Difference between revisions of "Su-27"

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{{About
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| about = Russian jet fighter '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
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| usage = other versions
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| link = Su-27 (Family)
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}}
 
{{Specs-Card
 
{{Specs-Card
 
|code=su_27
 
|code=su_27
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== Description ==
 
== Description ==
 
<!-- ''In the description, the first part should be about the history of and the creation and combat usage of the aircraft, as well as its key features. In the second part, tell the reader about the aircraft in the game. Insert a screenshot of the vehicle, so that if the novice player does not remember the vehicle by name, he will immediately understand what kind of vehicle the article is talking about.'' -->
 
<!-- ''In the description, the first part should be about the history of and the creation and combat usage of the aircraft, as well as its key features. In the second part, tell the reader about the aircraft in the game. Insert a screenshot of the vehicle, so that if the novice player does not remember the vehicle by name, he will immediately understand what kind of vehicle the article is talking about.'' -->
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Shortly after the Vietnam War, both the United States and the Soviet Union got to work on a new generation of fighter aircraft that favoured manoeuvrability and dogfight performance over top speed, after seeing how badly "missile truck" designs like the [[F-4 Phantom II (Family)|F-4 Phantom II]] performed against more nimble aircraft that were as much as 20 years older. In 1969, the Soviet Union received details through spies on the USAF's F-X program and the aircraft it was leading to, the [[F-15A|F-15 Eagle]]. As a result, the Soviets also decided to adopt a "Heavy support" doctrine with their new generation of fighters, with a smaller amount of a larger, more powerful aircraft supporting a larger amount of smaller, cheaper "frontline" aircraft just as the US was going to do with the F-15 and [[F-16 (Family)|F-16]] respectively. The design of the heavy fighter was handed to OKB Sukhoi, which quickly produced the T-10 prototype. The T-10 had many shortcomings, and after a lot of work with {{Annotation|TsAGI|Central Aerohydrodynamic Institute of Moscow}} to iron out the issues, the Su-27 would take to the skies for the first time in 1977. Development would continue further, and the first true "production models" would only enter service in 1985, beginning a fruitious life in Soviet service, and later in Chinese, Ethiopian, Vietnamese, Eritrian, Indonesian, Ukranian, Kazakh, Uzbekh, and Russian service with many aircraft of the type still seeing combat today.
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Shortly after the Vietnam War, both the United States and the Soviet Union got to work on a new generation of fighter aircraft that favoured manoeuvrability and dogfight performance over top speed. In 1969, the Soviet Union received details through spies on the USAF's F-X program and the aircraft it was leading to, the [[F-15A|F-15 Eagle]]. As a result, the Soviets also decided to adopt a "Heavy support" doctrine with their new generation of fighters, with a smaller amount of a larger, more powerful aircraft supporting a larger amount of smaller, cheaper "frontline" aircraft just as the US was going to do with the F-15 and [[F-16 (Family)|F-16]] respectively. The design of the heavy fighter was handed to OKB Sukhoi, which quickly produced the T-10 prototype. The T-10 had many shortcomings, and after a lot of work with {{Annotation|TsAGI|Central Aerohydrodynamic Institute of Moscow}} to iron out the issues, the Su-27 would take to the skies for the first time in 1977. Development would continue further, and the first true "production models" would only enter service in 1985, beginning a fruitful life in Soviet service, and later in Chinese, Ethiopian, Vietnamese, Eritrean, Indonesian, Ukrainian, Kazakh, Uzbek, and Russian service with many aircraft of the type still seeing combat today.
  
 
The '''{{Specs|name}}''' (NATO reporting name: ''Flanker'') was introduced in [[Update "Air Superiority"]] as the top-end heavy fighter for the USSR tree, capping off the Sukhoi line and beginning its transition from high speed fighter-bombers to the venerable Flanker family. The Su-27 is a jack of all trades yet a master of almost none, and that playstyle is its strongest suite. The Flanker carries a very generous amount of air to air missiles (ten), including up to six heat-seeking missiles with HMD targeting, and four of the infamous R-27ER coupled with the strong N001 Mech radar. The Flanker's lethal missile selection allows it to dispatch distracted many enemies at safe distances, and when push comes to shove, the Flanker's inherently unstable airframe and fly-by-wire control systems allows it to perform high angle-of-attack manoeuvres and partial post-stall manoeuvres at lower speeds, including the famed Cobra manoeuvres. All in all, the Su-27 should be played as a jack of all trades, and fits best into a very aggressive playable due to its lethal missiles, great avionics and sensors, and nimble flight performance. One must, however, be aware of various enemies you can encounter in the Flanker, such as all the aircraft that carry IRCCM missiles due to the Flanker's large heat signature as a result of the two massive AL-31 engines, but also be careful of dogfighting aircraft from the F-15 Eagle family, as the Eagle's superior TWR and high-speed handling as a result of the stable airframe will give F-15 players an advantage in some scenarios.
 
The '''{{Specs|name}}''' (NATO reporting name: ''Flanker'') was introduced in [[Update "Air Superiority"]] as the top-end heavy fighter for the USSR tree, capping off the Sukhoi line and beginning its transition from high speed fighter-bombers to the venerable Flanker family. The Su-27 is a jack of all trades yet a master of almost none, and that playstyle is its strongest suite. The Flanker carries a very generous amount of air to air missiles (ten), including up to six heat-seeking missiles with HMD targeting, and four of the infamous R-27ER coupled with the strong N001 Mech radar. The Flanker's lethal missile selection allows it to dispatch distracted many enemies at safe distances, and when push comes to shove, the Flanker's inherently unstable airframe and fly-by-wire control systems allows it to perform high angle-of-attack manoeuvres and partial post-stall manoeuvres at lower speeds, including the famed Cobra manoeuvres. All in all, the Su-27 should be played as a jack of all trades, and fits best into a very aggressive playable due to its lethal missiles, great avionics and sensors, and nimble flight performance. One must, however, be aware of various enemies you can encounter in the Flanker, such as all the aircraft that carry IRCCM missiles due to the Flanker's large heat signature as a result of the two massive AL-31 engines, but also be careful of dogfighting aircraft from the F-15 Eagle family, as the Eagle's superior TWR and high-speed handling as a result of the stable airframe will give F-15 players an advantage in some scenarios.
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{{Specs-Avia-Flight}}
 
{{Specs-Avia-Flight}}
 
<!-- ''Describe how the aircraft behaves in the air. Speed, manoeuvrability, acceleration and allowable loads - these are the most important characteristics of the vehicle.'' -->
 
<!-- ''Describe how the aircraft behaves in the air. Speed, manoeuvrability, acceleration and allowable loads - these are the most important characteristics of the vehicle.'' -->
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''Describe how the aircraft behaves in the air. Speed, manoeuvrability, acceleration and allowable loads - these are the most important characteristics of the vehicle.''
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As a heavy fighter, its performance is surprisingly great, giving enemies such as the similar [[F-15A|F-15]], or even the highly manoeuvrable [[F-16C|F-16]] a good challenge when fighting this aircraft. However, what sets it apart from the most is its extremely high AOA tolerance, remaining somewhat controllable even when the air is hitting the plane from the belly (90°+ AOA manoeuvres). This gives it a good initial dogfighting capability, proven deadly with the HMD and R-73 by firing missiles at angle of nearly 140° away from the direction of flight.
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However, that amazing dogfighting capability and superb manoeuvring is gone as soon as you bring a full load of fuel. It will still be able to give a challenge to any opponent in the right conditions, but the manoeuvrability can only work for so long until the Su-27 starts stalling for real at low speeds.
  
 
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%"
 
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%"
 
! rowspan="2" | Characteristics
 
! rowspan="2" | Characteristics
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! colspan="2" | Max speed<br>(km/h at _,___ m)
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! colspan="2" | Max speed<br>(km/h at 12,000 m)
 
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude<br>(metres)
 
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude<br>(metres)
 
! colspan="2" | Turn time<br>(seconds)
 
! colspan="2" | Turn time<br>(seconds)
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|-
 
|-
 
! Stock
 
! Stock
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| ___ || ___ || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || __._ || __._ || __._ || __._ || rowspan="2" | ___
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| ___ || 2,357 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || __._ || 24.6 || __._ || 173.4 || rowspan="2" | 750
 
|-
 
|-
 
! Upgraded
 
! Upgraded
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| ___ || ___ || __._ || __._ || __._ || __._
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| ___ || 2,498 || __._ || 23.5 || __._ || 225.0
 
|-
 
|-
 
|}
 
|}
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{{Specs-Avia-Armour}}
 
{{Specs-Avia-Armour}}
 
<!-- ''Examine the survivability of the aircraft. Note how vulnerable the structure is and how secure the pilot is, whether the fuel tanks are armoured, etc. Describe the armour, if there is any, and also mention the vulnerability of other critical aircraft systems.'' -->
 
<!-- ''Examine the survivability of the aircraft. Note how vulnerable the structure is and how secure the pilot is, whether the fuel tanks are armoured, etc. Describe the armour, if there is any, and also mention the vulnerability of other critical aircraft systems.'' -->
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''Examine the survivability of the aircraft. Note how vulnerable the structure is and how secure the pilot is, whether the fuel tanks are armoured, etc. Describe the armour, if there is any, and also mention the vulnerability of other critical aircraft systems.''
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What it has in good performance, it lacks in armour. After all, this is no ground attacker, and armour won't make any difference when a missile successfully hits your aircraft.
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However, the Flanker actually has good survivability, and that's mostly because of the redundancy given by the two-engine setup, and the huge space between critical components (after all, the Flanker is nearly as long as the [[Lancaster (Family)|Lancaster]]), giving the pilot some good chances of getting back home.  
  
 
=== Modifications and economy ===
 
=== Modifications and economy ===
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* 1 x 30 mm GSh-30-1 cannon, wing root-mounted (150 rpg)
 
* 1 x 30 mm GSh-30-1 cannon, wing root-mounted (150 rpg)
 
* 96 x large calibre countermeasures
 
* 96 x large calibre countermeasures
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The Su-27 uses the same 30 mm autocannon as the MiG-29 with the same limited ammunition count of 150 rounds. Although it is not as forgiving as the American M61 Vulcan and demands precision, it has no spool up time and will deal heavy damage to any aircraft it hits. Something to note is that the Su-27's cannon is mounted on the right side of the fuselage, whereas the MiG-29's mount is on the left.
  
 
=== Suspended armament ===
 
=== Suspended armament ===
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* Without load
 
* Without load
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* 2 x R-73 missiles
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* 2 x R-73 missiles + 2 x R-27R missiles
 
* 6 x R-73 missiles
 
* 6 x R-73 missiles
 
* 2 x R-27T missiles
 
* 2 x R-27T missiles
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* 8 x ZB-500 incendiary bombs
 
* 8 x ZB-500 incendiary bombs
 
{{Navigation-End}}
 
{{Navigation-End}}
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The Su-27 has a fairly wide arsenal. The air-to-air armaments are generally similar to the [[MiG-29SMT]], with highly agile R-73 IR missiles for short-range combat and various marks of R-27 missiles for medium to long range engagements. The Su-27, however, lacks the active-radar homing R-77 missile the MiG-29SMT gets, which deprives pilots of this version of the Flanker of the tactical opportunities that active-radar "Fox-3" missiles provide; such as the ability to turn away after launch ("going cold") or engage multiple targets at once. However it has a large advantage in missile capacity over the MiG-29; a full air superiority loadout consists of four R-73s and up to six R-27s, which makes it an excellent missile truck for BVR jousting.
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The extended-range R-27ER and R-27ET are the most capable members of the R-27 family and should be used over their standard variants once unlocked. The R-27ET (and its less advanced R-27T) can only be mounted on the inboard wing pylons for a maximum capacity of two, but this is sufficient for a couple of long-range sneak attacks to round out the Su-27's engagement capabilities. The inboard pylons can also mount R-73s instead for pilots who want to bring as many dogfight missiles as possible.
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The Su-27 is limited to only unguided bombs and rockets for ground attack, so unlike the MiG-29SMT it cannot use TV-guided missile or bombs for standoff engagements. One notable feature is that it can carry up to four S-25O heavy bunker-buster rockets made famous by the [[Su-25]], which can be a fun surprise for combined battles when enemy SAMs are suppressed or confused. All rockets are mounted in double racks on the inboard pylons, leaving the other pylons available for R-73s, R-27s, or bombs in a multirole loadout.
  
 
== Usage in battles ==
 
== Usage in battles ==
 
<!-- ''Describe the tactics of playing in the aircraft, the features of using aircraft in a team and advice on tactics. Refrain from creating a "guide" - do not impose a single point of view, but instead, give the reader food for thought. Examine the most dangerous enemies and give recommendations on fighting them. If necessary, note the specifics of the game in different modes (AB, RB, SB).'' -->
 
<!-- ''Describe the tactics of playing in the aircraft, the features of using aircraft in a team and advice on tactics. Refrain from creating a "guide" - do not impose a single point of view, but instead, give the reader food for thought. Examine the most dangerous enemies and give recommendations on fighting them. If necessary, note the specifics of the game in different modes (AB, RB, SB).'' -->
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Created as as fighter to combat the F-15 Eagle, this aircraft can equip up to 6x R-27 SARH missiles, which are famous for being extremely effective. Along with this, a new, capable radar lets the Su-27 engage in BVR fights better than any soviet fighter before it.
 
  
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Not only that, but you get access to the R-73, a 40G missile that is feared among oponnents for being unpredictable, and precise. You can use this missile to engage targets at close range, and if the fight transitions into a dogfight, do not worry. Although it's big, and mounts a lot of missiles, it's not slow or bulky. In fact, it's the opposite, as this aircraft can engage in short dogfights in a way never seen before: '''The Su-27 can pull extreme AOA without problems.'''
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The Su-27 is a fairly all-rounded aircraft, capable of of performing both air superiority and close air support duties, with the aircraft excelling at the former due to its ability to carry a massive arsenal of close to medium range air-to-air missiles like the potent and reliable R-73 and the manoeuverable and high speed R-27ER, whilst for more personal and intimate encounters the Su-27 sports a potent wing root mounted 30 mm GSh-30-1 with integrated EEGS for accurate lead prediction with a radar or IRST lock. The aircraft also has HMD (Helmet Mounted Display), allowing the pilot to lock-on a target within the HMD's arc which possesses a massive gimbal room. One thing to note is that the IR Missile seekers are slaved to the HMD, allowing the HMD to lock your R-73s and even R-27(E)Ts onto your enemies without the need to point your nose at the enemy. This gives the Su-27 a massive advantage in dogfights especially against opponents that lack the same technology.
  
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Even if you're struggling to get on the tail of the enemy, you can simply lead your nose with no problem even if it seems impossible to do so, allowing for quick usage of a dogfight missile (R-73).
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For ground support duties, the aircraft offers a decently diverse payload options, ranging from conventional and retarded bombs to unguided missiles which featured CCIP support. One glaring issue however is the lack of computer guided munition due to the aircraft inherent nature of being an air-superiority fighter.
  
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However, watch out: The [[JAS39A|Gripen]], [[F-16C|F-16]] and even the [[MiG-29SMT|MiG-29]] will almost always outturn you, so if you're in a fight with any of them, and the dogfight starts getting too long, you'll have to start considering retreating from the fight.
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In Air Realistic Battles, the Su-27 is a smooth plane to fly, with excellent roll rate and turn speed. At the start of the battle, it's recommended for the player to load the aircraft with 4 x R-73s and 6 x R-27ERs, or exchange 2x R-73s for 2x R-27ETs. After taking off, push for afterburner until you reached ~1,200 km/h IAS and maintain it until contact is made. It's highly advised to stay on deck and follow the terrain to induce radar cluttering whilst en route to the combat zone, this will come in extremely handy when the opposition is fielding large amounts of aircraft  which can engage with Active Radar Homing (ARH) missiles which can independently track target without the need for the enemy's radar to directly lock a target. (Datalink and TWS guidance as opposed to Single target track "lock" guidance as required by SARH missiles.) This way, it is easier for the Flanker pilot to go defensive with the incoming first wave of ARH missiles, making use of the low altitude and terrain to survive and subsequently re-engage.
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After making contact with the enemy at any altitude beyond the range of 5 km+, you could attempt to acquire lock using your Radar or HMD mode and shoot a few of your R-27ERs at suitable targets to shed some weight, note that the R-27ERs possessed IOG and DL features, the former allowed the missile to continue tracking with the last given parameters whilst the latter enables the missile to reacquire its target after lock is regained, this allowed for some tricky plays like popping off the missile at the enemy, this will encourage them to deploy Countermeasures (CMs) expecting lock to be lost or disrupted, however with the addition of DL, lock could be reacquired and the missile will resume its tracking unlike its contemporary like the AIM-7M. This potentially allows the player to catch the prey off guard thinking that they've already gotten off the R-27ER's hook. At near tree top level, it's highly advised that the player use R-73s instead despite the Su-27's ability to reliably lock targets even at low altitude, it is in no way reliable enough to guide the R-27ERs lest you're flying at an even lower altitude than your enemy. If the fight devolves into an dogfights, the Su-27 have some tricks up its sleeves, that being the Su-27's ability to pull extremely high AOA for a very short amount of time when in the correct speed range (500-700 IAS), this ability should be used with the HMD and R-73 missiles, however you will find yourself out of energy and mostly defenseless if the R-73 failed to hit its target, at very low speeds (~400 km/h) the Su-27 will lose the rate fight against most of its enemies (This includes F-16s, F15s, Jas-39s, Mirage 4000 and more) Due to these reasons above it is best to keep the airspeed above 500 km/h IAS and only pull the maximum amount of AOA to launch a R-73 or to pull in for a gun kill. (another thing to note is that at speeds above 1,200 km/h IAS, the vertical control surfaces will stiffen up). However if you find yourself at speeds higher than 700 km/h IAS, then the Su-27 has yet another toy that is yet to be unveiled, which is the addition of a massive airbrake, specifically designed to enable the aircraft to perform a tight turn even at high speed, regardless the use of this airbrake should be done in moderation as it bleeds the aircraft speed at an astronomical rate which could be a double-edged sword or a lifesaver depending on the scenario it's used in, This allows the Su-27 to turn the table of the fight ever so slightly in its favour if used correctly, allowing the aircraft to enter its manoeuverable speed threshold which could help you get your HMD acquisition of the R-73 on the assailant or just pepper them with your potent 30 mm with the help of EEGS (Note: the R-73's IRCCM uses Gatewidth Tracking which is extremely flare resistant the closer the missile gets to its target, especially rear-aspect, due to the IR tracking scope narrowing post-launch, (like the iris of an eye when facing light). This means it's highly recommended for the pilot to launch the missile preferably from or below 1 km for best effect and from behind enemies.
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'''Notable Opponents:'''
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* [[F-16 (Family)|F-16A/Cs]] - F-16s carry an advantage over the Flanker in manoeuverability, with greater energy retention and rate fighting abilities. What makes the Fighting Falcon dangerous, however, is the AIM-9M. The 9M carries an IRCCM (Infrared Counter-Countermeasure) system that is different to that of the R-73. The seeker of the Sidewinder will shut off when it detects flares, follow the aircraft's expected trajectory (IOG), and then reacquire lock once flares are passed. The only way to defeat these potent missiles is to constantly flare, cut throttle, and change direction. When the aircraft is not where the missile expects it to be after the pilot moves out of the expected path, the 9M will lock onto the recently deployed flares. Spamming large groups of flares sporadically does not work, as the missile will simply reacquire lock once flaring ceases. The best defense against powerful IRCCM missiles is to avoid them in the first place. By catching enemies off guard from their flanks and behinds, any pilot will find success, no matter the plane. The same counts for any other plane fielding the AIM-9M or any missile with this kind of IRCCM. In a dogfight, the F-16's advantage will grow the longer the fight takes, as the F-16 excels in sustained turn-rate fights, which are precisely the Su-27s weakness. When merging with an F-16, you have to shoot them down as fast as possible, ideally in the first turn either with R-73s, the gun, or even an R-27 using ACM mode depending on the range, or your odds of winning will diminish rapidly. The F-16C and AM can also carry the AIM-120 AMRAAM, which can negate your advantage in long-range combat, forcing you to go defensive until the dogfight happens.
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* [[F-14 (Family)|F-14A/Bs]] - F-14s are capable of launching AIM-54A/Cs as aforementioned, which could be extremely infuriating to deal with. The only real counter to this is by flying low and perpendicular to their radar lock ("notching"), however even the slightest mistake could resulted in you getting locked on by the AIM-54s if you don't fly close enough to the ground. Luckily, the Tomcat's combat prowess against the Su-27 starts to diminish at closer ranges where your R-27ERs and R-73s will outmatch their AIM-7F/M and AIM-9H/L.
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* [[F-15 (Family)|F-15A/J/Cs]] - F-15s are perhaps one of the Su-27s greatest adversaries. With more predictable and easier to use manoeuverability, the F-15s could pull off many tight turns just like the the Su-27 but without losing quite as much speed and energy. Combined with its use of AIM-9Ms and several times the Flanker's amount in gun ammunition, the Eagle can easily pick off the Flanker in close range engagements so caution is advised when engaging.
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* [[JAS39A]]/[[JAS39C|Cs]] - Engagement against the Gripen is quite tricky for the Flanker, the aircraft possesses superior manoeuverability than the Flanker and Eagle in most cases; combine that with the Gripen's AIM-9Ms/RB-74(M)s, direct short range confrontation is ill-advised as after 3 turns or 2, most fights wouldn't end well for the Flanker, similar to when facing an F-16. The C variants of the Gripen furthermore carry ARH missiles such as AIM-120 or R-Darter which, just as when facing an F-16 or F-15C Eagle, provide them with tactical opportunities to defend against your incoming missiles early that the Su-27 simply does not have.  
  
 
=== Pros and cons ===
 
=== Pros and cons ===
 
<!-- ''Summarise and briefly evaluate the vehicle in terms of its characteristics and combat effectiveness. Mark its pros and cons in the bulleted list. Try not to use more than 6 points for each of the characteristics. Avoid using categorical definitions such as "bad", "good" and the like - use substitutions with softer forms such as "inadequate" and "effective".'' -->
 
<!-- ''Summarise and briefly evaluate the vehicle in terms of its characteristics and combat effectiveness. Mark its pros and cons in the bulleted list. Try not to use more than 6 points for each of the characteristics. Avoid using categorical definitions such as "bad", "good" and the like - use substitutions with softer forms such as "inadequate" and "effective".'' -->
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''Summarise and briefly evaluate the vehicle in terms of its characteristics and combat effectiveness. Mark its pros and cons in the bulleted list. Try not to use more than 6 points for each of the characteristics. Avoid using categorical definitions such as "bad", "good" and the like - use substitutions with softer forms such as "inadequate" and "effective".''
 
  
 
'''Pros:'''
 
'''Pros:'''
  
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* Can carry up to 10 powerful missiles, getting access both to the R-73 and R-27
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* Excellent acceleration and engine power
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* Capable of extreme maneuvers, due to the AOA tolerance
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* Airframe can pull very tight turns at speeds between ~500-700 km/h IAS
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* Can stay in the air for a long time, thanks to the huge fuel load
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* Massive assortment of air-to-air weaponry, capable of carrying a maximum of 10 missiles, including six potent R-27ER SARH missiles
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* GSh-30-1 is hard-hitting and capable of incapacitating most foes with a single well landed burst
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* HMD is integrated with IR tracking support allowing R-73s to be launched off-boresight from unexpected angles
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* Flares drop singularly, giving more efficiency
  
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'''Cons:'''
  
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* Massive airframe compared to most contemporaries which makes for an easy target
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* Control surfaces stiffens at speeds higher than 1,200 km/h
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* Has a tendency to snap its wing at high speed whilst rolling excessively
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* Poor energy retention below a speed of 1,000 km/h, will lose speed very quickly in prolonged dogfights.
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* Low gun ammunition requires good trigger discipline and good aim to utilize effectively compared to its American counterparts
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* Incompetent RWR for its rank: The SPO-15 "Beryoza" RWR as found on many late-Soviet era aircraft is an analog system that, as of its current implementation, does not provide nearly as much useful information as the digital Western RWR systems that can identify the exact threat type and precise bearing.
  
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'''Cons:'''
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== History ==
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<!-- ''Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the aircraft in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too long, take it to a separate article, taking a link to the article about the vehicle and adding a block "/History" (example: <nowiki>https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Vehicle-name)/History</nowiki>) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <code><nowiki><ref></ref></nowiki></code>, as well as adding them at the end of the article with <code><nowiki><references /></nowiki></code>. This section may also include the vehicle's dev blog entry (if applicable) and the in-game encyclopedia description (under <code><nowiki>=== In-game description ===</nowiki></code>, also if applicable).'' -->
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=== Early Development ===
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The Su-27 traces its roots to the T-10 developmental prototype designed by Sukhoi from 1969. The Sukhoi design bureau had won the design contract for a new frontline fighter-interceptor for the Soviet Air Defence Forces (PVO) to replace the Tu-128, Yak-28P and Su-15.  The new design had to be superior to future foreign fighters, most notably the US "FX" programme which later became the [[F-15 (Family)|F-15 Eagle]]. This programme was called "PFI" ''Perspektivniy Frontovoiy Istrebitel (''Perspective Frontline fighter). Furthermore, it also had to be able to dominate in a dogfight, exceed Mach 2 and be able to search and engage aircraft and cruise missiles from long range. The PFI programme was eventually split up into two; the "LPFI" (''Lyogkyi PFI'', Lightweight PFI) and the TPFI (''Tyazholyi PFI'', Heavy PFI). The former was assigned to Mikoyan-Gurievich, resulting in the [[MiG-29 (Family)|MiG-29.]] Sukhoi took on the TPFI instead. The new plane was laid out to be large, with a large fuel capacity and high thrust to be able to exceed a thrust-to-weight ratio of 1:1. It had a blended wing-body layout just like the [[MiG-29 (Family)|MiG-29]], longitudinal instability (as a first in the USSR, and characteristic of many 4th Generation aircraft) and a full fly-by-wire system. By 1975, information on the F-15 became available. It was found via computer evaluation that Sukhoi's current T-10 design did not meet the requirements and a new fresh start was ordered. Ready on the 20th of May 1977, the new T-10-1, designated Flanker-A by NATO, was test-flown for the first time by Vladimir S. Ilyushin. The T-10-1 was used as an aerodynamic testbed for subsequent production variants. It is distinct from production batches in several key areas: The T-10 has a different forward fuselage with the front landing gear installed much further forward and a thinner, shorter radome. Most notably, the T-10's wingtips are curved (Gothic shape, or Küchemann-tip) rather than the production Su-27's more conventional design. In 1979, after a series of further prototypes, testbeds and tragically fatal crashes, the aircraft was accepted for further trials. With a completely redesigned wing which gave access to missile rail pylons or even the "Sorbtsiya" Electronic Warfare pod on the wingtips, evaluation of the new aircraft continued. Prototype T-10-15, also called T-10S-3 evolved into the definitive configuration that entered operational service in 1984/85.<ref name=":0">Kopp, Carlo. ''PLA-AF and PLA-N Flanker variants.'' Airpower Australia, 2012</ref><ref>Gunston, Bill. ''The Osprey Encyclopedia of Russian Aircraft,'' Osprey Publishing Ltd. 2000</ref><ref>Skrynnikov, Sergey. ''Su-27 Flanker.'' Concord Publications, 1993</ref>
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=== Deployment ===
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Manufacturing difficulties at Komsomolsk-na-Amure Aviation Plant (KnAAPO) in the Russian far east kept the Su-27 from appearing in considerable numbers until 1990. The trainer version of the Su-27, the two-seat Su-27UB (''Uchyobno boevoy'', "Combat Trainer") formed the basis for the multirole Su-30 and its many derivatives. The Su-27 was also adapted for naval use, designated Su-27K (K for ''Korabelniy'' "shipborne") (NATO designation "Flanker-D). This variant of the Su-27 added canards to the front fuselage, an arresting hook and carrier take-off and landing avionics in addition to a retractable refueling probe. It was test flown for the first time by famous Sukhoi test pilot Viktor Pugachev in November 1989 onboard the carrier ''Tbilisi'' (now ''Admiral Kuznetsov).'' The Su-27K would be redesignated as Su-33 after the collapse of the USSR in 1991. The naval trainer version, the Su-27KUB, had the pilots sit side-by-side and served as the basis for the conceptual replacement of the [[Su-24M|Su-24]] for the Soviet Air Force, which eventually became the Su-34 "Fullback".<ref>Kopp, Carlo. ''Sukhoi Su-34 Fullback, Russia's new heavy strike fighter,'' Airpower Australia, 2012</ref>
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=== Operational Service ===
 +
The Soviet Air Force (VVS) received its first Su-27 in 1984/85. The first unit to use the new aircraft was the 831st Fighter Aviation Regiment at Myrhorod Airbase in Soviet Ukraine.
 +
 
 +
On the 13th of September 1987, a Su-27 with full armament intercepted a Lockheed P-3 "Orion" Maritime Patrol Aircraft of the Norwegian Airforce. On its third pass, the Su-27 collided with the Norwegian P-3. Both aircraft were able to return safely to their bases.
 +
 
 +
Su-27s were used by the Russian Airforce during the wars in Abkhazia and Ossetia in 1992, 1993 and 2008. One Su-27 was allegedly shot down in a friendly-fire incident by an SA-75 SAM system on the 19th of March 1993.
  
−
* Although it pulls extreme AOA, it can't stay in dogfights for too long
+
The Ukrainian Airforce inherited about 70 Su-27 after 1991. Decreases in defence budgets and economic turndown allowed these aircraft to fall into various states of disrepair, with declining relations to Russia in the early 2010s exacerbating the issue. Since 2022, Ukrainian Su-27 are being refurbished and returned to service in larger numbers. These efforts can be traced back to the early 2010s, with Zaporizhzhya Aircraft Repair Plant beginning to modernise the Su-27 platform to NATO standards, as well as small overhauls of radars, communication and navigation equipment. These versions are designated Su-27P1M and Su-27UB1M.
−
* The SPO-15 RWR doesn't provide information about the exact vehicle
 
  
 +
The Su-27 and its variants are being used extensively by both sides in the current War in Ukraine.
  
 +
==== Operational Service outside the former eastern bloc ====
 +
The People's Republic of China was the first foreign operator of the Su-27 and the only country to acquire the platform before the collapse of USSR. This deal marked a great leap forward in Chinese airforce capability in the 1990s, especially after Chinese relations with the US deteriorated after 1989. The USSR had offered the PRC the MiG-29, yet Chinese negotiators insisted on the Su-27. By 1991, the sale was approved and three fighters were delivered to mainland China before the dissolution of the USSR. License production of the Su-27 in China was approved, where the type was manufactured under the name [[J-11]] by Shenyang Corporation. Some sources claim these initial deliveries of Su-27SK (''Serialniy, Kommercheskiy'' "Serial, Commercial", unrelated to the Naval version) were equipped with Phazotron Zhuk Radars traditionally found on MiG-29 variants instead of the Tikhomirov NIIP manufactured radars used on Soviet/Russian Su-27. Over the next two decades, an additional 78 Su-27 variants were delivered to China. The initial export and license produced Chinese Su-27 and J-11 are unable to use the R-77/RVV-AE Active Radar homing missile due to a downgraded and unsuitable fire control processor and radar. This was remedied with the last batch of 28 Su-27UBK. Today, the PLAAF operates no less than nine variants of the Su-27 platform, ranging from Russian originals such as the Su-27SK, UBK, Su-30MKK and MK2 and Su-35S to Chinese-designed variants such as the J-11B/BG, J-15 and J-16.<ref name=":0" />
  
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== History ==
+
Su-27 were also used by the Air Forces of Ethiopia and Eritrea. Their usage during the Ethiopian-Eritrean War constituted the largest operational usage of the Su-27 platform until 2022. Other Operators include Indonesia, Angola, Vietnam, Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan. The only country to so far retire the Su-27 platform is Belarus, who did so in 2012.
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<!-- ''Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the aircraft in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too long, take it to a separate article, taking a link to the article about the vehicle and adding a block "/History" (example: <nowiki>https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Vehicle-name)/History</nowiki>) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <code><nowiki><ref></ref></nowiki></code>, as well as adding them at the end of the article with <code><nowiki><references /></nowiki></code>. This section may also include the vehicle's dev blog entry (if applicable) and the in-game encyclopedia description (under <code><nowiki>=== In-game description ===</nowiki></code>, also if applicable).'' -->
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=== [[wt:en/news/8652-development-su-27-feisty-flanker-en|Devblog]] ===
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''Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the aircraft in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too long, take it to a separate article, taking a link to the article about the vehicle and adding a block "/History" (example: <nowiki>https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Vehicle-name)/History</nowiki>) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <code><nowiki><ref></ref></nowiki></code>, as well as adding them at the end of the article with <code><nowiki><references /></nowiki></code>. This section may also include the vehicle's dev blog entry (if applicable) and the in-game encyclopedia description (under <code><nowiki>=== In-game description ===</nowiki></code>, also if applicable).''
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Development of the Su-27 began at the Sukhoi Design Bureau in early 1971. In 1977, the first prototype was built for testing. Due to a change in the concept of future aircraft, the team of aircraft manufacturers had to design an essentially new aircraft, only partially using the developments of the original project. The new prototype was ready by the end of 1980, and its flight tests began in the spring of 1981. The first Su-27s began to enter service with the armed forces in 1984, even though tests of a number of systems had not yet been completed. Today, Su-27 fighters of various modifications are in service with Russia, China, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and other countries.  
  
 
== Media ==
 
== Media ==
 
<!-- ''Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.'' -->
 
<!-- ''Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.'' -->
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''Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.''
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;Skins
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* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=su_27 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]
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;Videos
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{{Youtube-gallery|NlHdl2JAjfU|'''The Shooting Range #385''' - ''Special'' section at 06:35 discusses Pugachev's Cobra.|NlHdl2JAjfU|'''The Shooting Range #385''' - ''Metal Beasts'' section at 00:26 discusses the {{PAGENAME}}.}}
  
 
== See also ==
 
== See also ==
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* ''topic on the official game forum;''
 
* ''topic on the official game forum;''
 
* ''other literature.'' -->
 
* ''other literature.'' -->
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''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''
 
  
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* ''topic on the official game forum;''
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* [[wt:en/news/8652-development-su-27-feisty-flanker-en|[Development] Su-27: Feisty Flanker!]]
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* ''other literature.''
 
  
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{{AirManufacturer Sukhoi}}
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=== References ===
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<references />{{AirManufacturer Sukhoi}}
 
{{USSR jet aircraft}}
 
{{USSR jet aircraft}}

Latest revision as of 07:38, 13 September 2024

Rank VII | Premium | Golden Eagles
Challenger DS Pack
This page is about the Russian jet fighter Su-27. For other versions, see Su-27 (Family).
Su-27
su_27.png
GarageImage Su-27.jpg
Su-27
USSR flag.png USSR
VIII Rank
Battle rating:
AB RB SB
13.3 13.0 13.3
Class:
Research:410 000 Specs-Card-Exp.png
Purchase:1 100 000 Specs-Card-Lion.png
Show in game

Description

Shortly after the Vietnam War, both the United States and the Soviet Union got to work on a new generation of fighter aircraft that favoured manoeuvrability and dogfight performance over top speed. In 1969, the Soviet Union received details through spies on the USAF's F-X program and the aircraft it was leading to, the F-15 Eagle. As a result, the Soviets also decided to adopt a "Heavy support" doctrine with their new generation of fighters, with a smaller amount of a larger, more powerful aircraft supporting a larger amount of smaller, cheaper "frontline" aircraft just as the US was going to do with the F-15 and F-16 respectively. The design of the heavy fighter was handed to OKB Sukhoi, which quickly produced the T-10 prototype. The T-10 had many shortcomings, and after a lot of work with TsAGI to iron out the issues, the Su-27 would take to the skies for the first time in 1977. Development would continue further, and the first true "production models" would only enter service in 1985, beginning a fruitful life in Soviet service, and later in Chinese, Ethiopian, Vietnamese, Eritrean, Indonesian, Ukrainian, Kazakh, Uzbek, and Russian service with many aircraft of the type still seeing combat today.

The Su-27 (NATO reporting name: Flanker) was introduced in Update "Air Superiority" as the top-end heavy fighter for the USSR tree, capping off the Sukhoi line and beginning its transition from high speed fighter-bombers to the venerable Flanker family. The Su-27 is a jack of all trades yet a master of almost none, and that playstyle is its strongest suite. The Flanker carries a very generous amount of air to air missiles (ten), including up to six heat-seeking missiles with HMD targeting, and four of the infamous R-27ER coupled with the strong N001 Mech radar. The Flanker's lethal missile selection allows it to dispatch distracted many enemies at safe distances, and when push comes to shove, the Flanker's inherently unstable airframe and fly-by-wire control systems allows it to perform high angle-of-attack manoeuvres and partial post-stall manoeuvres at lower speeds, including the famed Cobra manoeuvres. All in all, the Su-27 should be played as a jack of all trades, and fits best into a very aggressive playable due to its lethal missiles, great avionics and sensors, and nimble flight performance. One must, however, be aware of various enemies you can encounter in the Flanker, such as all the aircraft that carry IRCCM missiles due to the Flanker's large heat signature as a result of the two massive AL-31 engines, but also be careful of dogfighting aircraft from the F-15 Eagle family, as the Eagle's superior TWR and high-speed handling as a result of the stable airframe will give F-15 players an advantage in some scenarios.

General info

Flight performance

Air brakes
Allows you to dramatically reduce the flight speed by releasing special flaps
Drogue parachute
Reduces braking distance when landing on any runway
Max speed
at 12 000 m2 498 km/h
Turn time23 s
Max altitude16 000 m
Engine2 х Saturn AL-31F
Type
Cooling systemAir
Take-off weight46 t

As a heavy fighter, its performance is surprisingly great, giving enemies such as the similar F-15, or even the highly manoeuvrable F-16 a good challenge when fighting this aircraft. However, what sets it apart from the most is its extremely high AOA tolerance, remaining somewhat controllable even when the air is hitting the plane from the belly (90°+ AOA manoeuvres). This gives it a good initial dogfighting capability, proven deadly with the HMD and R-73 by firing missiles at angle of nearly 140° away from the direction of flight.

However, that amazing dogfighting capability and superb manoeuvring is gone as soon as you bring a full load of fuel. It will still be able to give a challenge to any opponent in the right conditions, but the manoeuvrability can only work for so long until the Su-27 starts stalling for real at low speeds.

Characteristics Max speed
(km/h at 12,000 m) 		Max altitude
(metres) 		Turn time
(seconds) 		Rate of climb
(metres/second) 		Take-off run
(metres)
AB RB AB RB AB RB
Stock ___ 2,357 16000 __._ 24.6 __._ 173.4 750
Upgraded ___ 2,498 __._ 23.5 __._ 225.0

Details

Features
Combat flaps Take-off flaps Landing flaps Air brakes Arrestor gear Drogue chute
X ✓ ✓ ✓ X ✓
Limits
Wings (km/h) Gear (km/h) Flaps (km/h) Max Static G
Combat Take-off Landing + -
1,540 700 - 652 600 ~__ ~__
Optimal velocities (km/h)
Ailerons Rudder Elevators Radiator
< 680 < 750 < 700 -

Engine performance

Engine Aircraft mass
Engine name Number Basic mass Wing loading (full fuel)
Saturn AL-31F 2 16,420 kg 417 kg/m2
Engine characteristics Mass with fuel (no weapons load) Max Gross
Weight
Weight (each) Type 13m fuel 20m fuel 30m fuel 44m fuel
1,520 kg Afterburning low-bypass turbofan 19,240 kg 20,614 kg 22,711 kg 25,820 kg 33,798 kg
Maximum engine thrust @ 0 m (RB/SB) Thrust to weight ratio @ 0 m (WEP)
Condition 100% WEP 13m fuel 20m fuel 30m fuel 44m fuel MGW
Stationary 7,219 kgf 11,656 kgf 1.21 1.13 1.03 0.90 0.69
Optimal 7,219 kgf
(0 km/h) 		15,640 kgf
(1,540 km/h) 		1.63 1.52 1.38 1.21 0.92

Survivability and armour

Flares/Chaff
Aircraft countermeasures to distract IR and radar-guided missiles and also AA radar
Crew1 person
Speed of destruction
Structural0 km/h
Gear700 km/h

What it has in good performance, it lacks in armour. After all, this is no ground attacker, and armour won't make any difference when a missile successfully hits your aircraft.

However, the Flanker actually has good survivability, and that's mostly because of the redundancy given by the two-engine setup, and the huge space between critical components (after all, the Flanker is nearly as long as the Lancaster), giving the pilot some good chances of getting back home.

Modifications and economy

Repair costBasic → Reference
AB2 922 → 4 432 Sl icon.png
RB8 434 → 12 794 Sl icon.png
SB9 931 → 15 065 Sl icon.png
Total cost of modifications326 000 Rp icon.png
501 000 Sl icon.png
Talisman cost3 200 Ge icon.png
Crew training310 000 Sl icon.png
Experts1 100 000 Sl icon.png
Aces3 600 Ge icon.png
Research Aces1 350 000 Rp icon.png
Reward for battleAB / RB / SB
90 / 320 / 500 % Sl icon.png
256 / 256 / 256 % Rp icon.png
Modifications
Flight performance Survivability Weaponry
Mods jet compressor.png
Compressor
Research:
9 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
14 000 Sl icon.png
370 Ge icon.png
Mods booster.png
New boosters
Research:
12 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
18 000 Sl icon.png
490 Ge icon.png
Mods aerodinamic wing.png
Wings repair
Research:
13 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
20 000 Sl icon.png
530 Ge icon.png
Mods jet engine.png
Engine
Research:
20 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
31 000 Sl icon.png
810 Ge icon.png
Mods aerodinamic fuse.png
Fuselage repair
Research:
9 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
14 000 Sl icon.png
370 Ge icon.png
Mods g suit.png
G-suit
Research:
12 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
18 000 Sl icon.png
490 Ge icon.png
Mods armor frame.png
Airframe
Research:
12 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
18 000 Sl icon.png
490 Ge icon.png
Mods armor cover.png
Cover
Research:
13 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
20 000 Sl icon.png
530 Ge icon.png
Mods jet engine extinguisher.png
EFS
Research:
20 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
31 000 Sl icon.png
810 Ge icon.png
Mods ammo.png
GSh_301_belt_pack
Research:
9 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
14 000 Sl icon.png
370 Ge icon.png
Mod arrow 1.png
Mods air to air missile.png
R-73
Research:
9 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
14 000 Sl icon.png
370 Ge icon.png
Mod arrow 0.png
Mods heli false thermal targets.png
Flares/Chaff
Research:
9 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
14 000 Sl icon.png
370 Ge icon.png
Mods pilon block rocket.png
S-8KO
Research:
9 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
14 000 Sl icon.png
370 Ge icon.png
Mod arrow 0.png
Mods napalm fire bomb.png
ZB-500
Research:
9 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
14 000 Sl icon.png
370 Ge icon.png
Mods air to air type c midrange missile.png
R-27T
Research:
12 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
18 000 Sl icon.png
490 Ge icon.png
Mod arrow 0.png
Mods pilon rocket.png
S-25
Research:
12 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
18 000 Sl icon.png
490 Ge icon.png
Mod arrow 0.png
Mods pilon bomb.png
OFAB-100
Research:
12 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
18 000 Sl icon.png
490 Ge icon.png
Mod arrow 0.png
Mods weapon.png
GSh_301_new_gun
Research:
13 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
20 000 Sl icon.png
530 Ge icon.png
Mods air to air type c midrange missile.png
R-27R
Research:
13 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
20 000 Sl icon.png
530 Ge icon.png
Mod arrow 0.png
Mods pilon block rocket large.png
B-13L
Research:
13 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
20 000 Sl icon.png
530 Ge icon.png
Mods pilon block rocket large.png
B-13L
Research:
13 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
20 000 Sl icon.png
530 Ge icon.png
Mods pilon bomb.png
FAB-250
Research:
13 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
20 000 Sl icon.png
530 Ge icon.png
Mod arrow 0.png
Mods air to air type c midrange missile.png
R-27ET
Research:
20 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
31 000 Sl icon.png
810 Ge icon.png
Mod arrow right 0.png
Mods air to air type c midrange missile.png
R-27ER
Research:
20 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
31 000 Sl icon.png
810 Ge icon.png
Mods pilon bomb.png
FAB-500
Research:
20 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
31 000 Sl icon.png
810 Ge icon.png

Armaments

Ballistic Computer
CCIP (Guns) CCIP (Rockets) CCIP (Bombs) CCRP (Bombs) Lead indicator
Icon GreenCheckmark.png Icon GreenCheckmark.png Icon GreenCheckmark.png Icon GreenCheckmark.png Icon GreenCheckmark.png

Offensive armament

Main article: GSh-30-1 (30 mm)

The Su-27 is armed with:

  • 1 x 30 mm GSh-30-1 cannon, wing root-mounted (150 rpg)
  • 96 x large calibre countermeasures

The Su-27 uses the same 30 mm autocannon as the MiG-29 with the same limited ammunition count of 150 rounds. Although it is not as forgiving as the American M61 Vulcan and demands precision, it has no spool up time and will deal heavy damage to any aircraft it hits. Something to note is that the Su-27's cannon is mounted on the right side of the fuselage, whereas the MiG-29's mount is on the left.

Suspended armament

The Su-27 can be outfitted with the following ordnance:

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Hardpoints Su-27.png
100 kg OFAB-100 bombs 1 6 6 6 6 6 6 1
250 kg FAB-250M-62 bombs 1, 2 1 1 1 1 1, 2
250 kg OFAB-250-270 bombs 1 1, 2, 6 1, 5 1, 4 1, 2 1, 5 1, 2, 6 1
250 kg OFAB-250Sh bombs 1, 2 1 1 1 1 1, 2
500 kg FAB-500M-62 bombs 1, 2 1 1 1 1 1, 2
500 kg FAB-500Sh bombs 1, 2 1 1 1 1 1, 2
ZB-500 incendiary bombs 1, 2 1 1 1 1 1, 2
S-8KO rockets 20, 40 20, 40
S-13OF rockets 5, 10 5, 10
S-25O rockets 1, 2 1, 2
S-25OF rockets 1, 2 1, 2
S-25OFM rockets 1, 2 1, 2
R-27ER missiles 1 1 1 1 1 1
R-27ET missiles 1 1
R-27R missiles 1 1 1 1 1 1
R-27T missiles 1 1
R-73 missiles 1 1 1 1 1 1
Maximum permissible loadout weight: 8,040 kg
Maximum permissible weight imbalance: 1,500 kg
Default weapon presets
  • Without load
  • 2 x R-73 missiles + 2 x R-27R missiles
  • 6 x R-73 missiles
  • 2 x R-27T missiles
  • 6 x R-27R missiles
  • 2 x R-27ET missiles
  • 6 x R-27ER missiles
  • 80 x S-8KO rockets
  • 20 x S-13OF rockets
  • 4 x S-25O rockets
  • 38 x 100 kg OFAB-100 bombs (3,800 kg total)
  • 8 x 250 kg FAB-250M-62 bombs (2,000 kg total)
  • 30 x 250 kg OFAB-250-270 bombs (7,500 kg total)
  • 8 x 250 kg OFAB-250Sh bombs (2,000 kg total)
  • 8 x 500 kg FAB-500M-62 bombs (4,000 kg total)
  • 8 x 500 kg FAB-500Sh bombs (4,000 kg total)
  • 8 x ZB-500 incendiary bombs

The Su-27 has a fairly wide arsenal. The air-to-air armaments are generally similar to the MiG-29SMT, with highly agile R-73 IR missiles for short-range combat and various marks of R-27 missiles for medium to long range engagements. The Su-27, however, lacks the active-radar homing R-77 missile the MiG-29SMT gets, which deprives pilots of this version of the Flanker of the tactical opportunities that active-radar "Fox-3" missiles provide; such as the ability to turn away after launch ("going cold") or engage multiple targets at once. However it has a large advantage in missile capacity over the MiG-29; a full air superiority loadout consists of four R-73s and up to six R-27s, which makes it an excellent missile truck for BVR jousting.

The extended-range R-27ER and R-27ET are the most capable members of the R-27 family and should be used over their standard variants once unlocked. The R-27ET (and its less advanced R-27T) can only be mounted on the inboard wing pylons for a maximum capacity of two, but this is sufficient for a couple of long-range sneak attacks to round out the Su-27's engagement capabilities. The inboard pylons can also mount R-73s instead for pilots who want to bring as many dogfight missiles as possible.

The Su-27 is limited to only unguided bombs and rockets for ground attack, so unlike the MiG-29SMT it cannot use TV-guided missile or bombs for standoff engagements. One notable feature is that it can carry up to four S-25O heavy bunker-buster rockets made famous by the Su-25, which can be a fun surprise for combined battles when enemy SAMs are suppressed or confused. All rockets are mounted in double racks on the inboard pylons, leaving the other pylons available for R-73s, R-27s, or bombs in a multirole loadout.

Usage in battles

The Su-27 is a fairly all-rounded aircraft, capable of of performing both air superiority and close air support duties, with the aircraft excelling at the former due to its ability to carry a massive arsenal of close to medium range air-to-air missiles like the potent and reliable R-73 and the manoeuverable and high speed R-27ER, whilst for more personal and intimate encounters the Su-27 sports a potent wing root mounted 30 mm GSh-30-1 with integrated EEGS for accurate lead prediction with a radar or IRST lock. The aircraft also has HMD (Helmet Mounted Display), allowing the pilot to lock-on a target within the HMD's arc which possesses a massive gimbal room. One thing to note is that the IR Missile seekers are slaved to the HMD, allowing the HMD to lock your R-73s and even R-27(E)Ts onto your enemies without the need to point your nose at the enemy. This gives the Su-27 a massive advantage in dogfights especially against opponents that lack the same technology.

For ground support duties, the aircraft offers a decently diverse payload options, ranging from conventional and retarded bombs to unguided missiles which featured CCIP support. One glaring issue however is the lack of computer guided munition due to the aircraft inherent nature of being an air-superiority fighter.

In Air Realistic Battles, the Su-27 is a smooth plane to fly, with excellent roll rate and turn speed. At the start of the battle, it's recommended for the player to load the aircraft with 4 x R-73s and 6 x R-27ERs, or exchange 2x R-73s for 2x R-27ETs. After taking off, push for afterburner until you reached ~1,200 km/h IAS and maintain it until contact is made. It's highly advised to stay on deck and follow the terrain to induce radar cluttering whilst en route to the combat zone, this will come in extremely handy when the opposition is fielding large amounts of aircraft which can engage with Active Radar Homing (ARH) missiles which can independently track target without the need for the enemy's radar to directly lock a target. (Datalink and TWS guidance as opposed to Single target track "lock" guidance as required by SARH missiles.) This way, it is easier for the Flanker pilot to go defensive with the incoming first wave of ARH missiles, making use of the low altitude and terrain to survive and subsequently re-engage.

After making contact with the enemy at any altitude beyond the range of 5 km+, you could attempt to acquire lock using your Radar or HMD mode and shoot a few of your R-27ERs at suitable targets to shed some weight, note that the R-27ERs possessed IOG and DL features, the former allowed the missile to continue tracking with the last given parameters whilst the latter enables the missile to reacquire its target after lock is regained, this allowed for some tricky plays like popping off the missile at the enemy, this will encourage them to deploy Countermeasures (CMs) expecting lock to be lost or disrupted, however with the addition of DL, lock could be reacquired and the missile will resume its tracking unlike its contemporary like the AIM-7M. This potentially allows the player to catch the prey off guard thinking that they've already gotten off the R-27ER's hook. At near tree top level, it's highly advised that the player use R-73s instead despite the Su-27's ability to reliably lock targets even at low altitude, it is in no way reliable enough to guide the R-27ERs lest you're flying at an even lower altitude than your enemy. If the fight devolves into an dogfights, the Su-27 have some tricks up its sleeves, that being the Su-27's ability to pull extremely high AOA for a very short amount of time when in the correct speed range (500-700 IAS), this ability should be used with the HMD and R-73 missiles, however you will find yourself out of energy and mostly defenseless if the R-73 failed to hit its target, at very low speeds (~400 km/h) the Su-27 will lose the rate fight against most of its enemies (This includes F-16s, F15s, Jas-39s, Mirage 4000 and more) Due to these reasons above it is best to keep the airspeed above 500 km/h IAS and only pull the maximum amount of AOA to launch a R-73 or to pull in for a gun kill. (another thing to note is that at speeds above 1,200 km/h IAS, the vertical control surfaces will stiffen up). However if you find yourself at speeds higher than 700 km/h IAS, then the Su-27 has yet another toy that is yet to be unveiled, which is the addition of a massive airbrake, specifically designed to enable the aircraft to perform a tight turn even at high speed, regardless the use of this airbrake should be done in moderation as it bleeds the aircraft speed at an astronomical rate which could be a double-edged sword or a lifesaver depending on the scenario it's used in, This allows the Su-27 to turn the table of the fight ever so slightly in its favour if used correctly, allowing the aircraft to enter its manoeuverable speed threshold which could help you get your HMD acquisition of the R-73 on the assailant or just pepper them with your potent 30 mm with the help of EEGS (Note: the R-73's IRCCM uses Gatewidth Tracking which is extremely flare resistant the closer the missile gets to its target, especially rear-aspect, due to the IR tracking scope narrowing post-launch, (like the iris of an eye when facing light). This means it's highly recommended for the pilot to launch the missile preferably from or below 1 km for best effect and from behind enemies.

Notable Opponents:

  • F-16A/Cs - F-16s carry an advantage over the Flanker in manoeuverability, with greater energy retention and rate fighting abilities. What makes the Fighting Falcon dangerous, however, is the AIM-9M. The 9M carries an IRCCM (Infrared Counter-Countermeasure) system that is different to that of the R-73. The seeker of the Sidewinder will shut off when it detects flares, follow the aircraft's expected trajectory (IOG), and then reacquire lock once flares are passed. The only way to defeat these potent missiles is to constantly flare, cut throttle, and change direction. When the aircraft is not where the missile expects it to be after the pilot moves out of the expected path, the 9M will lock onto the recently deployed flares. Spamming large groups of flares sporadically does not work, as the missile will simply reacquire lock once flaring ceases. The best defense against powerful IRCCM missiles is to avoid them in the first place. By catching enemies off guard from their flanks and behinds, any pilot will find success, no matter the plane. The same counts for any other plane fielding the AIM-9M or any missile with this kind of IRCCM. In a dogfight, the F-16's advantage will grow the longer the fight takes, as the F-16 excels in sustained turn-rate fights, which are precisely the Su-27s weakness. When merging with an F-16, you have to shoot them down as fast as possible, ideally in the first turn either with R-73s, the gun, or even an R-27 using ACM mode depending on the range, or your odds of winning will diminish rapidly. The F-16C and AM can also carry the AIM-120 AMRAAM, which can negate your advantage in long-range combat, forcing you to go defensive until the dogfight happens.
  • F-14A/Bs - F-14s are capable of launching AIM-54A/Cs as aforementioned, which could be extremely infuriating to deal with. The only real counter to this is by flying low and perpendicular to their radar lock ("notching"), however even the slightest mistake could resulted in you getting locked on by the AIM-54s if you don't fly close enough to the ground. Luckily, the Tomcat's combat prowess against the Su-27 starts to diminish at closer ranges where your R-27ERs and R-73s will outmatch their AIM-7F/M and AIM-9H/L.
  • F-15A/J/Cs - F-15s are perhaps one of the Su-27s greatest adversaries. With more predictable and easier to use manoeuverability, the F-15s could pull off many tight turns just like the the Su-27 but without losing quite as much speed and energy. Combined with its use of AIM-9Ms and several times the Flanker's amount in gun ammunition, the Eagle can easily pick off the Flanker in close range engagements so caution is advised when engaging.
  • JAS39A/Cs - Engagement against the Gripen is quite tricky for the Flanker, the aircraft possesses superior manoeuverability than the Flanker and Eagle in most cases; combine that with the Gripen's AIM-9Ms/RB-74(M)s, direct short range confrontation is ill-advised as after 3 turns or 2, most fights wouldn't end well for the Flanker, similar to when facing an F-16. The C variants of the Gripen furthermore carry ARH missiles such as AIM-120 or R-Darter which, just as when facing an F-16 or F-15C Eagle, provide them with tactical opportunities to defend against your incoming missiles early that the Su-27 simply does not have.

Pros and cons

Pros:

  • Excellent acceleration and engine power
  • Airframe can pull very tight turns at speeds between ~500-700 km/h IAS
  • Massive assortment of air-to-air weaponry, capable of carrying a maximum of 10 missiles, including six potent R-27ER SARH missiles
  • GSh-30-1 is hard-hitting and capable of incapacitating most foes with a single well landed burst
  • HMD is integrated with IR tracking support allowing R-73s to be launched off-boresight from unexpected angles
  • Flares drop singularly, giving more efficiency

Cons:

  • Massive airframe compared to most contemporaries which makes for an easy target
  • Control surfaces stiffens at speeds higher than 1,200 km/h
  • Has a tendency to snap its wing at high speed whilst rolling excessively
  • Poor energy retention below a speed of 1,000 km/h, will lose speed very quickly in prolonged dogfights.
  • Low gun ammunition requires good trigger discipline and good aim to utilize effectively compared to its American counterparts
  • Incompetent RWR for its rank: The SPO-15 "Beryoza" RWR as found on many late-Soviet era aircraft is an analog system that, as of its current implementation, does not provide nearly as much useful information as the digital Western RWR systems that can identify the exact threat type and precise bearing.

History

Early Development

The Su-27 traces its roots to the T-10 developmental prototype designed by Sukhoi from 1969. The Sukhoi design bureau had won the design contract for a new frontline fighter-interceptor for the Soviet Air Defence Forces (PVO) to replace the Tu-128, Yak-28P and Su-15. The new design had to be superior to future foreign fighters, most notably the US "FX" programme which later became the F-15 Eagle. This programme was called "PFI" Perspektivniy Frontovoiy Istrebitel (Perspective Frontline fighter). Furthermore, it also had to be able to dominate in a dogfight, exceed Mach 2 and be able to search and engage aircraft and cruise missiles from long range. The PFI programme was eventually split up into two; the "LPFI" (Lyogkyi PFI, Lightweight PFI) and the TPFI (Tyazholyi PFI, Heavy PFI). The former was assigned to Mikoyan-Gurievich, resulting in the MiG-29. Sukhoi took on the TPFI instead. The new plane was laid out to be large, with a large fuel capacity and high thrust to be able to exceed a thrust-to-weight ratio of 1:1. It had a blended wing-body layout just like the MiG-29, longitudinal instability (as a first in the USSR, and characteristic of many 4th Generation aircraft) and a full fly-by-wire system. By 1975, information on the F-15 became available. It was found via computer evaluation that Sukhoi's current T-10 design did not meet the requirements and a new fresh start was ordered. Ready on the 20th of May 1977, the new T-10-1, designated Flanker-A by NATO, was test-flown for the first time by Vladimir S. Ilyushin. The T-10-1 was used as an aerodynamic testbed for subsequent production variants. It is distinct from production batches in several key areas: The T-10 has a different forward fuselage with the front landing gear installed much further forward and a thinner, shorter radome. Most notably, the T-10's wingtips are curved (Gothic shape, or Küchemann-tip) rather than the production Su-27's more conventional design. In 1979, after a series of further prototypes, testbeds and tragically fatal crashes, the aircraft was accepted for further trials. With a completely redesigned wing which gave access to missile rail pylons or even the "Sorbtsiya" Electronic Warfare pod on the wingtips, evaluation of the new aircraft continued. Prototype T-10-15, also called T-10S-3 evolved into the definitive configuration that entered operational service in 1984/85.[1][2][3]

Deployment

Manufacturing difficulties at Komsomolsk-na-Amure Aviation Plant (KnAAPO) in the Russian far east kept the Su-27 from appearing in considerable numbers until 1990. The trainer version of the Su-27, the two-seat Su-27UB (Uchyobno boevoy, "Combat Trainer") formed the basis for the multirole Su-30 and its many derivatives. The Su-27 was also adapted for naval use, designated Su-27K (K for Korabelniy "shipborne") (NATO designation "Flanker-D). This variant of the Su-27 added canards to the front fuselage, an arresting hook and carrier take-off and landing avionics in addition to a retractable refueling probe. It was test flown for the first time by famous Sukhoi test pilot Viktor Pugachev in November 1989 onboard the carrier Tbilisi (now Admiral Kuznetsov). The Su-27K would be redesignated as Su-33 after the collapse of the USSR in 1991. The naval trainer version, the Su-27KUB, had the pilots sit side-by-side and served as the basis for the conceptual replacement of the Su-24 for the Soviet Air Force, which eventually became the Su-34 "Fullback".[4]

Operational Service

The Soviet Air Force (VVS) received its first Su-27 in 1984/85. The first unit to use the new aircraft was the 831st Fighter Aviation Regiment at Myrhorod Airbase in Soviet Ukraine.

On the 13th of September 1987, a Su-27 with full armament intercepted a Lockheed P-3 "Orion" Maritime Patrol Aircraft of the Norwegian Airforce. On its third pass, the Su-27 collided with the Norwegian P-3. Both aircraft were able to return safely to their bases.

Su-27s were used by the Russian Airforce during the wars in Abkhazia and Ossetia in 1992, 1993 and 2008. One Su-27 was allegedly shot down in a friendly-fire incident by an SA-75 SAM system on the 19th of March 1993.

The Ukrainian Airforce inherited about 70 Su-27 after 1991. Decreases in defence budgets and economic turndown allowed these aircraft to fall into various states of disrepair, with declining relations to Russia in the early 2010s exacerbating the issue. Since 2022, Ukrainian Su-27 are being refurbished and returned to service in larger numbers. These efforts can be traced back to the early 2010s, with Zaporizhzhya Aircraft Repair Plant beginning to modernise the Su-27 platform to NATO standards, as well as small overhauls of radars, communication and navigation equipment. These versions are designated Su-27P1M and Su-27UB1M.

The Su-27 and its variants are being used extensively by both sides in the current War in Ukraine.

Operational Service outside the former eastern bloc

The People's Republic of China was the first foreign operator of the Su-27 and the only country to acquire the platform before the collapse of USSR. This deal marked a great leap forward in Chinese airforce capability in the 1990s, especially after Chinese relations with the US deteriorated after 1989. The USSR had offered the PRC the MiG-29, yet Chinese negotiators insisted on the Su-27. By 1991, the sale was approved and three fighters were delivered to mainland China before the dissolution of the USSR. License production of the Su-27 in China was approved, where the type was manufactured under the name J-11 by Shenyang Corporation. Some sources claim these initial deliveries of Su-27SK (Serialniy, Kommercheskiy "Serial, Commercial", unrelated to the Naval version) were equipped with Phazotron Zhuk Radars traditionally found on MiG-29 variants instead of the Tikhomirov NIIP manufactured radars used on Soviet/Russian Su-27. Over the next two decades, an additional 78 Su-27 variants were delivered to China. The initial export and license produced Chinese Su-27 and J-11 are unable to use the R-77/RVV-AE Active Radar homing missile due to a downgraded and unsuitable fire control processor and radar. This was remedied with the last batch of 28 Su-27UBK. Today, the PLAAF operates no less than nine variants of the Su-27 platform, ranging from Russian originals such as the Su-27SK, UBK, Su-30MKK and MK2 and Su-35S to Chinese-designed variants such as the J-11B/BG, J-15 and J-16.[1]

Su-27 were also used by the Air Forces of Ethiopia and Eritrea. Their usage during the Ethiopian-Eritrean War constituted the largest operational usage of the Su-27 platform until 2022. Other Operators include Indonesia, Angola, Vietnam, Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan. The only country to so far retire the Su-27 platform is Belarus, who did so in 2012.

Devblog

Development of the Su-27 began at the Sukhoi Design Bureau in early 1971. In 1977, the first prototype was built for testing. Due to a change in the concept of future aircraft, the team of aircraft manufacturers had to design an essentially new aircraft, only partially using the developments of the original project. The new prototype was ready by the end of 1980, and its flight tests began in the spring of 1981. The first Su-27s began to enter service with the armed forces in 1984, even though tests of a number of systems had not yet been completed. Today, Su-27 fighters of various modifications are in service with Russia, China, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and other countries.

Media

Skins
Videos
The Shooting Range #385 - Special section at 06:35 discusses Pugachev's Cobra.
The Shooting Range #385 - Metal Beasts section at 00:26 discusses the Su-27.

See also

Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:

  • reference to the series of the aircraft;
  • links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.

External links

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Kopp, Carlo. PLA-AF and PLA-N Flanker variants. Airpower Australia, 2012
  2. ↑ Gunston, Bill. The Osprey Encyclopedia of Russian Aircraft, Osprey Publishing Ltd. 2000
  3. ↑ Skrynnikov, Sergey. Su-27 Flanker. Concord Publications, 1993
  4. ↑ Kopp, Carlo. Sukhoi Su-34 Fullback, Russia's new heavy strike fighter, Airpower Australia, 2012
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