Su-35S

Heavily upgraded single-seat derivative of the Su-27 Flanker family, featuring thrust-vectoring engines, an AESA-hybrid radar and extreme aerodynamic agility for within-visual-range combat. Serves as Russia's primary 4++ generation air-superiority fighter pending wider Su-57 fielding.

Max speed

2,500 km/h

Range

3,600 km

Payload

8,000 kg

💲 Approximate export flyaway unit cost

Full specifications

Performance

Speed, range, altitude and engagement capability.

Max speed Maximum level speed. For aircraft this is at optimal altitude; for ground vehicles, top road speed. Higher means faster response and better kinematic performance.: 2,500 km/h

83th pct in class
Max speed (Mach) Maximum speed as a multiple of the speed of sound. Mach 2+ is typical for air-superiority fighters.: 2.25 Mach

67th pct in class
Range Maximum distance: ferry range for aircraft, operational range for vehicles, maximum engagement distance for missiles. Higher means more standoff or persistence.: 3,600 km

58th pct in class
Combat radius Distance an aircraft can fly, complete its mission and return without refueling. Roughly a third of ferry range.: 1,600 km

75th pct in class
Service ceiling Maximum operating altitude. Higher gives energy advantage and sensor horizon.: 18,000 m

50th pct in class
Rate of climb How fast the aircraft gains altitude. Higher means better energy recovery in combat.: 280 m/s

57th pct in class
Thrust-to-weight Engine thrust divided by loaded weight. Above 1.0 the aircraft can accelerate going straight up.: 1.13

83th pct in class

Firepower

Armament, payload and guidance.

Main armament Primary weapon: main gun, cannon or missile type.: 30 mm GSh-30-1 cannon
Hardpoints External stations for weapons and pods. More means bigger and more flexible loadouts.: 12

67th pct in class
Weapons payload Maximum ordnance weight the platform can carry. Higher means more strike capacity per sortie.: 8,000 kg

33th pct in class

Protection

Armor, countermeasures and survivability.

Countermeasures Self-protection: chaff, flares, DIRCM, towed decoys, smoke dischargers, jammers.: Khibiny electronic warfare pods, chaff, flares

Physical

Dimensions, weight and crew.

Length Overall length including gun/probe where applicable.: 21.9 m
Wingspan Wingtip-to-wingtip span.: 15.3 m
Height Overall height. Lower profile is harder to spot and hit for ground vehicles.: 5.9 m
Empty weight Weight without fuel, ammunition or crew.: 19,000 kg
Combat weight Fully loaded weight. Lighter eases transport and bridging limits; heavier often means more armor.: 34,500 kg
Crew Personnel required to operate. Fewer reduces exposure; autoloaders trade a loader for mechanical complexity.: 1

Propulsion

Engine, power and fuel.

Engine Powerplant model and type.: 2x Saturn AL-41F1S thrust-vectoring afterburning turbofans
Engines Number of engines. Twin-engine gives redundancy at higher cost.: 2
Thrust Total engine thrust (with afterburner where applicable).: 142 kN

58th pct in class
Fuel capacity Internal fuel volume.: 11,500 L
Propulsion type Turbofan, turboshaft, diesel, gas turbine, solid-fuel rocket, ramjet…: Turbofan

Sensors & avionics

Radar, sensor suite and datalinks.

Radar Primary radar. AESA (active electronically scanned array) is the current state of the art.: Irbis-E passive electronically scanned array (PESA)
Sensors IRST, EO/IR turrets, laser designators, sniper pods, thermal sights.: OLS-35 infrared search and track, Khibiny EW suite

Program

Cost, production scale and operators.

Unit cost Approximate flyaway/unit cost where public. Defense pricing varies hugely by contract, offsets and configuration. Lower is cheaper.: $65,000,000

64th pct in class
Units built Total production run. Higher means proven manufacturing, mature logistics and spares availability.: 140

33th pct in class
Operator countries Number of countries operating the system. More operators means broader support ecosystem.: 3

42th pct in class

Specifications compiled from public Sukhoi and reference sources ↗. Published defense figures are approximations — treat comparisons as directional. Last verified 2026-07-01.

Frequently asked questions

What is the top speed of the Sukhoi Su-35S? +

The Sukhoi Su-35S has a maximum speed of 2,500 km/h.

What is the range of the Sukhoi Su-35S? +

The Sukhoi Su-35S has a maximum range of 3,600 km.

What is the weapons payload of the Sukhoi Su-35S? +

The Sukhoi Su-35S can carry up to 8,000 kg of weapons payload.

How much does the Sukhoi Su-35S weigh? +

The Sukhoi Su-35S has a combat weight of 34,500 kg.

How many crew does the Sukhoi Su-35S require? +

The Sukhoi Su-35S requires a crew of 1.

What is the main armament of the Sukhoi Su-35S? +

The Sukhoi Su-35S's primary weapon is the 30 mm GSh-30-1 cannon.

What engine does the Sukhoi Su-35S use? +

The Sukhoi Su-35S is powered by the 2x Saturn AL-41F1S thrust-vectoring afterburning turbofans.

What is the Sukhoi Su-35S used for? +

The Sukhoi Su-35S is a fighter aircraft typically used for air superiority, multirole combat, deep strike.

How many countries operate the Sukhoi Su-35S? +

The Sukhoi Su-35S is operated by 3 countries.

How much does the Sukhoi Su-35S cost? +

The Sukhoi Su-35S has an approximate unit cost of 65,000,000 USD. Defense pricing varies by contract, offsets and configuration — treat this as directional.