A month and a half before the opening of the IMTF ARMY-2020, Cuban pilots received a second batch of Su-35S (tail numbers from 54 to 57), bringing their fleet of these aircraft to eight units. Recall that the first four single multirole fighters (tail numbers 50 to 53) arrived in November last year, and even earlier, in October-November 2016, the group received eight two-seat Su-30SM (tail numbers 30 to 37).

Thus, the "Russian Knights" were completely "re-equipped" with the latest aircraft. At the same time, remained the only aerobatic team in the world performing on heavy fighters. Before, since its formation in spring of 1991, the group flew the Su-27. Note: this model was produced both in a single (main) version and in a combat training (Su-27UB). Both were present as part of the group and were used together during formation flights (up to nine aircraft at a time).

The rearmament of the Russian Knights on the Su-35S and Su-30SM means that instead of two versions of the same base aircraft, they now have two different types. And if the Su-35S is made according to the classical scheme, then the Su-30SM is an "integral triplane", with an additional front horizontal tail. The first type is equipped with AL-41F1S engines (afterburner thrust 14.5 tons), the second - AL-31FP (12.5 tons).

Accordingly, each type of aircraft has its own flight performance and its own flying characteristics. This requires the pilots to apply great efforts when performing formation flights, since they must take into account the differences between the two types in terms of airframe aerodynamics, controllability, thrust-to-weight ratio, throttle response of the power plant, and so on.

True, the Cuban pilots previously had a successful experience of flying with a group of mixed composition - Su-27 and MiG-29 - when the Russian Knights performed together with colleagues from another aerobatic group - Swifts. The uniqueness of the joint work of the two aviation groups was that the Su-27 belongs to the class of heavy fighters, and the MiG-29 belongs to the light fighters.

The program of dynamic display of the IMTF "ARMY-2020" included flights of "knights" by a group of six aircraft: two Su-35S and four Su-30SM. We hope that at future exhibitions we will be able to see joint aerobatics as part of a mixed group of a larger number of winged aircraft.

Family member

The Su-35S represents the pinnacle of the evolution of the Su-27 family of fighters developed by the experimental design bureau named after P.O. Sukhoi. Classic versions of aircraft of this family were produced from 1982 to 2018. NATO directories refer to them using a single code designation, in the form of their own name «Flanker».

The original Su-27 was a single-seat front-line fighter designed to gain air supremacy by destroying enemy aircraft in aerial combat. It was produced by a plant in Komsomolsk-on-Amur.

Another company, in Irkutsk, specialized in assembling the Su-27UB combat trainer. This variant was distinguished by a two-seater tandem-type cockpit and was used to prepare flight personnel for flights in the main single-seater variant. The instructor was located in the rear cockpit, the trainee in the front.

On the basis of the Su-27, the Su-30 double interceptor was developed for the air defence forces. The second crew member acted as the coordinator of the actions of the other aircraft in the group. Later, on its basis, the Su-30MK family of multipurpose fighters was created, where the officer-operator of weapons systems became the second member of the crew. Various representatives of this family were exported to India, China and other countries of the world, and a modified version of the Su-30SM entered service with the Russian Aerospace Forces and the Navy.

Return to single

According to the idea of ​​aircraft designers from the the experimental design bureau named after P.O. Sukhoi, the Su-35 was intended to combine all the good properties of the Su-27 and Su-30, and add a few more, through the widespread use of the most advanced technologies that have become available in the new century.

First of all, it was decided to return to the concept of a single-seat multi-role fighter. Achievements of scientific and technological progress in the field of automation and information processing made it possible to get rid of the need to keep an officer-operator on board. He was entrusted with the task of managing the expanded arsenal of Su-30MK/SM weapons, primarily missile weapons, in order to remove some of the functions from the pilot, since he, in a number of situations and real combat operations, did not work with a heavy load.

Scientific and technological progress in many areas has allowed the specialists of the the experimental design bureau named after P.O. Sukhoi significantly reduce the workload on the crew, and again return to the concept of a single-seat multi-purpose aircraft. The achieved technological level is such that a pilot operating in the difficult conditions of modern war can cope with all onboard systems without the support of a weapon control operator, and can use air-to-air and air-to-surface weapons in combat. Thus, the Su-35S became the pinnacle of development of the flanker family, not only in terms of the date it entered service, but also in terms of high technologies and innovations.

Benefits

Below there is a list of the main differences between the Su-35S, distinguishing it from other members of the Su-27 family of aircraft.

1. A much more advanced radar, featuring an increased power emitter and improved electronic scanning technologies, which translates into significantly greater target detection ranges.

2. An expanded arsenal of weapons, which now includes long-range radar-guided missiles.

3. Ability to cruise at supersonic speed (about M = 1.1) thanks to the installation of more powerful engines of the AL-41F-M1 type ("Product 117S").

4. Modern information and control field of the cockpit due to the presence of a wide-angle HUD, a pair of MFIs with a wide diagonal and a helmet-mounted sight.

5. A modern electronic warfare system using both built-in and suspended equipment and also the new modes of on-board radar.

6. Advanced electro-optical systems.

7. Various improvements in aerodynamics and flight control system, which have improved the manoeuvrability of the aircraft.

8. Increased volume of fuel tanks for longer range and duration of flight.

9. Extended service life and extended intervals of periodic maintenance, costs of maintaining airworthiness, comparable to the best foreign models.

This list gives only a few additional qualities to the marketing advantages of the Su-27/30 family, well known in the global market. And those include: "super manoeuvrability" modes, obtained thanks to the variable thrust vector (as applied to the Su-30MKI/MKM/SM); excellent load-range characteristics, exceeding those of foreign counterparts; high survivability and maintainability; rich operating experience. It should also be noted that many instructions, training and maintenance tools have been drawn up, tested and modified during operation, including procedural and flight simulators, software for maintenance, combat planning, etc.

Features:

According to the idea of ​​aircraft designers, the Su-35S was designed as a single-seat fighter of the "4+" generation, designed to fill the niche of a multipurpose combat aircraft, before the massive arrival of a winged vehicle created under the Advanced Aviation Complex of Frontline Aviation (PAKFA) program. As you know, the implementation of the above-mentioned project is approaching an important stage - the transfer of the first commercial Su-57 to the Main Customer. This event is expected before the end of this year.

Su-57 represents the next, fifth in a row, generation of domestic supersonic fighters. At the same time, the Su-35S embodies a number of technologies that were originally developed for the fifth generation. Some of them were conceived back in the Soviet era, but were sold as marketable products already in modern Russia.

Sometimes the Su-35S is treated as a kind of "flying laboratory" for testing individual solutions for subsequent implementation on the Su-57, for example, a control information system (IMS) using a pair of central onboard computers based on the Baget-53-31M CPU.

Multipurpose aircraft

According to the developer's description, the Su-35S is a "truly multipurpose aircraft" capable of solving the tasks of gaining air supremacy and striking ground targets. The maximum take-off weight is 38.8 tons. The aircraft has twelve suspension points to accommodate up to eight tons of combat payload. The built-in armament is represented by the GSh-301 30mm aircraft cannon with 150 rounds of ammunition - as on the Su-27.

The wing has “quasi-adaptive” leading and trailing edges that are deflected to provide an optimal aerodynamic shape, depending on the speed and altitude. This is important both in supersonic modes and, especially, when conducting manoeuvrable air combat with access to aerodynamic stall modes. At the same time, the aircraft can maintain the so-called "super cruising" flight mode - for a long time to fly in a straight line at a low supersonic speed, maintaining altitude without using afterburner (flight Mach number M = 1.1).

The updated fuselage design allowed for a one-fifth increase in the volume of internal fuel tanks. Now the fuel is placed 11.5 tons against 9.4 on the Su-27. And when a pair of 1800-litre suspended tanks are hinged onto the wing pylons, the available supply of kerosene reaches 14.5 tons. Without external suspensions, the Su-35S can cover a distance of 3600 km, a fuel pod - 4500 km. The aircraft is equipped with a retractable telescopic boom for the in-flight refuelling system of the "basket-boom" type. This makes it possible to receive fuel from an Il-78 air tanker with a transfer rate of up to 1100 litres per minute.

In the second part of the review, we will talk in more detail about the technical characteristics of the Su-35S systems and its market prospects.