su-27UB was carried out on March 7, 1985. It has been serially built in Irkutsk since 1986.

Su-27UP (T-10-30)- training and patrol aircraft for air defense with an in-flight refueling system. Produced in series.

Su-27SK- export modification of the single-seat Su-27 (Su-27S) has been produced since 1991. Normal take-off weight 23,430 kg, maximum take-off 30,450 kg, fuel reserve in internal tanks 9,400 kg, maximum combat load weight 4,430 kg, maximum speed without suspension 2 .35 Mach, service ceiling 18,500m, take-off run length at normal take-off weight 450m, flight range 3500 km, armament R-27, R-73, assigned airframe life 2000 hours, engine 900 hours.

Su-27SM- a modernized version of the production aircraft. First flight December 27, 2002 In progress. Radar N001. Passed the first stage of the GSI in 2004.

Su-27SM3- a modernized version of the Su-27, the characteristics of the aircraft are largely similar to the Su-35S, the main difference is the installation of AL-31F-M1 engines with a thrust of 13500 kgf, a reinforced airframe structure, additional suspension points, as well as the installation of 4 displays on which Most of the instruments and sensors in the cockpit were removed.

Su-27SKM- export version of the Su-27SM, first flight 2002

Su-27UBK- export modification of the two-seat combat training fighter Su-27UB.

Su-30 (Su-27PU)- two-seat guidance and target designation aircraft. Built on the basis of the Su-27UB. Capable of simultaneous guidance of four Su-27 interceptors.
See more details: Modifications of the Su-30.

Su-33 - carrier-based fighter

Su-27IB- a prototype of two-seat fighter-bombers Su-32FN and Su-34 with seats arranged side by side. Designed to engage highly protected point targets in any weather conditions and at any time of the day. First flew on April 13, 1990.

P-42 / Su-27 - Record holder

P-42 (T-10-15)- record-breaking aircraft converted from serial Su-27s. In 1986-1990, they set 41 officially registered FAI world records for rate of climb and flight altitude. It is distinguished by the installation of uprated engines and a significantly lightweight design (the maximum take-off weight of the P-42 is 14,100 kg).

Su-33 (Su-27K, T-12) (Flanker-D)- single-seat carrier-based fighter with folding wing consoles. Serial production in small batches at KnAAPO since 1992. Su-33s serve on the TAVKR "Admiral of the Fleet of the Soviet Union Kuznetsov".

Su-33UB (Su-27KUB, T-12UB)- combat training carrier-based fighter with an unconventional combat training vehicle - side-by-side. Previously it was known as Su-27KUB.

Accidents and incidents

The exact number of accidents and disasters involving Su-27 type aircraft is unknown. Some cases are listed below.

Incident in the Barents Sea - on September 13, 1987, a Su-27 touched the propeller blade of an American Orion coastal patrol aircraft with its wingtip. Both planes returned safely to base

Disaster in Vietnam - on December 12, 1995, near the city of Cam Ranh (Vietnam), two Su-27 fighters and one Su-27UB crashed during landing in difficult weather conditions. Four pilots from the Russian Air Force aerobatic team “Russian Knights” died - Nikolai Kordyukov, Nikolai Grechanov, Alexander Syrovoy and Boris Grigoriev. The cause of the disaster was said to be poor flight management.

Incident in Bratislava - in June 1997, at the SIAD’97 air show in Bratislava (Slovakia), a Su-27 (tail number 15) from the Russian Knights aerobatic team landed with its landing gear not extended. The pilot Sergei Klimov was not injured. The cause of the incident was the pilot's forgetfulness. This incident will be remembered and repeated by the pilots when landing the damaged Su-27UB in Dorokhovo.

Sknilov tragedy - July 27, 2002, during demonstration performances at the Sknilov airfield (Lvov), a Su-27UB of the Ukrainian Air Force fell on a crowd of spectators. Both pilots, Vladimir Toponar and Yuri Egorov, ejected. According to official data, 77 died! people (sometimes another number is called - 86 dead), 241 were injured. The reasons for the tragedy were said to be the error of the pilots and the unsatisfactory work of the flight directors.

Accident in Lithuania - On September 15, 2005, the Su-27 pilot, Major Valery Troyanov, reported loss of orientation. Having exhausted the fuel supply, the pilot ejected. The fighter crashed in the Shakiai region of Lithuania, 55 kilometers from Kaunas; the fall did not cause casualties or destruction. The cause of the incident is believed to have been a failure of navigation equipment. The crash of the Su-27 on Lithuanian territory caused a heated political scandal - the Lithuanian side refused to hand over the pilot and flight recorders of the aircraft to Russia. The pilot was handed over to Russian authorities a few days later.

The SU-35 aircraft is known as a multi-role fighter that has the opportunity to demonstrate its best qualities in confrontation with an air enemy. It can also deliver powerful strikes with high precision from long ranges against targets on land, sea and air.

The SU-35 fighter (according to the NATO version Flanker-E+) is highly maneuverable. 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 last word in 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 lack of stealth characteristics and phased active array prevented the aircraft from being classified as the 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 affected the design, equipment, capabilities and goals.

The beginning of the way

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

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

Story

2006 was the year of production of the installation batch of machines. The premiere prototype was released in 2007. A year later the first flights began. By March 2009, the new product 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 before 2020.

In 2010, information appeared on the results of preliminary tests, which proved that the vehicle met the required parameters for super-maneuverability and the presence of on-board equipment.

The Ministry of Defense received the first six SU-35S 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.

Peculiarities

As already mentioned, the SU-35 fighter is a modernized Su-27. When landing, the aircraft is braked by deflecting the rudders to the sides.

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

The aircraft's service life is thirty years or 6,000 flight hours.

Glider

The SU-35, whose airframe technical characteristics 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 cabin canopy has a special conductive coating. In this case, there is no braking flap and horizontal tail.

Engines

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

In addition to the main AL-41F1S aircraft, of which it has two, the SU-35 is equipped with an additional TA14-130-35 with a capacity of 105 kilowatts. It is designed for use in areas that allow powering 200V and 115V AC consumers with a power of up to 30 kVA and air conditioning the cabin and compartments.

Technical specifications

• The crew is 1 person.
• The wing area reaches 62 m².
• The wings' sweep angle is 42°.
• Length, m - 21.90.
• Height, m ​​- 5.90.
• The wingspan is 14.75 m.
• The empty aircraft has a mass of 19 tons, an operating take-off weight of 25 tons, a maximum weight of 34 tons, and a fuel load of 11 tons.
• weighing 1520 kg, having an afterburner and controlled thrust vector, AL-41F1S. Thrust: 2 × 8800 kgf; afterburner: 2 × 14,500 kgf.

Flight parameters

The designers ensured the 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.
• Flight range: at an altitude of 3.6 km - 4500 km, at an altitude of 200 m - 1580 km.
• Run length: with a parachute for braking, normal take-off weight, application of brakes - 650 m, take-off run with full afterburner - 450 m.
• The ceiling is 20 kilometers.
• Rate of climb - 280 m/s.
• Wing load: maximum take-off weight - 611 kg/m², normal - 410 kg/m².

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

Armament

12 weapons suspension locations.

The aircraft has several types of weapons:

• small arms and cannon;
• guided air-to-air missiles;
• unguided missiles and bombs;
• guided air-to-surface missiles.

The aircraft's small arms and cannon armament include a built-in GSh-301 automatic single-barrel cannon of 30 mm caliber with an increased rate of fire. The cannon is located on the right half of the wing and has an ammunition load of 150 rounds.

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

Places for hanging weapons:

• wing consoles - 6 pcs.;
• wing tips - 2 pcs.;
• engines - 2 pcs.;
• center section - 2 pcs.

From air-to-air weapons, 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 short-range R-73 missiles with thermal homing heads.

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

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

Avionics

The SU-35, whose radar technical characteristics provide it with air superiority, is capable of detecting targets even at long ranges.

Radar station parameters:

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

The N035 Irbis radar is capable of detecting targets with a dispersion area of ​​3 m² at a distance of up to 400 km. The radar station is enhanced by an optical-electronic integrated system and an optical-location station.

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

The pilot's cabin is equipped with a holographic indicator, which is located on its windshield, and two displays operating in multi-screen mode.

In addition, there is a L-150-35 complex that warns about radiation exposure.

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

For electronic warfare purposes, the fighter is equipped with containers.

Combat equipment

The SU-35 is armed with air-to-air guided 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 and guided and unguided aerial bombs.

The aircraft's noise-resistant radar is especially impressive. It makes it possible to detect 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, having a number of properties inherent in the fifth generation. The ability to shoot down stealth aircraft gives the fighter its super maneuverability. The SU-35 has slightly different technical characteristics .

The aircraft's propulsion system makes it possible to perform complex maneuvers. Aerobatics SU-35 makes it possible to perform both “Pugachev’s cobra” and “Frolov’s chakra”.

European experts are somewhat skeptical about super-maneuverability, believing that in real combat low visibility is much more important than increased maneuverability. Stealth is a characteristic that a fighter initially possesses. Many experts believe that compliance with stealth 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 stealth technology for a fighter, it is not an invisibility cloak. Knowledge of air combat is constantly being updated. The first generations of military and post-war aircraft prioritized altitude, high speed, maneuverability and combat power. For subsequent generations, the requirements 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 Paris Air Show. Of course, they do not mean an unambiguous victory in the air, but a flight trajectory that cannot be predicted can cause failures in enemy missile guidance programs. At the same time, the SU-35 itself is capable of firing short-range missiles with the maximum probability of hitting an enemy aircraft.

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

Buyers of SU-35

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

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

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

conclusions

Thus, we can conclude that the SU-35 is an unusually effective machine. Perhaps the best one created in Russia. At the same time, it is very difficult to assess the prospects of the SU-35 in the fight against the Raptor without colliding with them in real combat, since it is not known what will outweigh stealth and electronic filling or super-maneuverability.