It was in the early 1980s that the Su-27 was first introduced into service with the Soviet Army that the very first aircraft design bearing the Su-35 designation was conceived.
Both the Sukhoi Su-35 and the Flanker-E, which are improved versions of the Su-27 air-superiority fighter aircraft are designed by the Sukhoi Design Bureau and built by the Komsomolsk-on-Amur Aircraft Plant and are designated by the NATO reporting name Sukhoi Su-35.
The Su-27M was the first designation given to the type when it was first developed by the Soviet Union from the Su-27. It was equipped with canards and a multi-function radar, officially giving it the capabilities of a multirole fighter jet.
The first prototype took to the air for the first time in June 1988. Sukhoi re-designated it as the Su-35 after the Soviet Union collapsed to increase the likelihood of obtaining export orders.
Fourteen aircraft were built and used for tests and demonstrations, one of these aircraft was equipped with thrust-vectoring engines and was renamed the Su-37 as a result of this.
In addition, a single Su-35UB two-seat trainer, which resembled the Su-30MK family, was developed somewhere between mid and late 90s.
Sukhoi began work on a second modernization of the Su-27 in 2003, with the goal of using the aircraft as an interim aircraft while the Sukhoi PAK FA (Su-57) program was being developed.
In addition to having a redesigned cockpit and weapons-control system, giving it the designation of Su-35 with the first flight of the type taking place in February 2008.
Despite the fact that it was originally intended for export, the Russian Air Force became the Su-35’s first customer in 2009, and the Su-35S became the production version.
