The Russian air force is again looking up after the collapse of the Soviet Union. However, all the Soviet origin aircraft factories like the Tupolev, MIG, Illusion etc remained in working order. One can say with the collapse of the Soviet Union they went into hibernation but the advent of Vladimir Putin changed all that. He brought the focus back to military aviation and once again the Russians began to produce state of art war machines.
The latest plane in the arsenal of the Russians is the SU-35. Designed by the Sukhoi Design Bureau, the plane is 2.5 Mach speed war plane and is
classified as a 4th generation warplane. It incorporates the latest stealth technology and is what is known as an air superiority fighter. It is also a deep penetration strike aircraft and with its stealth technology, the plane can strike deep into enemy territory. It is also capable of launching anti-ship cruise missiles and in that respect is a force multiplier.The plane is now the mainstay of the Russian airforce and was offered to India, but political considerations led to the selection of the Rafael. Knowledgeable people have been saying that the SU 35 is superior to the Rafael which is a costly deal. Both planes can go into combat with each other once an India - China clash takes place and then we will
know how the Rafael matches the Su-35 which is deployed by the people's army air force.The SU 35 is a large plane and is a 4th generation warplane. It is a versatile machine with a long range. The plane is sold to China which has now produced its own version of the Russian plane. the Russian plane is really the answer to teh F-35 the US plane, which has just been supplied to Israel. Its however not a cost effective plane as it costs over a billion dollars and compared to the Russian plane its too costly. Not at all cost effective and thats why even Donald, the US president designate, is not happy with it.
The SU is a cheaper plane and a lethal weapon platform, but some persons have doubts as to the after sales service as found by India when the Soviet union colapsed. However Russian technology is rough and tough and the plane that costs a fraction of the F-35 will be a cost effective alternate. India is exploring the possibility of buying some of these stae of art machines.
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