Signed this night between Russia and China, a contract worth two billion dollars for the purchase of 24 supercaccia Sukhoi Su-35. It was the Russians themselves who announced the end of the talks and the signing of the contract defined "unprecedented" in the history between the two countries.
China officially becomes the first country in the world (Russia obviously excluded) to equip itself with advanced fourth-generation fighters. The evolution of the already magnificent Sukhoi Su-27 "Flanker" will be built in the plants of the Gagarin Komsomolsk-on-Amur Aircraft Production Association (owned by Sukhoi Company), in the Russian Far East.
Each Su-35 was sold for 85 million dollars, with a total contract value of just over two billion dollars. The Chinese will now be able to get their hands on (probably even extracting the technology needed to produce future versions) on what is considered one of the best fighters ever produced in Sukhoi history.
Discarded the "Terminator", a monstrous evolution of the Su-27 with vector thrust engines (it will prove to be too expensive), the Su-35 project was born in the 2003 as an 4 ++ fighter or advanced fourth generation to bridge the technological gap between the Su -30 and the PAK-FA. This classification is used to indicate fighters just before the era stealth, but superior for avionics, radar and propulsion to the 4,5 generation fighters. It is correct to say that 4 ++ fighters incorporate technologies from the previous and subsequent generations. Although not really stealth, their RCS is diminished by the massive use of Ram (Radiation-absorbent material).
The Russians, until now unique in using the Su-35, have ordered slightly less than 60. What is considered a very successful evolution of the Su-27, presents improvements in many aspects. From the Irbis-E radar, able to monitor 30 targets at a maximum distance of 400 km with the ability to attach 8 to the absorbing radar coating. From the abandonment of the canard fins to the use of the Saturn AL-41F1A engines with vector thrust that also allow supercruise capabilities. From the massive use of titanium to reinforce the structure (it gains the cell in terms of operational life) to the modern "glass cockpit". The multi-role fighter Su-35 reaches a top speed of 2.500 kilometers per hour. Its flight range is 3.400 kilometers.
In a dogfight, as repeatedly stated, the F-35 (not designed for close combat, it should be remembered) would not stand a chance against a Su-35. However, according to the Russians, Sukhoi's advanced fourth-generation fighter radar would struggle to identify an F-22, but not the RCS of an F-35.
(photo: TASS)
