Manufacturer: Sukhoi
Designed by: Mikhail Simonov
Maiden flight May 1988
Unit cost: $35 million
General characteristicsCrew: One
Length: 22.20 m (72.83 ft)
Wingspan: 15.15 m (49.70 ft)
Height: 6.43 m (21.08 ft)
Wing area: 62.0 m² (666 ft²)
Empty weight: 17,500 kg (38,600 lb)
Loaded weight: 25,700 kg (56,660 lb)
Max takeoff weight: 34,000 kg (74,995 lb)
Powerplant: 2Ã Lyulka AL-35F turbofans
Performance:Maximum speed: 2,450 km/h (1,520 mph)
Range: 4,000 km (2,500 mi)
Service ceiling: 18,000 m (59,100 ft)
Rate of climb: 230 m/s (45,245 ft/min)
Wing loading: 85.1 lb/ft² (414.5 kg/ft²)
Armament:1Ã 30 mm GSh-30 cannon with 150 rounds
2Ã wingtip rails for R-73 (AA-11 'Archer') air-to-air missiles
12Ã wing and fuselage stations for up to 8,000 kg (17,630 lb) of ordnance, including:
Air-to-Air Missiles:
AA-12 Adder
AA-11 Archer
AA-10 Alamo
Air-to-Surface Missiles:
AS-17 Krypton
AS-16 Kickback
AS-10 Karen
AS-14 Kedge
AS-15 Kent
AS-13 Kingbolt
Bombs:
KAB-500L
KAB-1500 laser/TV Guided Bomb
FAB-100/250/500/750/1000
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The Su-35 single-seat multifunctional superagile fighter is Intended to gain air superiority and to Implement tasks of combat application on aerial and ground targets during autonomous operation and group actions, round-the-clock under simple and adverse weather conditions.
Application of the thrust vector control integrated into aircraft control system provides decrease of the minimum flight speed and piloting at low speeds (down to near-to-zero ones) without any angle of attack limitation (superagility mode).
The Su-35 fighter`s peculiar features are as follows:
- high performance;
- unsurpassed agility;
- multichannel application of weapons on aerial and ground targets;
- high level of protection against jamming;
- ground targets` attack without entry of enemy air defence zone;
- low level flight, fly-over and fly-by of obstacles;
- automated group actions on ground and aerial targets;
- couteraction against adversary EW and optronic systems;
- automation of all flight and combat employment stages.
Design and DevelopmentThe experimental T10-24 was built in 1985. Flight tests took place in 1988. The first prototype was publicly displayed in 1992 at the Farnborough Air Show. Eleven prototypes were built through 1994, with service slated for 1995. But the first test flights of an improved Su-35, the Su-37 'Flanker-F', in 1996 and the transfer of existing Su-35 prototypes to this program appeared to suggest the end of the Su-35. Instead, the Su-37 aircraft were eventually reconverted to Su-35s. The Su-35 is now in production for the Russian Air Force and was recently presented at the MAKS-2007 International Aviation and Space Salon in August 2007.
It shares larger wings and more powerful engines with the naval variant of the Su-27, the Su-33 'Flanker-D'. Other changes from the Su-27 were canards, a larger nose, the greater use of carbon fibre and aluminium-lithium alloy in the airframe, and larger, squarer tail fins. The new nose holds an improved passive electronically scanned array radar and the aircraft had many other upgrades to its avionics and electronic systems, including digital fly-by-wire and a rear-looking radar for firing Semi-Active Radar missiles.
A two-dimensional asymmetric thrust vectoring system was tested on the Su-35 and seems to be the basis for the development of the Su-37 'Flanker-F'. A new type of 2D thrust vectoring engine, the 117S, has been developed and replaces the current AL-35 or AL31-F.
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ADDED INFO:
New Radar
The Su-35 is equipped with the RLSU-27 radar system. The system is composed of the forward-looking N011 slotted-antenna radar and the small N012 rear-looking radar, the latter is located in the central tailboom. Compared to the N001 radar of the basic Su-27 variants, the RLSU-27 radar offers extended target acquisition range, air-to-surface stand-off attack capability, simultaneous tracking of more targets, surveillance and tracking of targets in the rear hemisphere and improved counter ECM. The new radar is also capable of terrain-mapping, enabling nap-of-the-eartch (NOE) and obstacle avoidance.
Later it was concluded that the slotted-antenna radar would be outdated soon, and a phased array variant of the N011 radar was developed, designated N011M. The phased array enabled a greater radar range, wider zones of tracking and engagement, increase in number of simultaneously tracked and engaged targets, and the employment of more advanced weapons.
Advanced Avionics
In addition to the radar, the Su-35 features other advancements in its avionics suite compared to the Su-27. Other principal components were the electro-optical sighting/navigation system, communications suite, instrument guidance equipment, new FBW system, IFF and digital computer. The aircraft is equipped with an advanced self-defence suite consisting of new RWR systems, Sorbtsiya ECM pods, and APP-50 chaff/flare dispenser.
Cockpit
The instrument panel layout was changed to accomodate three high-res multifuction monochrome CRT displays and an improved HUD, reducing the number of old electro-mechanical instruments needed. Later the Su-35 features multifunction colour LCDs. The IRST sensor was moved to the right off the line of symmetry to improve visibility from the cockpit. The ejection seat was elevated and declined at 30 degrees to enable the pilot to better withstand high G manoeuvring. The pilots wears a helmet with the Shchel-3UM helmet-mounted target designator.
Airframe
The Su-35 airframe incorporates a new nose section, new central tailboom, canards, and upgraded AL-31FM engines. The wings panels were fitted with larger fuel cells and the enlarged fins have internal fuel cells as well, to increase the aircraft's combat radius. Also the Su-35 has been fitted with an IFR probe and provision to carry two 2,000-litre underwing drop tanks to further extend its range.
The aircraft's structure and undercarriage was strengthened to cope with the increased weight of the aircraft caused by the new equipment. The single nose wheel is replaced by two smaller wheels.
New Weapons
The new systems enabled the Su-35 to be capable of using modern air launched weapons. The most important in the air-to-air role, is the medium-range active radar homing R-77 (export designation is RVV-AE) air-to-air missile, the Russian equivalent of the AIM-120 AMRAAM. A maximum of 12 of these missiles can be carried or 10 when carrying the ECM pods on its wingtips. The Su-35 can also be armed with the older R-27 semi-active radar, R-27E IR homing medium-range missiles as well as the short-range R-60 and R-73 IR homing missiles.
The armament now also includes guided air-to-surface missiles and bombs. Aside from the unguided rockets already on the basic Su-27's weapons list, the Su-35 is now also capable of the Kh-29 TV-guided, Kh-31P anti-radiation, and Kh-31A anti-ship missiles. In addition to the increased number of dumb free-fall, incendiary, and cluster bombs, the Su-35 is now also capable of the TV and laser-guided KAB-500 bombs.
Multi-Role
These new systems and weapons capabilities make the Su-35 a true multi-role fighter. Combined with its large action radius and reasonable price tag, make the Su-35 a good candidate for export. The Su-35 was first shown at Farnborough international air show in 1993. Early attempts included the Su-35 based Su-37MR which was marketed to the United Arab Emirates (UAE), see Su-37 section. After the first series produced Su-35s had been delivered to the Russian Air Force in 1996, development by the Komsomolsk-on-Amur aircraft manufacturing association (KnAAPO) was aimed at meeting the requirements of possible export customers. The new Su-35s would be offered with the AL-31FP TVC engines, which were developed following the successfull Su-37 trials with the first TVC engines, see Su-37 section. The modified Su-35s also feature an open architecture avionics suite incorporating the latest digital computers and display systems.
