Could the Russian Su-35 defeat the American F-16 in Battle?

The Lockheed Martin F-16 Fighting Falcon has been a mainstay of the US and allied air forces for decades. Over the years, the aircraft has evolved from a lightweight visual range dogfighter to a powerful multirole warplane that flies the gamut of missions from suppressing enemy air defenses to air superiority.

#defensenews #usairforce #f16falcon

[klardfarkus]

If the f16 is so great why do we keep spending money making new planes?

[glaubdonix]

They will hardly ever meet in air combat. If they do, the F-16 pilot will activate the ejection seat.

[gerumarc]

What infrared system are the F-16s equipped with?
The Su-35 have an OLS-35 (infrared sensor, video camera and a laser range finder) with a range of up to 90 km, completely passive!

[nafis]

Su35 has higher speed and super cruise capability, it can fly faster than the F16 . The faster jet can shoot BVR missile further and earlier than slower jet . It is possible SU35 can shoot down F16.

[pavelneuzil]

that is a good one. An obsolete F16 against Su-35? How many F16 would you need to bring down a single SU-35?

[charlesmugambi]

I don't think a warplane unable to defeat some few terrorists on the ground would've any impact compared with the SU 35s

[aural_supremacy]

In reference to Ukraine and Russia since this is what you are referring to, it’s not how good the planes are when they are closely matched it’s about Air defence and missiles, the aircraft just carry the weapons, experts that actually tell the cold harsh truth have said that US pilots don’t know how to dogfight because for years they have only been in battles with inferior opponents, Russia has hypersonic missiles and according to Col Douglas McGregor a highly advanced and capable air defence system, for Ukraine to keep the F16 they would only go up for a short time release munitions and then hide, this is what they are doing to fire the storm shadow missiles, but the F16 cannot just land anywhere like the Soviet era fighters Ukraine is using so I am reasonably confident based on the assessment of others that the F16 is not going to make a shred of difference.

[gerumarc]

All F-16s delivered will NOT receive any further upgrade.
This means that all machines are at the level of the upgrade from the beginning of the 2000s.

[NothernNate]

Putin says he wants Alaska back. You can't even take Ukraine dude . . . 😂
#PutinWarCriminal

[VioletSilence]

One Su-35 can take on 8-10 F-16s at once in BVR
In dogfight, however, one Su-35 (assuming it has infinite 30 mm ammo which obviously won't happen) would suffice to shoot down the entire existing fleet of F-16

[coyryan]

Another factor into any combat scenario be it visual or beyond are advanced counter measures deployed from either side. Would BVR missiles even track other planes with the certainty they will hit?

[rajaydon]

the su35SM has a lower rcs than the f16 despite its size

[larrysherk]

What a strange question! These two airplanes are in different generations. The F-16 is now an antique.

[electronicacosmos]

Que logística tan mal como creen que el f16 podra con un su.35 .. les va a pasar como los leopar contra los t80 o t90 😂

[posmoo]

Which F-16s? The newest f-16s in the world? the f-16 block 72 that Taiwan has? It has the radar to fight the SU-35. But it doesn't have the weapon. It can only fire the AIM-120C. about the third of the maximum range of the r-37. It would get slaughtered.
But what about the american f-16 block 50/52. It has the AIM-120D a much better competitor versus the R-37. But the Block 50-52 it doesn't have the radar to use that weapon to its full ability. It's a much worse radar than the SU-35s.
But what if you married Taiwanese new f-16s and married it with aim-120Ds?
It would be a much closer fight, close to even, but the SU-35s can still choose to only engage in very long range BVR and then run away and so only inflict losses on the f-16 and not take any. So in place like Ukraine they could never be touched, . Of course if the SU-35s must close after they have shot off all their r-37s, say a invaluable target must be protected, then the remaining F-16s should get many kills.
And what about the f-16B modernized units that the Ukrainians are getting? They won't even be able to fight modernized SU-27s that russia has, nevermind the SU-35. They will never even see the enemy before being destroyed.
But the Ukrainian pilots won't want to be destroyed and their command will never force them to be destroyed for no effect, so they will never challenge Russian combat air patrols over the Donbas and Crimea and the Crimean Sea. What they will enable the Ukrainians to do is have a very effective air defense against many of the older model cruise missiles that Russia fires over western Ukraine. In fact they are the ideal air defense against unstealthy cruise missiles over the west and they will never run out of ammunition - they fire the AIM-120Bs and there are probably 5, 000 surplus AIM-120Bs that can be had for practically nothing across the world?.

[klardfarkus]

Is the f16 finally the game changer that will cause the Russian military to drop their shovels and flee in terror? Game changer fatigue has become a morale problem

[amigatommy]

Some are getting a radar upgrade to almost F-35 type.

[joebloggs]

The ones being sent from Denmark and Netherlands? Yes - with ease as they don't have the recent ACM package which will make them a sitting duck for the SU-35 VBR missiles.

[danielc]

Su35 play in other league combined with the best air defenses in the world . Sorry no math here

[supereminente]

Se acabó el negocio de los cazas gringos