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| Russian Su-35 VS US F-22 Raptor |
International Military - An aerospace and defense analyst, Girish Linganna, shares his views on the Russian Su-35 fighter jet. According to him, the Su-35 is suitable to be described as a 4++ generation jet intended against the US F-22 Raptor.
This then became the highlight of what happened in Taiwan recently. Quoted from the Eurasian Times, Taiwan, which chose to rely solely on the F-16V, was in the spotlight.
Taiwan's F-16V equipped with an Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar is a minor improvement over the original F-16. The Su-35, a 4++ generation fighter, offers several advanced features such as a thrust vector system that the F-16V does not have.
In addition, the F-16V retains its original flaws, such as a large radar cross section. The AESA radar apparently cannot be juxtaposed with the Irbis E.
While the AESA radar increases capability, the size limitations of the single-engine F-16V limit the size of the radar the cone nose can accommodate. Instead, the Su-35 showcased the Irbis E," said Linganna further.
On paper, the two have comparable ranges. However, the F-16V has been silenced with improved electronics and radar systems. This then has an impact on its maneuverability.
With twice as much warhead capacity and the ability to carry multiple hypersonic missiles, the Su-35 will definitely outperform the F-16V, as Linganna notes. In aerial combat, the F-16V may not be able to defend itself.
Quoted from Military Watch Magazine, the prospect of the F-16 and Su-35 fighting each other may meet some limitations. The F-16 is limited to deploying six air-to-air missiles where the Su-35 can deploy an armament more than twice its size.
The maximum range of air-to-air missiles is about 105km using the AIM-120C/. Meanwhile, the R-77 and R-27ER, ET and EA Su-35 have a range of 110km and 130km, respectively. The Su-35 is also capable of deploying the R-37M hypersonic air-to-air missile with a much longer range.
The Su-35 would also benefit from the sensor power of both fighters and the relatively high radar cross-section of both jets even with the Su-35's limited stealth capabilities.