A Ukrainian F-16 downed a Russian Su-35S, likely with AEW support and an AIM-120 missile, marking Kyiv’s first air-to-air kill against the “Super Flanker.”
Kyiv scored another aerial victory, as one of its US-made F-16 Fighting Falcons was credited with shooting down a Russian Sukhoi Su-35S air superiority fighter. The London-based International Institute for Strategic Studies reported that at least five Su-35s had been previously lost in the ongoing fighting, with four credited to Ukrainian air defenses.
Another was shot down in a friendly fire incident in September 2023. Other sources put the losses as high as eight Flanker-E/Ms, counting this latest one.
The Ukrainian Defense Ministry announced on Saturday in a post on X that a Su-35S was shot down near Russia’s Kursk Oblast. It marked the first air-to-air “kill” of the Soviet-designed fighter that earned the nickname “Super Flanker.”
What Happened Between the Ukrainian F-16 and the Russian Su-35S?
Though much has been made about this showdown between the two Cold War fighters, this was likely less exciting an exchange than what might have been seen in a Hollywood blockbuster. A movie version would likely include a dog-fighting scene with quick aerial maneuvers. Still, the reality is that the Russian aviator may not have known his ticket was even being punched.
According to reports from the German newspaper Bild, targeting data for the Su-35S was provided by a Swedish-made Saab 340 airborne early warning and control (AEW and C) aircraft nearly 200 miles from the Kremlin’s fighter.
Two Saab 340s have been pledged to Kyiv, but according to The War Zone, neither has arrived in Ukraine.
Yet, if the AEW and C plane were present, it would have helped the Fighting Falcon track its prey, “either by vectoring the F-16 to a point within the F-16 tracking range or by providing data link to the missile itself for midcourse guidance,” the Kyiv Post explained.
“This ability would only be available if the F-16 were equipped with Link-16, allegedly not provided, or with another compatible data link system in unannounced upgrades to the former-Dutch F-16 AM.”
That likely allowed the Su-35 to be targeted even as it was believed to be well within Russia. According to reports, the aircraft was destroyed, but the Russian pilot was able to eject, and likely lived to tell how he was bested by one of the NATO-provided F-16s!
The F-16 May Not Have Destroyed the Su-35S
The Su-35S was also reportedly destroyed by an AIM-120 AMRAAM (Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile). Designed to operate as both a beyond-visual-range (BVR) and within-visual-range (WVR), the AIM-120 employs inertial guidance and active radar homing for very accurate target acquisition. Its fire-and-forget capabilities also enable the launching aircraft to disengage immediately.
The weapon did the job perfectly, just as it was designed!
“The munition can defeat adversaries at very long distances without even being in direct visual contact,” Stavros Atlamazoglou previously wrote for The National Interest.
“Another capability of the AIM-120 is its ability for several missiles to engage several different targets simultaneously, allowing one fighter jet armed with several AIM-120 AMRAAMs to wreak havoc on an enemy formation,” added Atlamazoglou.
“What makes the AIM-120 AMRAAM very effective is that it is a beyond-visual-range munition, meaning it can engage targets at ranges beyond the visual range. Indeed, the latest version of the AIM-120 has a range of over 100 miles.”
With the Saab 340 providing some extra eyes in the sky, and the AIM-120 as the weapon of choice, it isn’t hard to see how the combat-proven F-16 easily came out on top as the superior “air superiority fighter.” The deck may have been stacked in Kyiv’s favor this time, another reminder that it still has the cards to play!
About the Author: Peter Suciu
Peter Suciu has contributed over 3,200 published pieces to more than four dozen magazines and websites over a thirty-year career in journalism. He regularly writes about military hardware, firearms history, cybersecurity, politics, and international affairs. Peter is also a Contributing Writer for Forbes and Clearance Jobs. He is based in Michigan. You can follow him on Twitter: @PeterSuciu. You can email the author: [email protected].
Image Credit: Shutterstock/Joris van Boven.
