SU-33 or SU-30SM
There are some “derivative” aircraft, but in terms of produced vehicles those two are the peak.
Budget cuts hurt maintenance across the entire military industrial complex. Missiles, tanks, fighters, even transport aircraft are feeling the effects because there isn’t budget to order parts. In all of these systems it is common place for good parts to be pulled off older ordnance & vics and used to replace broken “good” stuff. Anything with a part that takes too long to come in is used as a parts vessel to keep other things up.
Though, if America is struggling like this just imagine anyone else trying to maintain a smaller fleet of top of the line stuff.
Depends on your thought of “ultimate flanker”… Direct upgrades would be the Su-35S, while derivatives will be either the 30SM/MKI.
The Su-35S isn’t an export model, it’s simply a heavy modernization. You may be thinking of the MiG-35.
The Su-30SM has AL-41Fs, which are thrust vectoring. On top of a good radar, 12 weapon hardpoints, and EW capability, it’s great in comparison to even the Su-27SM-3.
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I would argue America has an overspending issue due to the massive military coverage that they have to deploy all around the world, the massive amount of military bases is an easy example. This might have taken a tool on their maint on the F-22 since they also doubled down on the F-35.
So the SU-35S is a modernization of the regular SU-35?
You may be thinking of the MiG-35
Nah, someone who must’ve been wrong told me the SU-35S was simply a export model of the SU-35 but I guess they’re wrong lol.
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Su-35 - Su-27M
Su-35S - Su-35S
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F-22 is almost 20 yo aircraft, not necessarily supprior to Su-57 in every aspect. Russia can certainly produce some interesting hardware, but what they struggle to is to use in synergy for the greater effect and that is where the NATO hardware shines.
That is why the F-22 would likely crush Su-57 in air combat, due to other systems like satellite surveillance, datalinks, AWASC support, drones F-22 would be aware of the Su-57 even before Su takes off from the airfield, possibly firing own missiles without even turning on its own radar.
IMO F-35 is even deadlier in that regard.
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The Su-35 was a prototype used to test newer technologies on the Su-27 single-seat platform, and was originally nicknamed the Su-27M, seeing its designation of T-10M.
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X1 F-22s could easily destroy x2 Su-30SM
I’m sure it would
The patent of the Sukhoi Design Bureau stipulates the RCS value to which they are aiming.
We do not know exactly whether these values have been achieved or surpassed, but the values indicated there are not surprising, to put it bluntly.
Patent
The patent was made for T-50-01. It said nothing but the base EPR that was intended to be achieved. This is both different than ESR, and also the baseline value that they intended to achieve…
This was 3 airframe modifications ago, and close to 15 years ago at this point. The fact people like you still spew this kind of trash is hilarious.
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Is this photo real? It looks like a Soviet F-14.
Oops off topic srry
You want to argue with the Sukhoi design bureau patent?
That has completely nothing to do with the question or the answer, your opinion on how far we reach and spend is completely irrelevant to the damage the budget cuts had done to the already previously built complex and number of equipment that was being actively maintained.
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Wouldn’t the overall overspending hurt the programs where the cutoffs are happening? I assumed that the cutoffs happen for a reason.
The patent isn’t at all pertinent to the Su-57, as it’s nothing but a design placeholder from over a decade ago. As said before, the PAK-FA design has been tweaked so much that the T-50 only resembles the Su-57 in general characteristics.
There is no logic in that assessment.
Then why would the cutoffs happen?