The Russian 4th generation fighter Su-35S retains a number of important advantages over the F-35 Lightning II, despite the American aircraft's superiority in stealth. This was reported by Military Watch Magazine.
According to analysts, the key difference of the Russian aircraft is that it was originally designed as a heavy fighter for air superiority, while the F-35 was built to strike ground targets and suppress air defenses.
The Su-35S received more powerful engines, a larger radar, and significantly greater flight range. In addition, the Russian fighter can carry up to 12 air-to-air missiles, while the F-35 in a stealth configuration can only carry 4.
MWM specifically highlighted the R-77M missiles with a range of about 200 km and the long-range R-37M, capable of hitting targets at a distance of more than 300 km.
Rostec announced on May 26 the delivery of the second batch of Su-35S fighters to the Aerospace Forces in 2026. The total number of combat aircraft, according to preliminary estimates, could have reached 155.