Test pilot Sergey Bogdan compared the capabilities of Russian Su-family aircraft with Western F-16 Fighting Falcon and Dassault Mirage fighters. According to him, not only pilot training but also the characteristics of the equipment itself play a decisive role in combat.
According to him, Western fighters, when performing long-range missions, are forced to use external fuel tanks. This reduces their maneuverability and limits their capabilities in air combat.
They will be laden with fuel tanks, which significantly degrades their performance. That is, these aircraft fly like cows. With external tanks, they will fly away, but they are inherently unmaneuverable and cannot show anything.
Bogdan noted that, given equal crew training, the aircraft's capabilities come to the forefront.
According to him, Russian fighters, in this context, are capable of operating at long ranges without losing maneuverability and without overloading the structure with additional equipment.