Sukhoi- Su-27 Flanker

Quick Summary

• Soviet Superfighter, Long Range interceptor, superb dogfighter. Can do the
• One Gsh-30mm cannon with 149 rounds, six AA-10 Alamo missiles and 4 AA-11 Archer missiles.
• Goes Mach 2.35 Ceiling: 59,000 ft. Range: More than 2,290 mi.
• 2 NPO Saturn (Lyulka) Al-31F turbo fans puts out 17,850 Ibs of thrust and 27,560 with afterburners.

      The Su-27  Flanker is an all weather counter-air fighter with a secondary attack capability. This multirole fighter has a similar configuration to the smaller and lighter Mig-29 Fulcrum.       During the early 1970's, the Soviet government realized that the existing Soviet aircrafts would not be able to compete with the latest of Western fighters. A decision was reached to built a large fighter for beyond-visual-range (BVR) interception (given to the Sukhoi Design Bureau) and a smaller aircraft built for dogfighting (given to the Mikoyan-Gurevich Design Bureau). Sukhoi's design for the large and powerful aircraft eventually became the Su-27 Flanker.       Conceived in 1969 as a long-range single-seat counter-air fighter, the Su-27 was to be equipped with true lookdown-shootdown capability. Boasting an advanced fly-by-wire control systems (not seen in previous Soviet aircraft) the new fighter soon won the reputation as being the most advanced Russian aircraft.       The first prototype of the Su-27 flew on 20 May, 1977. However, computer studies revealed that the airframe was inferior to that of the F-15 Eagle. This resulted in a through redesigning, while retaining some of the original design and configurations. Design works progressed well and the final prototype was flown on 20 April, 1981. The Su-27 was placed in production at Komsomolsk in 1983 and entered service in 1984.   Being the biggest and most powerful of Soviet fighter, the Flanker's aerodynamics are based on the Mig-29 Fulcrum. Compared to the Mig-29, it is twice as big (in area term, ie., a 1.4 linear scale), twice as heavy and twice as powerful. Despite its size, it has a long mission radius. The Su-27 can also outfly even the agile Mig-29, which itself is designed to beat the F-14, F-15, F-16 and the F-18 in close combat. The Su-27 can carry one Gsh-30mm cannon and 6 AA-10 Alamo missiles (the soviet version of the AMRAAM) and 4 AA-11 Archer missiles (the russian version of the AIM-9 Sidewinder). The Su-27 has a manuever that no plane can do yet, the "Pugachev Cobra". First revealed at the Paris air show by Sukhoi's greatest test pilot Viktor Pugachev. As the Flanker makes a low level pass the pilot pulls the nose back sharply while the fighter continues sliding forward. From the vertical or even beyond the fighter snaps back and then forward like a striking snake. Loss of altitude in the manuever is minimal. The Cobra is more than an air show trick; it enables the Flanker pilot to take a snap missile shot at an aircraft directly above or behind the fighter. The Su-27s dimensions are Span: 48ft. 2in. Length: 71ft. 11.in. Height: 19ft. 5in. Wing area: 668 sq. ft.