T-50 PAK FA and Co: Deadliest Russian Aircraft at Their Best

The Sukhoi Su-27 (NATO reporting name “Flanker”) is the first on the list. The fighter has been adopted by a number of countries worldwide.

Above: Russian Knights aerobatic team performs on Su-27 fighter aircraft during the Military Service Contract - Your Choice event in St. Petersburg.

The Sukhoi Su-27 was created to take advantage in the air. The National Interest admitted that the jet was faster than the American USAF F-16 and the F/A-18.

Above: The Russian Knights aerobatic team of four Su-27 jet fighters performing on the MAKS-2009 international air show's final day in Zhukovsky outside Moscow.

The small and short-range Mikoyan MiG-29 (NATO reporting name “Fulcrum”) comes second. It was developed by the USSR in the 1970s to oppose American USAF F-15 and the USAF F-16 fighters.

Above: A MiG-29 fighter aircraft of the Strizhi aerobatic team at Kubinka air base during preparations for the air show as part of the military parade marking the 70th anniversary of victory in the Great Patriotic War.

The main feature of the Mikoyan MiG-29 is its maneuverability. The jet was widely exported during the Cold War and even now it is still in service, not only in Russia, but the Cuba, North Korea, Syria and others.

Above: People watch as Russian Su-27 and MiG-29 combat aircraft perform on July 7, 2013 during the International Maritime Defence Show (IMDS Show) in St. Petersburg.

Third on the list is the Sukhoi Su-35 (NATO reporting name “Flanker-E”). Though the fighter is a variant of the Su-27, it is notable for its combination of its high altitude capability and blistering speed.

Above: A Sukhoi Su-35 jet figther performs its demonstration flight during the 50th Paris Air Show at Le Bourget airport, north of Paris, Thursday, June 20, 2013.

Back in 2014, The National Interest called the Sukhoi Su-35 “the most potent fighter currently in operation with the Russian Air Force.”

Above: A Sukhoi Su-35 super maneuverable multi-role fighter at the MAKS-2011 International Aviation and Space Show.

The National Interest paid particular attention to the fifth generation fighter Sukhoi T-50 PAK FA. “Sukhoi’s PAK FA multirole stealth fighter flies in a league of its own as Russia’s only direct answer to US fifth generation designs like the F-22 Raptor and F-35 Lightning II,” the magazine says.

Above: Russian first stealth fighters T-50 performs during MAKS-2011, the International Aviation and Space Show, in Zhukovsky, outside Moscow, on August 17, 2011.

With a maximum speed of 1,520 mph, the Sukhoi T-50 PAK FA leaves behind jets of the same class. Several American military officials think that the fighter is more maneuverable than the F-35 Lightning II. “The age of dogfights may be long over, but the PAK FA will carry two 30mm Gsh-30-1 cannons capable of firing up to 1,800 rounds per minute—just in case,” The National Interest says.

Above: A PAK FA T-50 fighter jet performs a demo flight at the MAKS 2013 International Aviation and Space Salon in Zhukovsky.

The Tupolev Tu-160 (NATO reporting name “Blackjack”) tops the list. “It’s incredibly fast for a strategic bomber, outpacing American analogues,” The NI says.

Above: A Tupolev Tu-160 Blackjack strategic bomber planes at the military parade to mark the 70th anniversary of Victory in the 1941-1945 Great Patriotic War.

Moreover, the Tupolev Tu-160 is noticeable for its impressive combat radius of 7,300 km. At the moment, only Russia possesses this strategic bomber; the Russian Defense Ministry announced that the country would build 50 additional modified versions of the bomber, dubbed Tu-160M2.

Above: Russia's strategic bomber Tu-160 or White Swan, the largest supersonic bomber in the world, seen at Engels Air Base near Saratov, about 700 kilometers (450 miles) southeast of Moscow, Russia.