Russia Unveils New Missile Configuration For Su-35 Air Superiority Fighters During Frontline Operations

Footage released by Russian state media has shown a Su-35 long range air superiority fighter in a new configuration launching a night mission over the southern theatre of the current frontlines between Russian and Ukrainian forces. The aircraft’s loadout includes two heavier and larger missiles, namely one R-37M long range air-to-air missile mounted centrally between the engines, and one Kh-31PM anti-radiation missile. It also carries three R-77-1 medium-range air-to-air missiles, and three R-73/74 short-range air-to-air missiles, for a total of eight missiles. The aircraft further integrates wingtip electronic-warfare pods for improved survivability, which are relied on heavily by the Russian Aerospace Forces when engaging adversaries with advanced anti-aircraft capabilities. The Su-35 is one of the heaviest fighter types in the world, and has a particularly high weapons carrying capacity.

Regarding the possible roles of Su-35s configured with the new eight missile loadout, the Russian Defence Ministry observed that the aircraft were responsible for covering Army helicopters striking Ukrainian personnel and temporary deployment points. With the low cost and abundant R-73/74 providing an effective defence against unmanned aircraft, the Kh-31 can meanwhile be used to engage radar and air defence systems should they be turned on, potentially deterring Ukrainian forces from trying to form radar locks on the Su-35 or the aircraft it is escorting. The R-37M, meanwhile, provides the ability to engage targets at longer ranges of up to 350, kilometres, and can be particularly effective against helicopters and high value support aircraft due to their low manoeuvrability. The R-77 appears the least likely to be used, being too costly to fire against low value drones and too limited in its range to engage targets deep behind the frontlines. It could potentially be used to engage fighters or attack helicopters in the unlikely event that they are deployed for operations near the frontlines. 

The Su-35 in the early 2020s began to integrate the R-37, an oversized missile type developed for the much larger MiG-31 interceptor which combines a long range, a large 61 kilogram warhead, and a very high Mach 6 speed. The fighter’s radar, however is less powerful than that of the MiG-31, meaning it requires support from MiG-31s, ground-based radars, or AEW&C systems like the A-50U, to be able to fire the missile at its full range. Russian Su-35s were in late July confirmed to have integrated the new R-77M air-to-air missile, revolutionising their beyond visual range combat capabilities and bridged the gap with the latest AIM-120D missiles integrated onto U.S. Air Force F-35s. The R-77M is estimated to be much more costly than the older R-77-1, and has not been seen in widespread use. 

The Su-35 has been more intensively combat tested in air-to-air engagements than any post-Cold War era fighter type, with reports from November 2025 having indicated that fighters had forced the Ukrainian Air Force’s newly delivered F-16 and Mirage 2000 fighters to operate exclusively at low altitudes and far behind the frontlines. Ukrainian sources have consistently warned that new F-16 and Mirage 2000 fighters supplied by the country’s European supporters are wholly incapable of matching the Su-35’s capabilities. The Russian defence sector has significantly increased the scale of Su-35 production from 2025, in part due to the unprecedented export successes that were achieved that year. Deliveries in 2025 were reported in December, early November, late September, mid-August, late June, mid-May, and late March. The ‘4+ generation’ fighter’s capabilities have nevertheless fallen increasingly behind the cutting edge, as China and the United States bring their fifth generation fighters closer to ‘5+ generation’ standards, and are poised to begin operationalising sixth generation fighters in the early and mid 2030s.