cockpit; two on the sides of the forward
fuselage; and two sensors, one forward-
looking and one aft-looking, in a small
pod underneath the nose. The sensors will
recognize the launch of a man-portable
anti-aircraft missile from 10km (5.4nm), an
air-to-air missile from 30km (16nm) and
a large surface-to-air missile from 50km
(27nm). A laser sub-system has two SOLO
(Stantsiya Obnaruzheniya Lazernogo
Oblucheniya) laser warning sensors
mounted on the sides of the forward
fuselage that can detect laser rangefinders
tracking the aircraft from 30km. The
Khibiny-M electronic countermeasures
suite is automatically tied to the various
sensors. In addition, the Su-35 has a UV-50
decoy system with six 14-round 50mm
BV-50 dispensers mounted in the ‘sting’ tail
between the engine nozzles. All six were
launched upwards on early aircraft, but in
current production aircraft the two outer
cassettes are launched downwards.
Turning to the offensive side, the Su-35
has 12 hardpoints for up to 8,000kg
(17,637lb) of weapons and stores. New
types of air-to-air weapons that recently
entered service in Russia are the long-
range R-37M, medium-range R-77-1 and
short-range R-74M missiles. The most
interesting is the long-range R-37M
missile; previously the fighters of the
Su-27/Su-30 family did not use missiles of
this class. The R-37M (for export: RVV-BD;
Raketa Vozdukh-Vozdukh Bolshoy
Dalnosti, long-range air-to-air missile) was
launched for the first time by a MiG-31 in
2011, and completed state acceptance
in early 2014. It has a maximum range
of 200km (108nm) and its seeker can
reportedly lock onto a target with a 5m^2
(54sq ft) radar cross-section from at least
40km (22nm). The Su-35 can carry four
R-37Ms, two in tandem between the
engines and two on the inner under
wing pylons. Among the air-to-surface
weapons implemented in the Su-35 are
new Kh-31PM and Kh-58USh anti-radar
missiles; Kh-35U and Kh-59M2A anti-ship
missiles; ‘universal’ Kh-38M air-to-ground
missiles with various seekers; and 250kg
(551lb), 500kg (1,102lb) and 1,500kg
(3,307lb) guided bombs.
Overall, the Su-35 is an impressive
performer with good all-round multi-
role capabilities. It represents a solid
stablemate for the Su-57, and it is likely
to offer a credible solution for nations
looking to replace fleets of older ‘Flankers’.
However, whether it will break into new
markets for Russian fighter exports
remains questionable.The four-ship
Sokoly Rossii
Su-35 team.
The jet features
an entirely new
quadruple-
redundant digital
fly-by-wire system.Externally, the
Su-35 looks similar
to the Su-27. The
most significant
configuration
change is the
lack of a large
airbrake on the
spine. Instead, air
braking is effected
by differential
deflection of the
rudders.http://www.combataircraft.net // February 2018 77
70-77 Su-35 C.indd 77 14/12/2017 11:18