The two countries are going to fight with the same fighter. Both sides are fighting on the Su 27.
The Russian version of the Su-27 has not been upgraded as much as the Ukrainian one. Ukrainian pilots need to keep up with the Russians.
The two teams are Su 27 and Su 27.
After the fall of the Soviet Union, there was a version of the Su-27 that was flown by the Ukrainians. The Ukrainian Su-27 has the same capabilities as the Russian Su-27, but they have changed.
The Russian Su 27 has better missiles.
The Russians and the Ukrainians use different types of missiles. The R-37M has a larger range than the R-27. One of the best air-to-air missiles deployed today is the R 37M.
Are the Ukrainian Su 27s still relevant?
The Ukrainian Su 27 has fallen behind.
The use of active radar guidance on missiles, thrust/weight ratio, endurance, electronic warfare systems and countermeasures, cockpit displays, and perhaps most importantly data links for network centric warfare all provide the modern Russian Su-27 derivatives with a tremendous advantage.
The Su 27s are taking losses.
The Su-27s were shot down by friendly fire, Russian S-400 surface-to-air missiles, and by Russian Su-35s. Roughly three decades behind in technology are the Su 27s. These airplanes need a lot of maintenance to stay in the air.
The Ukrainians have found it hard to get spare parts. The war has made those components unavailable. 19 Ukrainian Su 27s were airworthy before the invasion.
The airplane continues to fly well.
Air and Space Magazine quoted a retired Ukrainian Col. as saying that the Su 27 is very impressive in the air.
It's fast and powerful on take-offs. The Flanker wants to do a barrel roll when you pull the stick to the side. The Su 27 zooms across the sky when you pull up vertically.
There is a human factor.
Russian fighters and air defenses will make it difficult forUkrainian pilots to survive. The quality of the pilot is more important than the Su 27s. Disaster can be caused by human mistake.
The airspace over Ukraine is still disputed, but Ukrainian fighter pilots have achieved their main goal. Russia has more updated airplanes, but Ukraine's pilots are brave.
Many analysts thought that Russia would make quick work of the Ukrainian air force. The Ukrainians have responded. Some pilots with high skill have been in the air. Flares and chaff are used to confuse missiles.
The plane flew with little warning.
The Ukrainian pilots have had difficulty. The runways in the western part of the country are shorter than those in the eastern part of the country.
Is the Ukrainians still able to take on Russia. Despite not being updated as much as the Russian version, the Su 27 is still a quality airplane. Ukrainian pilots are driven by their patriotism. They will have to see how long they can stay in the sky.
The 1945 defense and national security editor is the author of Humans, Machines, and Data: Future Trends in warfare. He was a US Army infantry officer. You can follow him on the social networking site.
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