In arguments about which flying machine represents the best of the best in today’s air-to-air combat arena, most people point to two contenders: the latest and greatest Russian Sukhoi Su-35, and the quite arguably unparalleled American Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor. As much as the Su-35 does carry impressive specifications for an airplane, from super-maneuverability to an enormous weapons load, it, in turn, can’t stand next to the F-22 in the stealth, radar, and sensor departments.
The Su-35 “Flanker-E” is a deeply modernized counterpart to the Su-27, itself introduced into the service of the Russian aerospace troops in 2014. Further improvements were made in terms of maximum takeoff weight of 34.5 tons, 2,500 km/h related to acceleration, 1,500-4,500 km related to radius, and 1.2 M in maximum speed. With 12 wing and fuselage hardpoints, the aircraft is capable of carrying 8,000 kg of ordnance, including air-to-air, air-to-surface, anti-radiation, and anti-ship missiles. Withal, the Su-35, despite its superiority on paper, has been downed in the recent conflicts over Ukraine, which goes on to show its limits.
On the other side of the coin, the F-22 Raptor, the world’s first fifth-generation multirole fighter, has never lost in real-life combat. Its advanced prowess in BVR combat means it never can be seen and thus is never beaten, representing an exposure of technological disparities between the fighters. Even in training exercises, where F-22s have “lost” in WVR engagements, no aircraft has successfully engaged the F-22 in BVR scenarios.
Another Russian fighter is the Su-57, often compared to the F-22, which has in turn received a lot of flak for not meeting stealth requirements and being second-best both in agility and acceleration. While many still believe the Su-57 is designed for ultimate air superiority and fits well with Russian design philosophy, both in kinematics and stealth, on sensors, it does not even compare to the F-22 or even the F-35.
In other words, the baseline Su-35S and Su-57 are pretty formidable offerings by themselves, but they don’t cut the mustard against a Raptor. The technological advancement and new combat record on the F-22 further validate its status as the world’s heavy fighter—the apex air superiority fighter on the planet.