The United Aircraft Corporation (UAC), Russia’s state-owned aerospace and defense conglomerate, has delivered another batch of Su-35S multirole fighters to the Russian Aerospace Forces (VKS). This delivery fulfills part of the ongoing state defense order. The aircraft acceptance ceremony took place at the Dzyomgi factory airfield of the Komsomolsk-on-Amur Aviation Plant named after Y.A. Gagarin (KNAAZ), a UAC subsidiary. This marks the sixth batch of Su-35S aircraft delivered to the VKS this year, as announced by UAC’s press service.
The first batch of 2025-production Su-35S aircraft arrived with the VKS on March 29. Subsequent deliveries occurred on May 12 (second batch), June 25 (third batch), August 21 (fourth batch), and September 24 (fifth batch). Due to operational security considerations following the start of the special military operation, UAC does not disclose the exact number of aircraft in each batch or their tail numbers. However, estimates suggest that 15 to 18 Su-35S aircraft have been delivered in 2025 so far.
“The fighters successfully completed ground and flight factory tests,” UAC stated. “VKS crews accepted the aircraft, acknowledging the Su-35S’s reliability and its capability to perform a wide range of missions in the area of operations. The Su-35S aircraft have since deployed to their operational bases.”
According to Vadim Badekha, UAC’s General Director, the corporation maintains high production rates and continues to increase its military output. UAC anticipates a nearly 50% production increase in 2025 compared to 2024, which would represent a post-Soviet era record. Military aviation, including deliveries of Su-35S and Su-34 frontline bombers, is the primary driver of this growth.
In 2024, KNAAZ delivered four batches of Su-35S to the Russian Ministry of Defense, totaling an estimated 15 aircraft. From 2012 through the end of 2024, the Russian Aerospace Forces received approximately 135 series-produced Su-35S fighters.
The Su-35S is a “4++” generation multirole fighter. It excels in air defense, close air support, and engaging air, ground, and surface targets at long ranges. The aircraft features a digital fly-by-wire (FBW) flight control system, AL-41F1S engines with thrust vectoring nozzles (TVN), and the N035 Irbis-E passive electronically scanned array (PESA) radar.
The Irbis-E radar can detect targets with a Radar Cross-Section (RCS) of 3 square meters (m²) at ranges up to 400 kilometers (approximately 248 miles). It can identify Ukrainian “Flamingo” type cruise missiles, which have an estimated RCS of 0.5-0.7 m², at distances of approximately 250-300 km (155-186 miles). Less stealthy American Tomahawk cruise missiles, with an RCS of 0.1-0.2 m², are detectable at 150-200 km (93-124 miles).
The integrated operation of the Irbis-E radar with the OLS-35 electro-optical targeting system (EOTS) allows Su-35S pilots to search for and track targets using both radar and infrared channels. This system enables simultaneous tracking of up to 30 targets and engaging eight of them with missiles. Such integration ensures robust air situational awareness and reliable engagement of various classes of low-observable threats.
Modern communication and navigation systems on the Su-35S, synchronized with tactical data links, facilitate real-time information exchange between crews and command posts. This capability enhances coordination among air units for air defense missions and covering strike groups.
(No Ratings Yet)
Loading...