russian nato reporting designation separate heavily upgraded derivatives jet plane single seat twin engine fighters designed built aircraft production association variant designed 1980s sought upgrade high performance initially known later designated derivative incorporated aerodynamic increased enhanced longer range powerful engines prototype converted maiden flight june dozen built russian knights demonstration team design later modified possessed thrust engines technology sole seat trainer built late 1990s strongly resembled family embarked second modernization produce company calls generation fighter bridge gap legacy fighters upcoming fifth generation derivative air brake incorporates reinforced airframe improved radar thrust engines reduced frontal radar signature revamped variant erroneously named media began flight test programme involve prototypes lost ordered production units designated newly revamped models marketed countries including brazil china india indonesia south_korea china ordered late originally projected export units second modernized worldwide design development upgraded early 1980s entering service looked develop follow variant originally designated known internally feature greatly improved compared aircraft considered best contemporary fighter carry armament improve air ground weaponry capabilities improved variant development began early 1980s featured host changes construction methods increasing capacity high strength aluminium reduce weight boost internal fuel volume distinguishing features early design improved wings eliminating allowing aircraft fly angle attack governed new digital fly wire flight control system aircraft fitted engine larger reliable thrust lbf powerful found new fire control system heart pulse radar track aerial targets simultaneously guide missiles simultaneously tail houses rear facing radar aircraft carry bombs including dumb cluster munitions air air air surface missiles additional cockpit modernized equipped multi function colour screens fitted seat inclined improve pilot force tolerance range increased nmi adoption aerial probe enables range extension aircraft characterized twin nose wheel result higher larger tail fins carbon fiber reinforced square topped tips testing demonstration prototype flew june piloted chief test pilot prototype differed slightly later examples retaining standard vertical lacking fire control system having tone grey blue camouflage scheme minor differences designated prototypes built aircraft production association conjunction soviet military industrial structure separated aircraft designer manufacturer differed slightly converted new builds second prototype started flying january followed prototypes new flight control system prototype displayed officials air base aircraft aerial demonstration occurred february leaders making public debut year prototype appeared time designated fighter demonstrated manoeuvres including cobra potential export customers subsequently piloted prototype mock fight performed numerous air shows following years including berlin air addition conversions production completed delivered testing flight test programme active controls manoeuvres cobra maintained eleventh built delivered installation exclusive systems thrust capabilities resultant technology flight april second modified late 1990s engines fixed upgraded fly wire controls improved cockpit systems fitted testing total produced including seat prototype static test prototypes powered modified thrust flight august demonstrated south_korea country replacement fighter tender original entered serial production lack funding continued use fleet automatic control thrust technology applied served saturn engine intended russia upcoming fifth generation jet fighter modernization russia aimed export launched project produce fighter bridge gap upgraded variants russia fifth generation project aim second modernization airframe classification generation fighter incorporating characteristics implemented additionally aircraft alternative family export market design phase place available sale later reported programme launched concerns project encounter funding shortages project house designation big modernization aircraft marketed aircraft maintains strong superficial resemblance airframe propulsion weapons systems thoroughly overhauled technological produced compact lighter hardware radar shifting centre gravity aircraft rear improvements removed need saw abandonment tandem featured derivatives omitted dorsal replaced differential vertical aerodynamic include height reduction vertical smaller aft cockpit shorter projecting sting reinforced airframe sees extensive use increasing years service hours raising maximum takeoff weight tonnes internal fuel capacity increased tonnes raised tonnes addition drop tanks flight extend missions overhauled suite heart information management system man machine interaction system digital computers collects processes data tactical flight control systems presents relevant information pilot main multi function displays secondary form glass cockpit aircraft features upgrades electronic systems including digital fly wire flight control system pilot equipped head display night vision employs passive array radar constitutes essential component aircraft fire control system radar capable detecting square metre aerial target distance track airborne targets engage time uses passive antenna array electronic scanning radar improved locating radar map ground variety modes including synthetic mode complemented targeting system provides laser ranging red search track functionality compatible multitude short range air air missiles precision air ground weaponry include missiles fuel air bombs rockets maximum weapon tonnes carried fourteen fighter use missiles range powered pair product engines developed jointly engine heavily upgraded variant draws design fifth generation saturn engines thrust output estimated lbf lbf service life hours compared engines feature thrust capability thrust axis angle similar configuration thrust operate plane pitch allows aircraft produce roll engine differently similar thrust system implemented engine limited capability sustained speed use radar material applied engine stages engine frontal radar cross section canopy modified radar waves production flight testing design work completed paving way construct prototype summer completion ferried placed static display year air time general designer commented aircraft great demand abroad saying russia negotiating prospective customers plans export aircraft starting preparations began aircraft maiden flight immediately following air particular efforts flight control system test engine mid february rolled conduct tests february test pilot took aircraft aloft flight accompanied acting chase plane minute flight reached height metres tests carried stability engines prototype static display president prime minister following day approximately flights conducted second prototype took air october airport piloted earlier july demonstration flight foreign officials time estimated total supplied customers worldwide particular latin_america southeast_asia middle_east domestically commander chief colonel general stated service seeking aircraft estimated units equip regiments april fourth prototype destroyed airport taxi run aircraft crashed barrier end runway burned written pilot ejected taken hospital burns injuries aircraft expected flying prototype flight scheduled april rescheduled april commission opened investigate crash sources initially speculated incident result brake failure faulty fuel pump air signed billion contract fighters consisted aircraft launch order serial russian government promised provide additional million capital additional financial assistance contracted provide million start production programme estimated price million aircraft contract largest aircraft order collapse soviet_union expected delivered november started manufacturing serial aircraft estimated aircraft produced year october production completed general assembly point preliminary flight test programme logged flight hours flights remaining flying prototypes confirmed aircraft fully met specifications parameters including maximum speed height radar detection range took maiden flight following preliminary tests expected initiate state joint tests involving systems weapons early aircraft reportedly planned delivery fourteen february received aircraft aircraft originally ordered delivered remaining march reported russia india signed agreement jointly develop fifth generation upgrade russian industry source stated upgraded cost million contract signed august parent company stated january delays order lack clarity russia federal budget signed russian president mid december fighters delivered rate aircraft year starting operational history russia production completed delivered testing operated abbreviated russian air base performing weapons trials flights weapon bomb rocket attached fell village hurt air_force decided team receive presumably pilots team undertook conversion course aircraft delivered team july expected enhance flying repertoire new owners reasons source spare parts aircraft demonstration fleet late flew state flight test centre prior states joint tests conducted prepare aircraft operational service official trials commenced mid august prototypes joined production aircraft march units involved tests operating alongside flying prototypes april august completed test flights respectively december delivered batch serial production fighters officials accepted aircraft manufacturing plant russia delivered december went february eighteen month programme began test ability conduct highly short range combat programme consists components use weapons ability evade enemy fire ability destroy helicopters aerial vehicles state acceptance trials conclude time second aircraft order expected signed fighters delivered december russian officials commented russian knights teams receive new aircraft replace respectively expected receive russian knights receive deputy prime minister commented upgrade world skill pilots talent aircraft designers received fighters february deployed air regiment based russia far_east january russia time combat conditions deployed planes base february russian defence ministry said aircraft begun participate russian air operations syria china early 1990s extensive sales arrangement china discussed officials announced proposal produce china contingent beijing agreement purchase aircraft alleged blocked sale bombers concerns arrangements chinese production china showing interest modernized negotiating moscow purchase fighter air number chinese delegates seen taking photos videos prototypes november russia ready resume talks china sale china presenting proposal purchase fighter march russian media reported countries final contract negotiations remaining obstacle reportedly moscow demand beijing guarantee proper licensing production china denied deal want shown slight interest engine air russia approached china engine failed attempt sell late reported china wanted purchase units russia deemed worthwhile negotiations late negotiations resumed time involving aircraft years negotiations prove protracted false reports claiming deal reached countries example march reported sides signed initial agreement submarines prior chinese president visit russia negotiations concluded november contract fighters worth billion signed aircraft delivered china motive china purchase thrust engine china recently developed modern fighters engines russia west despite heavy investments china domestic engine programs recent years catch according magazine china order additional instead focus domestic fighter programs especially fifth generation fighters potential operators reported venezuela planned purchase dozens fighters tanks unconfirmed reports october venezuela government ordered july president repeated interest acquiring fighters january north_korea expressed interest fighter international sanctions imposed north_korea delivery fighters unlikely near future september indonesia selected replace aging tiger fleet intends initially buy fighters russia vietnam algeria interested aircraft february tested airport algeria according military satisfied fighter flight characteristics moscow waiting formal application expected phase focus acquisition aircraft negotiations begun egypt sale fighters according leaked information russia military industrial complex failed bids brazil brazil president announced tender replacement aging aircraft including partnered submit million tender aircraft delivered contenders contract accompanied offset agreement winning provide input brazil aviation industry won russia purchased use runners program favoured superior flight characteristics according heavy fighter delivered latin_america tender suspended newly elected president focused social welfare tender suspended pending availability new fighters russia submitted modernized brazil competition tender time attracted participation boeing super lockheed brazil looking purchase aircraft replace october selected boeing super finalists october declared russia provide technology transfer brazil expected enter tender brazilian president postponed programme january fiscal concerns december brazilian government selected seoul air russia submitted south_korea programme aircraft requirement replace competed proposed featured phased grid radar thrust engines final assembly taken place south_korea offer included technology transfer billion contract partially financed debt reduction deal money russia owed south_korea reportedly aircraft purchase maintain eliminated early bidding process typhoon viewed competition runner south_korea ties united_states chosen reports claimed south_korea chosen united_states refused integrate american weapons selected aircraft offered family aircraft australia including australia opted replace russia offered india malaysia algeria greece firm contracts countries having occupied fighter projects unlikely modernized libya expected sign contract bigger military transaction included surface air missiles submarines tanks civil war libya resulting military intervention caused miss billion arranged contracts signed variants single seat fighter seat trainer features taller vertical forward fuselage similar fighter upgraded modifications airframe informal thrust production version operators russia fighters inventory march plus ordered january airport air base hold fighters ordered data books jane characteristics crew length wingspan pods height wing area weight loaded weight internal fuel max takeoff weight powerplant saturn thrust dry thrust lbf thrust lbf fuel capacity internally performance maximum speed altitude mph sea level mph range altitude nmi sea level nmi ferry range nmi external fuel tanks service ceiling rate climb min wing loading internal fuel fuel thrust weight fuel internal fuel maximum load armament guns internal cannon rounds consisting rails wing fuselage stations capacity ordnance provisions carry combinations rockets laser guided rocket rocket rocket pods rocket pods missiles proposed bombs laser guided bomb laser guided bomb kilogram bombs kilogram bombs buddy pod passive phased array radar red search track system electronic warfare pod
Sukhoi Su-35