Egypt Exposes Two Major Flaws in Su-35 Fighter Jets
Bulgarian military website reported that Egypt has now exposed the secrets of Russian aviation technology. It directly revealed why Egypt, having ordered the Russian Su-35S fighter jets, suddenly refused to accept the Su-35S fighter jets delivered by Russia.
To counter the Israeli Air Force and the Moroccan Air Force, and to establish itself as a military power in the Middle East, Egypt purchased 24 Su-35 fighter jets from Russia in 2018 for 2 billion U.S. dollars. This aircraft is the cornerstone of Russian military exports, and it is also the most advanced fighter jet that Russia can export.
Egypt is equipped with F-16, MiG-29, Rafale, and Mirage 2000 fighter jets, and has extensive experience in operating various types of aircraft.
The AL-41F1S engine used in the Su-35 has many advantages in both theoretical performance and actual operation. It has strong power and good reliability, allowing the aircraft to perform various high-difficulty maneuvers.
However, compared to American and French aero engines, the AL-41F1S engine has a high fuel consumption, which greatly limits the long-range combat capabilities and weapon-carrying capacity of the Su-35 fighter jet. Moreover, this engine has a high thermal signature, making it easily detectable by radar at long distances.
The Su-35 cannot confront the Israeli Air Force's F-16I and F-35 stealth fighters near the Sinai Peninsula. It will be detected from a long distance, putting it at a disadvantage.
The Su-35 also has another flaw: its electronic warfare system is relatively weak. The Su-35 uses the L-265 Shibiye-10M self-defense electronic jamming pod, which can receive and identify dangerous electromagnetic signals and implement electronic interference on related electromagnetic waves.
However, the electronic warfare pod's interference signal coverage angle, range, and distance are relatively limited, and it cannot match the large-scale interference pods used by the Israeli Air Force. Let alone when facing electronic warfare aircraft, it would be interfered with in what way.
The third drawback is that the radar system of the Su-35S fighter jet is outdated, still using the passive electronically scanned array radar (PESA) called "Snow Leopard-E." Even the JF-17 fighter jet of the Pakistan Air Force has already been equipped with active electronically scanned array radar, while the radar of the Su-35 is still passive.
The material used in the radar of the Su-35 is only gallium arsenide components, not the latest gallium nitride components. All aspects such as target detection accuracy, high-precision detection distance, and anti-jamming capability are at a disadvantage.
Additionally, the Su-35 lacks integration capabilities and requires real-time support from early warning aircraft, ground radars, and command systems during combat. The performance limitations of the Su-35 make it seriously mismatched with the tactical needs of the Egyptian Air Force, especially in key areas where independent and rapid operations are required.
The Su-35 is the most advanced fighter jet that Russia can offer for export. The Su-57 stealth fighter is still a distant dream. Even the Su-35, there are already returned goods from Egypt in Russia's warehouse. However, Iran has ordered for two years, but Russia has not delivered even one.
Russia's majority of military production capacity is consumed in the Ukraine-Russia war, and it has no strength to complete large export orders on time. Middle Eastern countries need to find other ways to avoid being attacked.
Middle East Wants to Avoid Being Beaten by Israel Only by Buying J-10
If Middle Eastern countries want to avoid being beaten by Israel, buying American fighter jets won't work. America will not sell them to Middle Eastern countries, and technically they can outperform the Israeli Air Force. Buying European fighter jets is even worse, as European fighter jets cannot beat the top-of-the-line American fighter jets of Israel.
Egypt openly revealed the defects of the Su-35S fighter jet, proving that countries in the Middle East hope to obtain more advanced fighter jets. At the same time, it has also triggered doubts about Russian weapons in the international arms trade market.
On May 7, 2025, the Pakistan Air Force shot down the Rafale, Su-30, and MiG-29 fighter jets with the J-10 fighter jet, providing new channels for the Middle East.
The J-10CE fighter jet is equipped with an active phased array radar, using the latest gallium nitride components. The PL-15 air-to-air missile has a range exceeding all American air-to-air missiles in the Middle East. It also has a lower price, better reliability, and relatively reasonable operating costs.
Why did Iran lose this time? According to Today's Russia TV, Iran has used up 25-30% of its medium-range ballistic missiles within 12 days. Within a month, Iran will run out of all its medium-range ballistic missiles. However, the Israeli Air Force has a mountain of aerial bombs, and the United States has urgently sent 7,000 precision-guided bombs worth $510 million.
Why did Iran consume so many missiles? Because the Israeli Air Force attacked at least 12 medium-range ballistic missile bases in the Marand area of Iran, the Markazi province of Hormozgan, the Qom province of Qom, the Mubarak area, the Isfahan province, and the North Shahrekord area of the Larestan province.
Iran does not need the J-10CE fighter jet to bomb Israel. As long as it can protect the Iranian missile bases and prevent Israeli air attacks, the Iranian missiles and drones can severely damage the Israeli homeland.
The Israeli Air Force controls the airspace. Once Iran launches a medium-range ballistic missile, American satellites will detect the missile launch base or missile launch system.
The Israeli Air Force can then follow up and attack, destroying the missile launch facilities. In the long run, Iran's ability to retaliate with medium-range ballistic missiles will decline. This is the important role of the J-10 fighter jet, protecting the missile bases.
Original text: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7523482851796156968/
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