First flight of the Sukhoi Su-35 Flanker-E

On February 19, 2008 at 11:25 Moscow time the Sukhoi Su-35 Flanker-E advanced multi-role fighter made its first flight. Flown by Sukhoi test pilot Sergey Bogdan from Zhukovsky airfield near Moscow, the test flight lasted 50 minutes and the set flight program was performed in full. The new “Super Flanker” is expected to be delivered to the Russian Air Force in 2010 and reach initial operating capability in 2011. Currently, another two planes are completed and are to join the first prototype in a series of test flights. The Su-35 will enter service under the name Su-27SM2.

Su-35 is not a new name in the world of Russian fighters. The name first appeared in 1992, when Su-35 was paraded at various international airshows as a modernized export version of the well known Sukhoi Su-27 Flanker. The new Su-35 is still a modernized variant of the Su-27 using all of the solution implemented in earlier models, such as the Su-30. One of the main design features of the Su-27 family of aircraft in general is super agility, and the Su-35 was designed to better its brothers. Two new Saturn 117S engines equip the Super Flanker. The 117S is an upgraded variant of the AL-31F engine, and produces 14,500 kg maximum thrust, a 16% increase over the older engine. It features a fan 3% larger in diameter (932 mm versus 905 mm), advanced high and low pressure turbines, an all-new digital control system, and provisions for thrust-vectoring nozzles similar to the AL-31FP.

The independent asymmetric thrust vectored nozzles are similar to those used on the Su-30 family. Russian engineers tried to make the airplane more easy to mantain. The engines have an interval between overhaul increased to 4000 hours, an auxiliary power unit equips the Su-35 to provide cockpit and aircraft equipment power supply without the use of ground support teams. The aircraft uses a triple-redundant fly-by-wire flight control; compared to its predecessors, Su-35 has an improved, integrated aerodynamic and propulsion control enabling the flight control system to perform acceleration, deceleration, roll, pitch and yaw utilizing thrust vectoring in addition to classic aerodynamic control, alleviating the need for the super-sized air-brake and canards used in previous models. Availability of improved controls enabled the designers to reduce the aircraft radar signature (radar cross section RCS), particularly in head-on engagement pattern.

The Su-35 features a glass cockpit design, utilizing two large 15″ multi-function color LCD displays, a head-up display and full HOTAS functionality. The main sensor is an X-band E-Slavia radar allowing detection and tracking of up to 30 air targets while scanning a wide sector (track while scan). The radar and fire control can simultaneously engage up to eight targets. Production models will be fitted with the Tikhomirov NIIP Irbis radar, capable of detecting and tracking aerial targets with average radar cross-section of three square meters, operating at ranges of up-to 400 km (216nm). Irbis offers a wide area coverage of Irbis 70 to 120° with azimuth resolution of (in 2 -2.5 times), increased range, and better ECCM compared to its predecessors.

52 thoughts on “First flight of the Sukhoi Su-35 Flanker-E”

  1. red star is always win in air superiority.there are no other country in the world that can overtake russian military ingeniuity even the american which is always left behind by russian military technology.

  2. el sukhoi-35 flanker, ES BEST ONE BEST, Y ESPERO Q RUSIA LE DE UN CREDITO POR UNOS DOS MIL MILLONES DE DOLARES A MI PAIS PERU, YA Q SIEMPRE HEMOS TENIDO CONVENIO CON LOS RUSOS, CREDITO POR 24 SUKHOI – 35 FLANKER, 24 MIG-35. UN LOTE DE 300 MISILES R-77, 6 SUBMARINOS AMUR CON LANZADERA DE MISILES, 30 MISILES BRAMHOS, OJO 30 0 50 MISILES BRAMHOS, TANQUES T-90, T-92 UN LOTE DE 300 TANQUES MISILES PARA LOS SUKHOI X-31 AIRE SUPERFICIE LOTE DE 200 X-31, EL PRESIDENTE DEL PERU HA DICHO Q NUESTRAS RESERVAS SON DE 35,000 A 40,000 MIL MILLONES DE DOLARES ASI Q POR FAVOR SR. PUTIN CONCEDANOS UN CREDITO POR TODAS ESAS ARMAS, MUCHAS GRACIAS

  3. Ha ha russia always waits to the USA is done producing and then the make theirs. f-35, f-22, and father of all F-15. Russia was behind F-15 thats why them made the flanker. I can talk all i want and so can you, until its one on one in the air we will never know. And as always im sure the flanlker is over rated.

  4. Red star has lost every war fought, with the exception of WWII, with the help of the world doing that. I think Russia technology should be used as to practice on for advanced technology. SU 35 is a copy of F15. Big deal, 1970’s technology, & still a copy. You cannot be competitive drunk on Vodka. It is easier to produce the same thing, over, & over on a hangover.

  5. Russia is and ALWAYS will be full of shit. All they do is COPY off Everybody. If We(American leaders at the time) Make the stupid decision of letting you damn Commie bastards into Germany first, you would still be in the Stone Age! *Gives the russian Commie Bastards the Finger!!!!*

  6. The Flanker has more fanbois than any other aircraft~~ Just because it can do those fancy airshow tricks.

    Radars that can detect stealth….. yah, prove it~ go to florida and provoke the Yankeee raptors~~

    Unless that’s another Russian sci-fi flick idea~ Yep all of it is top secret because they couldn’t even devlop it.

  7. These Super Flankers are nothing more than 80’s aircraft on steroids, thier design philosophy of pure brute force is out dated and weak to the brute force plus unprecedented stealth route which the Americans have taken with the F-22.
    This is much like the upgraded USAF Eagles, that is a stop-gap measure until series 5th gen production of the PAK-FA can commence though it is doubtfull Russia can afford to do this now in this troubled economice climate.
    Even America has had to face that economic reality with the recent calls for no more F-22’s from the guys in charge and if America can barely afford a top notch 5th gen fighter it is most doubtfull Russia can to say the least.

  8. JIMO you are one stupid sad man for making that reference…if it wasn’t for russians the whole Europe would be speaking German now!
    Uk guy knows this!
    Tell me how many Americans died in WW2 how many Brits?
    Do you even know?
    Russians lost 7 milion soldiers oposed to 400.000 Americans…president Rooswelt even insisted upon the Russians that they join the war effort against Japan when Germany capitulated!!!
    Learn the History man instead of eating Big mac all your life
    and making stupid comments!
    Americans couldn’t win the war in Korea,Vietnam and you had all
    air power on your side,you are known better said famous for only attacking third world undeveloped countries and even then you are scared of casualties!!!
    Stop eating Big mac it is affecting your brain man!!!

  9. It amazes me how off subject you have all gotten. Reduced to trash-talking about who’s country is better and WWII conversations. the Flankers didn’t even exist then so I don’t see the relevance. Also, the Russians perfected the vector thrusting technology and to date no other aircraft is as manueverable. You all should also use spell check a little bit more. I have more trouble reading what some of you wrote and if my dog were to have wrote it. America is more about stealth and targeting aircraft at further distances with faster ammunition.

  10. calm your heads guys..none of you(russian or american) can outsmart german ingeniuity.you(american and russian) are just copycats of german technology (i.e. rocket booster of V2 rocket,sweep wing technology of jet aircrafts,chemical and biological weapons and the lists goes on..almost all of russias/americas hi tech military hardware are based on captured nazi technology..so i guess you guys better cool your heads…

  11. How come you US fanboys come on with such ignorance and redenck hillbilly demeanour? Jesus wept…It’s like you are a bunch of 13 year old school girls drinking your first beer! OH my dad’s car is faster than your dad’s car… etc etc…

    Why not just respect aviation technology here as an art form and relax…

  12. Sukhoi has really driven the hard edge in “classic” aircraft design. It’s likely the Super35 will be the ultimate manned “most manouverable” in years to come. Unfortunately this does not equate to “air battles won”. The game HAS changed, for better or worse, and in the end the victor will be he who has the better vision of what actually WORKS. My money is on the same formula fighter pilots have used since WW1. He who see’s first kills first. Suprise is more important than anything else. Still, in the context of this thread, the latest Sukhoi is a thing to be marveled at.

  13. zoran your the fucking bloody idiot, Germany lost it’s own war it created. point 1, We all contributed major to that war, but these fucking drunk, reversed engineered, commie cock suckers give no one else credit! Point 2 Russia probably lost over 1/2 by getting shot in the back from their own comrads,just to fight. Point 3, if you can supply a fucking drunk to do the brunt of the fighting while you ramp up your resources before diving in head 1st, who was the 400,000 lost smart ones? point 4 dumb fuck, you look at every mig design, space shuttle, TU, aircraft carrier, vacuum bomb was all reverse engineered, or a copy from underground resources. See what Hitler said, or the Germans said about the stabbing in the back drunks, & their reverse engineered shit. Get a life you liberal commie ass licker. The Russians are along way behind, all the seeable stealth of the US is of 70’s Technology which the drunks yet posess. See hunt for zero point, & quit blowing.

  14. Zoran I cant understand you have Ivan’s big mac in mouth, & the russians lost over 21 million, so check your resources. They probably dont even really know the total numbers. Stalin was something to Marval about when he exterminated over 3 times the amount Hitler performed, Then after taking berlin raped over 100,000 women. The(Ally?)communists also took Americans captured in eastern german POW camps, & took them to the Gulogs of Siberia. Tell their familys what they did w/there allies? Your liberalism runs down your chin after Ivans done feeding you his big mac. Zoran probably a soviet, or muslim.

  15. Another point, America fought two fronts like Germany only accross two Oceans. It takes time to produce,supply, move troops/equipment,eventually 8 million alone. We also built a 1500 mile hwy accross Canada, manhatten project (also spied from the russian ally)plus supplied spam, equipment by the lend lease via AK/Siberia, which the soviets claim we only supplied less than 4%, which was a lie. They also never paid back that bill.

  16. Zoran fucking dipshit who cannot even get casualities correct, check out every war who the US fought, & find out the enemy losses, not what the media potrays. Veitnam lost over a million communists to 58,000 US, & roughly the same in Korea in only 3 years. Iraq, afghanistan. We give a shit about loss, but not you fucking communists.

  17. i agree with you jimo with USA and nato countries now the number 1 priority is keeping troops safe and alive and to come in short wars for public backing them . on another light russian tactics and weapons almost denny this. most russian weapons are still similar to ones desingned in the 50s only difference in russia is helicopters. not fighters

  18. hola!!, me dirijo a todos aquellos que ponen en alto y sobredimensionan el poder y la tecnología yankee, quiero decirles que están ciegos o ignoran que después de la guerra de vietnam, los yankees de pacotilla salieron correiendo con el rabo entre las piernas y eso es verídico, además ¿cuándo los yankees han ido solos a una guerra ?, siempre se han ido en bandada (formando coalisiones) con otros países y atacando e invadiendo a quienes no podían responderles, ¡así cualquiera gana una guerra!, además estos hijos de puta tienen a su merced a todos los medios de comunicación existentes, entonces pueden publicar o decir lo que les venga en gana (si dijeran que la tierra es cuadrada, tengan por seguro que cnn, reuter, abc, y demás lamedores dirían y propagarían que la tierra es cuadrada), así es amigos ya se dieron cuenta, estos hijos de … son unos mentirosos de mierda.

  19. HEY JIMO sober up man you americans go to the war usually when i s done this what you do now is absolute bullshet you can compare with russians by any means specially military technology
    you fucks stol try to steal the shkval tecnology remember ????
    good luck american fucks

  20. HEY JIMO sober up man you americans go to the war usually when i s done, this what you do now is absolute bullshet you cant compare with russians by any means specially military technology
    you fucks still try to steal the>> shkval

  21. WELL jimo STUPID BRAINWASHED AMERICAN GARBAGE LET ME TELL YOU RUSIANS LOST 22 MILLION PEOPLE IN WW2 SO DONT SPEAK IF YOU DONT KNOW YOU BRAIN WASHED AMERICAN GOOF
    GOOD LUCK
    KEEP EATING YOUR MCDONALDS AND SHUT UP FAT GOOF

  22. I am not American, I am Canadian Kiro the commie pussy idiot. Did you read hunt for zer point? Oh your probably too drunk on vodka depressed on us kicking your ass @ hocky in Vancover? You also better watch your ass @ our northern border too. Our defense minister will send your vector thrust to the bottom of sea next to the flag you dropped there. I also noticed that you do not read well, only insults. LETS HAVE FOR INSTANCE ON YOUR IDIOT COMMENT: “YOU USUALLY GO TO WAR WHEN IT IS DONE” I also like A&W burgers better than McD’s. How about drinking Polish, or Finland Vodka, who also makes it better than the Russians. It is also interesting about the Finish kicking your ass before/during WWII?

  23. Oh by the way readers, is it not funny once again the reverse engineered Russians once again coppied 1980-90’s tech of the F22 raptor to develop a T50? Even if sadly enough none of you read Hunt for zero point, we will just use 2 dimensional thinking as Kiro, Idiot, Zoran. It is well known that the US is not going to be using pilots @ all soon, so F22/T50 is a waist of tax money. The can now control everything from ground, also with smaller, faster fighters that have no limits to G force. What the hell do you think all these UFO’s flying around? Oh we forget it is Russian Vodka seeing pink elephants. It is very funny to read what hilter said of the Russians reverse engineering feats. Yeah the Finlanders also taught russian army how to use skis during a catastrophic clash in which you stold Finish territory, as you still have Japanese. Why wont you conduct peace, & return them? I would kick your drunken ass with my one fat hand. It takes only one westerner to kill 10+ enemies, & I only lost a hand in Afghanistan, with a hell of alot more of them killed. Tell me the true number of Soviet losses there?

  24. Hey, listen to me, you fuckers! You should all go fuck yourself and your mothers in their fat asses!
    All you bastards that think, you can do whatever you want in this world and no one can stop you – bullshit! If not Russians, Chinese are coming to fuck your fat fast food asses with their little chinese cocks soon! Someday we will all pee on your fat faces, because then, everyone in the world will get true freedom (not the hegemony of the United Pooping States).
    You say russians are drunk? You know that it tells me only that you are so dumb that you can’t even read, because for you to know, Russia was the first country in the world to send a man in space! ha! Can drunk bears do that? Russians fucked your asses in the 20th century setting up missiles in Cuba, so you all pooped in your baby pants when realized that! Then, you managed to corrupt their leader in the 1980’s so that he opened the country for everyone to bite a piece of it and you all bustards ate it, and the country fell apart. And now amazingly after only 20 years Russia is coming back strong again, and you all, jealous of its advantage start crying and saying bullshit about that great country and its people. FUCK YOU ALL, BITCHES.
    come to me and I’ll cut your dicks off.!

  25. red star is the best army and compare to the liberty never wind in the war they juck vietnam and now afganistan and iraq why not try iran. you will be loser and you cannot compare the outdated military technology to the outdated. america is the real loser ang copy cut hearbreaker.

  26. In a fight of all generation 4+ planes this Su-35S will domminate everyone. F-14/15/16/18 in all their iterations, Rafale, Gripen, Typhoon would also get beaten. For starters its the only one that can cruise supersonic with external weapons. Radar range of 400km against planes of its generation, massive reserves for upgrades, large range, larger weapons load, maneuverability close or higher then that of F-22. It also is planned to have L-band AESA radars installed into its wing and tail leading edges which will render the stealth of F-22 and upcoming F-35 much less effective if at all, depending on size of the array and power. Once that happens, F-22 will have trouble of its own.

  27. Funny how a few years ago a group of US f-16 and f-18 fighters were put in a fake dogfight against Indian Su-27’s and SU-30’s no long range weaponary allowed, all close up missiles and guns….. out of four rounds the Indians won every time

  28. Funny how a few years ago as a practice US f-16 and f-18’s were pitted in close air combat (no long range weapons just guns and close missiles) against Indian Mig 21’s,29’s and su-27’s… the Indians won every time LOL

  29. Dear Sir,

    Can u assist me where to find the manufacturer for Sukhoi tires? Other than Michelin. Understand that Russian also has their own manufacturer for the aircraft tires..

    Thank you..

  30. Well any time the U.S get in to a air or naval conflit they come not victorious but super victorius. In the first Iraq war the F-15 out gun the sukois 15 to 1 this was in the 90s, the Israelis have time afther time disimate and fight with F-16 and F-15 other air forces in the area that uses the best of the best in the Russian arsenal, these are planes desing in the 70s and still kicking a?? in the 21st century just think what the raptor and the joint strike planes can do. Russian planes look mean but no against the competition and to late in desing, the Russian just came out with the first stealth plane and they are having a lots of thecnical problem The U.S had a 100 of F-117 OPERATIONAL in the 80s so make your conclutions

  31. tylor 1 drunk again seeing flying elephants. Well my ass is not fat, nor 2 million plus strong military that would kick your drunk ignorant, reversed engineered drunk asses. The Germans who also wooped your ass is who put you in space alone.

  32. I’ve flown Russian Mig-21s and an F-104. They’re both “stove pipes.” American planes are always better armed and better performers. So what? It doesn’t make us a better country than other Western countries. And, I certainly do not have any desire to bomb Russia. German war technology was superior in WWII, but they were led very poorly. They were not prepared for a World War. Before any of you engage in further pissing matches, be sure to remember the many dead soldiers (grandfathers, fathers, uncles, aunts, etc.) who gave their lives in war. Russia lost millions. Many citizens lost their lives. I served in Vietnam. We killed close to a million VC, North Vietnam, and Chinese troops. The result? We won the war, but lost the politics. So what? Now, many shirts we buy are made in Vietnam. Ditto for China. I smoke Cuban cigars. As I’m a senior citizen now, I’m no longer the war hawk. I now have a greater appreciation for all life and most other nations. I drive a Japanese car (Honda). My point is: Who gives a rat’s ass? Let’s get everyone employed, get rid of the nuke weapons, and help create a better life for our kids—Russians, Americans, British, Canadians, Aussies, Japanese, Chinese, Indians, etc. Let’s move on to outer space and conquer new worlds and develop new technologies.

  33. mmmmmmm ,this is the reason why american trained ass lickers lost the war in georgia ,and now us and its fuckers on verge of loosing war in afghan

  34. wow so much hate just because the jet is Russian.. all the commie bastards talk wtf? communism fell in the 80’s when the USSR and just as important the Berlin wall fell, and before someone types shit down my throat i am from England I respect our American allies and our Russian friends (I have many Russian & American friends)but unfortunatly this site seems to be overtaken by haters and idiots (which u get in every country)

    please stop the dick measuring contest especcialy when u dont know what u talkin about

    now to SU-35-E a nice piece of kit but ive got to say this jet IN MY OPINION is probably only about as good as the F/A-18 Super Hornet, F-15 Silent Eagle or The SAAB Gripen, but its definately still a step behind The Eurofighter, The F-22 or an F-35

  35. Dear Sirs
    One iraqi pilot in first gulf war shot 2 F-15 in one single day , when back to base , he claimed the both , but no one believed , as F-15 is airsuperiority aircraft, he had MIG-23 , no match to the F-15, later he was called by president SADDAM and famillies of both killed pilots to alocate the bodies in westren iraqi SAHARA ( ANBAR PROVINCE ), so he did .
    When he was asked how he did it , he replied that the american pilots were carless, they did not notice him, so he shot one , and the other escaped , later in the afternoon the same happened , so its not only the aircraft , but the pilot, the cicumstances , also it happened in FALUJA, at least 2 TORNADOS were shotdown, the british commander replied : low flying and bad LUCK (i saw the reckage in one MILITARY INDUSTRY plant ,some 79 planes were shotdown by ground anti aircraft guns, non by missiles , also i saw many F-5 of IRANIAN AIRFORCE and F-4 fantoms shut over baghdad , itwas to be recorded that they gained targets ,bombed then shotdown by both SHELGA x4 barrels 23 mm and SAM SA,also to be recorded that 2 iraqi pilots ambushed one F-15 E over either kuwaity airspace or south of iraq , one MIG 29 and one MIG 25 and scored akill, US withdraw the rest of F-15 E , butmany USA propagnda claims shooting MIG -25 non is true , the only one of such confrontation was between f-15 of ISRAELI Airforce and SYRIAN MIG 25 that was shotdown, the ISREALI claimed using KAFIR C aircraft and AAM of ISREAI MAKE but they did notr tel the truth as they could not proove they have long range AA missiles at that time ( 1982 ) as i remmember .the ISREALI pilot claimed that his radar had longer range than the MIG-25, this true if you check f-15 specs at that time .
    As to the comments by the respected DEFCON 5, he is right , but if you do not have arifle you cannot keep the wolves at bay.
    My respect to all comments .

  36. some of this has been said if not all of it but what ever i have a lot of respect for russia but you do tend to copy the west but isnt this the best form of flattery. its not the planes that win wars it the pilots and the west tends to train its pilots better and we also let them rely on there intitive and not someone on the ground drinking tea or vodka more likely tea but anyway the f-15 came first and you built a better version of it 30 years later maybe four versions of it in those 30 years. oh yeah about ww2 if it was not for the usa you would have lost alot more people while germany was attacking you we were bombing the crap out of it while still kicking japan ass and giving you money,weapons,tanks,aircraft,ships which then you copyed.
    by the way i love the big mac and arent there mcdonalds in moscow and other places in russia anyways there was last time i heard.

  37. So is the American Ronald McDonald sholving American Big Mac’s down their throats or its just the plain American TEA BAGGING the rest of the world
    (Except American Allies)?
    YES FOR BOTH!
    Big Mac Eater you are correct!!!!
    Long live the USA and it’s allies!
    Long live Israel
    IRAN SUK THESE NUTS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  38. I have to say that I’m dismayed by the contents of these pages. Let’s just hope that these awesome weapons on either side of the idealogical divide are never used in real anger against decent opposition because the rate of attrition would be awful and the conflict would soon degenerate in to the use of more and more powerful means. Only those with the minimum of imagination must believe that another war in Europe or the Far East where these aircraft would be pitted against each other would be would be nothing but catastrophic. Lets not get into this childish ‘Mine is bigger than yours’ moronity and live in the real world where dialogue and co-opperation can often achieve far more than brute force!

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