Iran will purchase Sukhoi Su-35 fighter jets from Russia, Iranian state media said on March 11, echoed by Jewish News Syndicate on March 12: “The Sukhoi-35 fighter planes are technically acceptable to Iran and Iran has finalized a contract for their purchase,” the IRIB news outlet quoted Iran’s mission to the United Nations as saying. Details of the reported deal were not disclosed.
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Su-35 (Picture source: Creative Commons)
The Iranian Air Force has been involved in several conflicts, including the Iran-Iraq War in the 1980s and more recently, in the fight against ISIS in Iraq and Syria. In recent years, Iran has also been developing and manufacturing its own aircraft and military equipment, including drones and fighter jets.
However, the Iranian Air Force has also faced several challenges, including aging aircraft and limited access to spare parts due to international sanctions. Additionally, the U.S. has imposed restrictions on Iran's access to advanced military technology, which has hindered the modernization of the Iranian Air Force.
The Iranian Air Force operates a variety of fighter jets, both domestically produced and acquired from other countries. Some of the most notable Iranian fighter jets are:
• F-14 Tomcat: The F-14 was acquired by Iran before the 1979 Revolution, and Iran remains the only country other than the United States to operate this aircraft. The F-14 was extensively used by the Iranian Air Force during the Iran-Iraq War.
• MiG-29 Fulcrum: Iran has acquired several MiG-29s from Russia and has also produced a domestic version known as the "Azarakhsh". The aircraft has been used in combat in Syria.
• F-4 Phantom: Iran acquired a large number of F-4 Phantoms from the United States before the 1979 Revolution, and the aircraft remains a key component of the Iranian Air Force.
• Su-24 Fencer: Iran acquired several Su-24s from Russia in the 1990s and has used them in combat in Syria.
• HESA Saeqeh: The Saeqeh is a domestically produced fighter jet based on the F-5 Tiger II. It was designed and built by the Iranian aircraft manufacturer HESA.
• F-5 Tiger II: Iran acquired a large number of F-5s from the United States before the 1979 Revolution, and the aircraft remains in service with the Iranian Air Force.
• Kowsar: The Kowsar is a domestically produced fighter jet that was unveiled in 2018. It is claimed to be a fourth-generation aircraft with advanced avionics and weapons systems.
These are some of the notable Iranian fighter jets, but there are several other types in service with the Iranian Air Force, including the Russian-made Su-22, the French-made Mirage F1, and the Chinese-made J-7.
Sukhoi Su-35
The Sukhoi Su-35 is a 4th-generation multirole fighter jet. It is an advanced version of the Su-27 Flanker, with improved avionics, radar, and weapons systems. The Su-35 was designed for air superiority and attack roles, and it is capable of performing long-range air-to-air and air-to-ground missions.
The Su-35 has a maximum speed of Mach 2.25 (about 1,500 miles per hour), a range of 3,600 km (about 2,200 miles), and a service ceiling of 20,000 meters (about 65,600 feet). It is equipped with advanced avionics and sensors, including an AESA (Active Electronically Scanned Array) radar, which allows it to track multiple targets simultaneously and engage them with precision-guided weapons.
The Su-35 is armed with a variety of air-to-air and air-to-ground missiles, including the R-77 (AA-12 Adder) air-to-air missile, Kh-31 (AS-17 Krypton) anti-ship missile, and Kh-59 (AS-18 Kazoo) standoff missile. It is also capable of carrying a variety of bombs and rockets.
The Su-35 has been in service with the Russian Air Force since 2014 and has also been exported to several other countries, including China, Indonesia, and Egypt. The aircraft has been used in combat operations in Syria, where it has demonstrated its capabilities in air-to-air and air-to-ground missions.
