Russia allegedly handed over Su-35 fighters to Iran, media reports
Illustrative photo: Russia may have handed over the first Su-35 fighter jets to Iran (Getty Images)
On November 18, Russia handed over the first two Su-35 aircraft to Iran. This happened during a ceremony that took place at the aircraft factory in Komsomolsk-on-Amur, Flug Revue reports.
According to the agency, the fighters were disassembled and then delivered to Mehrabad Airport in Tehran on an An-124-100 aircraft. From there, the aircraft will be delivered to the third tactical air base of the Iranian Air Force near the city of Hamadan.
The Su-35 fighters will be reassembled there.
According to media reports, Iran initially wanted to replace only Grumman F-14A Tomcat aircraft in Isfahan with Su-35s. However, the order was later increased from 25 to 50 Su-35s. This will also allow Iran to decommission some of the outdated F-4E Phantom IIs currently in service with the 31st Tactical Fighter Wing in Hamadan.
Su-35
The Su-35 is a Generation 4++ multi-role fighter created in Russia as a modernization of the Su-27. Thanks to its powerful engines with a controlled thrust vector, the aircraft is highly maneuverable, allowing it to perform complex combat maneuvers. The Irbis-E radar with a detection range of up to 400 km provides detection and tracking of dozens of targets simultaneously. The Su-35 is capable of carrying a wide range of weapons, including air-to-air and air-to-ground missiles, as well as guided bombs, making it versatile for various types of missions.
Despite its technical advantages, the aircraft remains expensive to produce and maintain and faces competition from Western fighters such as the F-35.
Iran to receive Su-35
Back in November last year, it became known that Iran had agreed with Russia to supply Su-35s.
And this year it became known that Iran could build shelters for Russian Su-35S fighters. In particular, this was confirmed by satellite images.
