Page 2 - Su 35 News Today

The Kremlin may have lost another Su-35 aircraft on Thursday, and the Su-27 derivative may have been the victim of friendly fire according to early reports. Video of a Russian fighter aircraft engulfed in flames as it fell back to the earth quickly circulated on social media.

Despite the Su-35's impressive capabilities, including supermaneuverability and a vast arsenal, it falls short of the F-22's stealth, radar, and sensor advantages.

Avdiivka served a purpose. It afforded the Ukrainians the chance to kill a lot of Russians. And to shoot down more than a few Russian aircraft.

The Su-35 won't be the only Russian aircraft operated by Iran - but it would be a massive upgrade. The Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force also has approximately two dozen Sukhoi Su-24s and 19 MiG-29s in service.

The Sukhoi Su-27 Flanker was designed to compete with the American F-15 Eagle and F-14 Tomcat, and it matched up very well 40 years ago.

The Sukhoi Su-35 (NATO reporting name "Flanker-E") has been touted as one of the most advanced 4++ generation aircraft systems, combining many fifth-generation elements.

The superiority of the Su-35 relative to Ukrainian aircraft is part of why the Ukrainians have pushed their Western allies for Western fighters like the F-16.    

Completing the sale in a timely manner could become a win-win for both Moscow and Tehran or, at the very least, save some face in the two troubled capitals.

Designated by the North Atlantic Treaty Organization as “Flanker-E” the Soviet-derived Su-35 fighter jet became the definitive production variant of the Su-27 in the early 1980’s.

The Su-35 is just a heavily upgraded derivative of the Su-27 aircraft (NATO reporting name "Flanker") that was originally intended for export. However, it has been in service with the Russian Air Force since 2014 and made its first combat deployment in Syria in 2015 – where it was employed to provide cover for other Russian aircraft on bombing missions.