THE

FLANKER
SU-27
The Sukhoi Su-27 is a one-seat Mach-2 class jet fighter originally
manufactured by the Soviet Union, and designed by the Sukhoi Design
Bureau. It was intended as a direct competitor United States fourth
generation fighters, with long 3,530 km range, heavy armament,
sophisticated avionics and high agility. The Su-27 most often flies air
superiority missions, but is able to perform almost all combat operations.

BACKGROUND:

In 1969 the Soviet Union felt the serious technological advantage of F-15
over existing Soviet fighters. F-15 is a better-balanced fighter with both
good agility and sophisticated systems.

In response, the Soviet union issued a requirement for

a Perspektivnyy Frontovoy Istrebitel (PFI, means an ADVANCED
FRONTLINE FIGHTER). Specifications were extremely ambitious:

a) Long range

b) Good short-field performance

c) Excellent agility

d) Mach 2+ speed

e) Heavy armament. The aerodynamic design for the new aircraft was
largely carried out by TsAGI in collaboration with
the Sukhoi design bureau.
When the specification proved too challenging and costly for a single
aircraft in the number needed, the PFI specification was split into two:
the LPFI (Lyogkyi PFI, Lightweight PFI) and the TPFI (Tyazholyi PFI, Heavy
PFI). The LPFI program resulted in the MiG-29, a relatively short-range
tactical fighter, while the TPFI produced the Su-27 and its various
derivatives.

DESIGN :

It is a very large aircraft, and to minimize its weight its structure has a
high percentage of titanium (about 30%). No composite materials were
used. The swept wing blends into the fuselage at the leading edge
extensions and is essentially a delta, although the tips are cropped for
wingtip missile rails or ECM pods

The Su-27’s Lyulka AL-31F turbofan engines are widely spaced, both for
safety reasons and to ensure uninterrupted airflow through the intakes.
The space between the engines also provides additional lift, reducing
wing loading. Movable guide vanes in the intakes allow Mach 2+ speeds,
and help to maintain engine airflow at high alpha. A mesh screen over
each intake prevents debris from being drawn into the engines during
take-off.

The Su-27 had the Soviet Union’s first operational fly-by-wire control
system. Combined with relatively low wing loading and powerful basic
flight controls, it makes for an exceptionally agile aircraft, controllable
even at very low speeds and high angles of attack. In air shows the
aircraft has demonstrated its maneuverability with a Cobra (Pugachev’s
Cobra) or dynamic deceleration - briefly sustained level flight at a 120°
angle of attack. Thrust vectoring has also been tested (and is
incorporated on later Su-30MKI and Su-37 models), allowing the fighter to
perform hard turns with almost no radius, incorporate vertical
somersaults into level motion and limited nose-up hovering.

The Su-27 has a high-contrast tunable HUD and a Helmet mounted

display capability, which, paired with the R-73 missile and the plane's
superb agility make it one of the world's best dogfighter aircraft.

General characteristics

 Crew: 1 or 2

 Length: 21.9 m (72 ft)

 Wingspan: 14.7 m (48 ft 3 in)

 Leading edge sweep: 42°

 Height: 5.92 m (19 ft 6 in)

 Wing area: 62 m² (667 ft²)

 Empty weight: 16,380 kg (36,100 lb)

 Loaded weight: 23,430 kg (51,650 lb)

 Max takeoff weight: 30,450 kg (67,100 lb)

 Power plant: 2× Saturn/Lyulka AL-31F turbofans, 122.8 kN (27,600

lbf) each

Performance
 Maximum speed: Mach 2.35 (2,500 km/h, 1,550 mph) at altitude

 Range: 3,530 km (2,070 mi) at altitude; (1,340 km / 800 mi at sea

level)

 Service ceiling: 18,500 m (62,523 ft)

 Rate of climb: 300 m/s (64,000 ft/min)

 Wing loading: 371 kg/m² (76 lb/ft²)

 Thrust/weight: 1.09

THE SUPER
FLANKER
SU-35
The Sukhoi Su-35 is a heavy class, long-range & multi role fighter. Due
to the similar features and components it contains, the Sukhoi Su-35 is
considered to be a close cousin of the Sukhoi Su-30MKI, a specialized
version of the Su-30 for India. It has been further developed into the Su-
35BM. The Su-35 is an advanced Su-27 derivative and was initially
designated Su-27M.

DESIGN & DEVELOPMENT:

The Su-27M development began in the early 1980s. A Su-27M prototype

(T-10S-70) first flew in 1988. Changes from the Su-27 include canards,
upgraded engines, new radar, and a digital fly by wire flight control
system. Other changes made were glass cockpit, aerial refueling probe,
twin-wheel nose gear, more powerful radar, two additional under wing
pylons, additional fuel capacity, and larger tail fins with horizontal carbon
fiber tips.

The first prototype was publicly displayed in 1992 at the Farnborough Air
show.

General characteristics:
 Crew: 1
 Length: 21.9 m (72.9 ft)
 Wingspan: 15.3 m (50.2 ft)
 Height: 5.90 m (19.4 ft)
 Wing area: 62.0 m² (667 ft²)
 Empty weight: 18,400 kg (40,500 lb)
 Loaded weight: 25,300 kg (56,660 lb)
 Max takeoff weight: 34,500 kg (76,060 lb)
 Powerplant: 2× Saturn 117S with TVC nozzle turbofan
 Dry thrust: 8,800 kg (86.3 kN, 19,400 lbf) each
  Thrust with afterburner: 14,500 kgf (142 kN, 31,900 lbf) each

Performance:
 Maximum speed: Mach 2.25(2,410 km/h, 1,500 mph) at altitude
 Range: 3,600 km (1,940 nmi) ; (1,580 km, 850 nmi near ground level)
 Ferry range: 4,500 km (2,430 nmi) with external fuel tanks
 Service ceiling: 18,000 m (59,100 ft)
 Rate of climb: >280 m/s (>55,100 ft/min)
 Wing loading: 408 kg/m² (84.9 lb/ft²)
 Thrust/weight: 1.14
 Sukhoi Su-35 (Flanker-
Sukhoi Su-27 (Flanker)
E / Super Flanker)
MODEL Sukhoi Su-35 (Flanker-E / Super Flanker) Sukhoi Su-27 (Flanker)
ORIGIN Russia Russia
CONTRACTO
Sukhoi - Russia Sukhoi - USSR
R
TYPE Multi-role Fighter Multirole Fighter
SERVICE
2009 1984
START
CREW 1 1
LENGTH 71.85 feet (21.90 meters) 71.98 feet (21.94 meters)
SPAN 50.20 feet (15.30 meters) 48.23 feet (14.70 meters)
HEIGHT 19.36 feet (5.90 meters) 19.46 feet (5.93 meters)
EMPTY WT 38,581 pounds (17,500 kilograms) 36,112 pounds (16,380 kilograms)
MTOW 167,684 pounds (76,060 kilograms) 72,753 pounds (33,000 kilograms)
2 x Saturn 117S TVC-nozzled turbofan
POWERPLA 2 x Saturn / Lyulka AL-31F turbofan engines
engines with afterburner delivering 31,900lbf
NT with afterburn generating 27,557lbs of thrust.
each.
SPEED 1,678 mph (2700 km/h) (1,458 kts) 1,553 mph (2500 km/h) (1,350 kts)
RANGE 2,796 miles (4,500 km) 2,287 miles (3,680 km)
CEILING 59,055 feet (18,000 m) (11.2 miles) 59,091 ft (18,011 m) (11.2 miles)
ARMAMENT 1 x 30mm Gun 1 x 30mm cannon

Mission-specific weaponry can include any of Mission-specific ordnance can include:

the following:
10 x AA-8 Aphid air-to-air missiles
 R-27 air-to-air missiles 10 x R-27R air-to-air missiles
R-40 air-to-air missiles 10 x R-27Ts IR Guided air-to-air missiles
R-60 air-to-air missiles 10 x R-27ERs semi-active radar air-to-air
R-73 air-to-air missiles missiles
R-77 air-to-air missiles 10 x R-27ETs IR-guided air-to-air missiles
Kh-25ML air-to-surface missiles 10 x R-73s air-to-air missiles
Kh-25MP air-to-surface missiles 10 x R-60s air-to-air missiles
Kh-29 air-to-surface missiles 6 x AA-10C Alamo air-to-air missiles
Kh-31 air-to-surface missiles
Kh-59 air-to-surface missiles
S-25 IR rockets
GBU-500 laser-guided bombs
GBU-1000 laser-guided bombs
GBU-500T TV-guided bombs
GBU-1000T TV-guided bombs

Relative Size Comparison:

Sukhoi Su-35 (Flanker-E / Super Sukhoi Su-27 (Flanker)

Flanker)