Sukhoi/KnAAPO
Su-35BM/Su-35-1/Su-35S
Flanker
Technical Report APA-TR-2009-0807
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by
Dr Carlo Kopp, AFAIAA, SMIEEE, PEng
August, 2009
Updated April, 2012
Text
© 2009, Carlo Kopp

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Second prototype of the
Su-35S
Flanker (KnAAPO image).
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Introduction
The impressive Su-35S is the
latest incarnation of the T-10 family of fighter aircraft. It would be
fair to describe this aircraft as the pinnacle of current conventional
fighter design, blending a superb basic aerodynamic design with
advanced engine, flight control and avionic technology.
The designation Su-35 has been applied to two basic Flanker
configurations since 1991. The first aircraft to carry the Su-35 label
was the early 1990s digital T-10M/Su-27M Flanker E, powered by the
Al-31FM engine and fitted with the Tikhomirov NIIP N011 planar array
radar. Export configurations were designated Su-35. This aircraft was
used as the basis of the Su-37 Flanker F advanced technology
demonstrator, often labelled as the Super Flanker. The Su-37 was used
as a platform to prove a modern glass cockpit, the N011M BARS PESA
radar, thrust vector control engines and a quadruplex digital flgiht
control system with an electrical sidestick controller. Much of the
technology proven on the Su-37 migrated into the Su-30MKI/MKM Flanker H
exported to Asia.
The current Su-35S, ordered in 2009 for the Russian Air Force, was the
result of a series of design studies for a deep modernisation of the
Su-27M design. This was actually more of a deep re-engineering of the
basic design in the manner of the F-15E against the F-15C performed
during the 1980s. The new Su-35BM retained the basic aerodynamic design
and much of the structural design of the late model Flanker, but sees
important aerodynamic enhancements and completely new engines and
digital systems.
Notable changes include the removal of the dorsal speedbrake,
additional internal fuel, and plumbing for AAR and external drop tanks.
A quadruplex digital flight control system is used. The Item 117S
engines, which use key components of the Al-41F supercruising core, are
employed. The Su-35S is the first non-US fighter with substantial
sustained supersonic cruise capability, which provides this aircraft
with an
enormous energy advantage against conventional opponents in most
regimes of air combat.
The avionic suite is fully digital. The centrepiece is the Tikhomirov
NIIP N035 Irbis E (Snow Leopard) 20 kiloWatt class steerable hybrid ESA
radar. A new glass cockpit is employed, using large area displays. The
Khibiny electronic warfare suite is employed, with new wingtip DRFM
technology jamming pods.
The aircraft is intended to carry the full spectrum of Russian air to
air and air to ground guided weapons.
Given the large performance margin in the Su-35S design, it has
considerable long term growth potential. It is likely that it will
become the platform for the first Russian built large aperture AESA
radars, as well as the R-172 very long range AAM.
In strategic terms the Su-35S
is a game changer, as it robustly outclasses all competing Western
fighter aircraft other than the F-22A Raptor. Deployed in significant
numbers it is capable of changing the balance of power in any region
where this occurs. This reality does not appear to be widely understood
in most Western air forces, or DoD bureaucracies. Aircraft IOC will be
achieved in 2012.
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KnAAPO Su-35 Description [Cited]
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Single-seat multi-functional
super-maneuverable fighter.
New engines with
all-aspect TVC nozzle and thrust of 14,500 kg are
installed on the air-craft. The inner fuel capacity is increased and
the aircraft can carry two external fuel tanks with 2,000 liters
capacity. The aircraft is equipped with the new Integrated digital
aircraft con-trol system (ICS) carried out the functions of Fly-by-wire
and Automatic Flight Control systems, Signal limiting system and Air
Data System, and Landing Gear Wheel Braking Control System. The
aircraft boasts of new avionics with the use of multiplex communication
links, and phased array radar. Wide-angle colour head-up display and
two large-format colour MFDs form the aircraft indication system. Due
to the cockpit lightening equipment the pilot can use night vision
goggle.
The aircraft is
equipped with the auxiliary power unit providing for
the cockpit and aircraft equipment power supply and conditioning while
ground maintenancte without ground support means application.
The Su-35 aircraft is designed by “Sukhoi Design Bureau”, but its
production is mastered at the Komsomolsk-on-Amur Aircraft Production
Association named after Gagarin.
The Su-35 merits are the following:
- Supreme flight performance, superagility mode
- Long range information targeting system
- Advanced jam-resistant secure communication
system providing data link between the aircraft and ground-based
command centers
- High-performance air-to-air and air-to-surface
long- medium-, and short-range guided weapon mounted externally on 14
hardpoints
- High-performance EW and ECM systems
- Electronic reconnaissance system
- Design features aimed at stealth capability
enhancement
- New indication and signaling system with
Multifunctional Display,
notable for its enlarged capacity and advanced quality of provided data
- In-flight refueling system.
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KnAAPO Specifications [Cited]
Take-off
weight,
kg: |
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normal (2 x RVV-AE + 2 x R-73E)
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25,300 |
maximal
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34,500 |
By-pass turbojet engine: |
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number, pcs
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2 |
thrust, kg
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14,500 |
Maximal fuel load in internal fuel tanks, kg |
11,500 |
Maximal combat load, kg |
8,000 |
Ceiling, km |
18 |
Range with maximal fuel load, km: |
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Н=0, М=0.7
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1,580 |
Нcr, М cr
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3,600 |
Ferry range: |
4,500 |
with 2 х PTB-2000 external tanks, km
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Acceleration time at H=1,000 m and fuel bingo 50%
of the standard
capacity, sec: |
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from 600 km/h to 1,100 km/h
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13.8 |
from 1,100 km/h to 1,300 km/h
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8.0 |
Maximal rate of climb (Н=1,000 m), m/sec |
>280 |
Maximal airspeed : |
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H=200 m, km/h
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1,400 |
H=11,000 m , M
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2.25 |
Maximal g-load, g |
9 |
Take-off run in "full afterburning" mode with
standard take-off weight,
m |
400-450 |
Landing roll on concrete runway in braking mode
with brake parachute
and wheel brakes use, with standard landing weight, m |
650 |
Length, m |
21.9 |
Height, m |
5.9 |
Wing span, m |
15.3 |
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Su-35S prototype B/N 902 on display
at
MAKS 2009 with a KAB-1500L and air launched Kh-35UE Harpoonski (© 2009
Vitaliy V. Kuzmin).
The primary BVR weapon to be carried by early production
variants of
the Su-35S is the KTRV RVV-SD, an extended range evolution of the R-77
/ AA-12 Adder similar to the AIM-120D. Note the laser proximity fuse
supplanting the radiofrequency fuse (© 2009 Vitaliy V. Kuzmin).
The primary close combat weapon to be carried by early production variants
of the Su-35S is the KTRV RVV-MD, an extended range evolution of the
R-73/74 / AA-11 Archer with a jam resistant two colour scanning seeker
and a laser proximity fuse. Note the wideband ZnS or ZnSe IR window
replacing the MgF2 design used in earlier variants (©
2009
Vitaliy
V. Kuzmin).
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Su-35S
cockpit.

Su-35S Electro-Optical System turret (© 2009 Vitaliy V.
Kuzmin).

The UOMZ Sapsan E Electro-Optical Targeting System pod is
likely to be offered as an alternative to the licenced French Thales
Damocles targeting pod (©
2009 Vitaliy V. Kuzmin).
The heavyweight high power KNIRTI SAP-14 Support Jammer
ECM pod is a
Russian analogue to the US ALQ-99E pod carried on the EA-6B Prowler and
EA-18G Growler. It was developed for Flanker family aircraft and is carried on a large centreline
pylon. To date little has been disclosed
about this design, but it has been observed on the Su-30MK Flanker G/H
and Su-34 Fullback. It operates between 1 GHz and 4 GHz (©
2009
Vitaliy
V. Kuzmin).
The KNIRTI
SAP-518 ECM
pod is a
new technology replacement for the established L005 Sorbstiya series
wingtip ECM pods. It operates
between 5 GHz and 18 GHz (©
2009
Vitaliy
V. Kuzmin).
Su-30MKI
Flanker H model with KNIRTI SAP-14 and SAP-518 jamming pods on display
at MAKS 2009. The pods have already been flown on the Su-34 Fullback (© 2009, Miroslav
Gyűrösi).
The 117S powerplant (© 2009
Vitaliy V. Kuzmin).
NIIP
Irbis E
Prototype (Tikhomirov NIIP).
This video shows the agile gimbal
arrangement on the Irbis E radar. This allows the phased array to be
steered to best effect, and retain coverage of the target despite
launch aircraft manoeuvre. The planned auxiliary cheek AESA arrays on
the F-22A
Raptor are designed to achieve much the same purpose.
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This video was produced by KnAAPO
to provide a quick look at the salient features of the new production
Su-35-1 Flanker. It is much less detailed than the earlier 'Deep
Modernisation' video, but more up to date. Of particular interest are
the new design wingtip ECM pods which are much larger than
the established KNIRTI Sorbstiya pods, and in geometry most
closely resemble the new TsNIRTI Digital RF Memory pod
design.
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This Russian language video was produced
to educate Russian and foreign customers interested in the Su-35BM
upgrade package then being developed for Russian Air Force Su-35
Flanker E fighters. New build Su-35BM aircraft such as those being
marketed to the PLA-AF and Brazil would be largely identical in
configuration. Especially interesting are the animations of air to air
engagements, and the use of the Novator R-100
(KS-172/R-172/K-100/AAM-L)
'anti-AWACS' missile against the E-3C AWACS. The CGI shows an R-77
launch, but the Russian language text refers to a 'long range AAM'
which is the Novator R-100.
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References
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Sukhoi/KnAAPO
Su-35S Second Prototype
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All images © 2009, KnAAPO.
Full
Resolution
[Recommended]
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Imagery Sources: KnAAPO,
Sukhoi;
other Internet sources.
Technical
Report
APA-TR-2009-0807
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