Identifying Russia's most formidable aerial killer.

The Su-27 multi-role fighter jet is capable of operating in all weather conditions, and its variants remain among the best fourth-generation fighter jets currently serving in the armed forces of Russia, China, and India, according to National Interest military expert Sebastian Roblin.

"The large, twin-engine fighter jet manufactured by Russia is comparable to the American F-15 Eagle, boasting a long range, high speed, heavy armament capability, advanced electronics, and excellent maneuverability," the expert stated.

Roblin stated that the Su-27M, Su-30, Su-33, Su-35, as well as China's Shenyang J-11 aircraft, are all built on the Su-27 platform. According to NATO's classification system, these aircraft are all called Flanker.

These fighter jets often proved more effective in tests than their American counterparts. The final Flanker (Su-35 fighter jet) also demonstrated the differences between American and Russian combat doctrines.

The Su-27's capabilities are incredibly impressive. It can reach speeds of Mach 2.35 and carry eight air-to-air missiles along with a variety of other bombs. The Su-27 is renowned for its extraordinary agility; the aircraft can remain controllable at very low speeds, or abruptly shut down its engines during dives and perform aerobatic maneuvers. Contemporary American aircraft like the F-15 are not capable of performing the "Pugachev's Cobra" maneuver like the Su-27.

The Su-27 airframe has also proven its versatility. The Russian Air Force has equipped it with a range of avionics systems, upgrading it to improve close-range combat and ground attack capabilities. Several countries around the world have even been able to modify the Su-27 to suit their own specific requirements.

Mr. Litovkin also noted that a large number of aircraft prototypes were built on the Su-27 platform.

Military expert Viktor Litovkin stated: "Simply because the Su-27 is a perfect aircraft whose internal design can be modified: new radar navigation systems, new avionics, new weapons, control systems, and even vector thrust engines, surpassing all modern aircraft engines, not only those of the fourth generation, but in some respects even those of the fifth generation. Because not all fifth-generation aircraft, for example, the F-35 or F-22, possess this type of engine, or have the maneuverability of the Su-30SM or Su-35."

The U.S. military focuses on stealth and speed, while Russia continues to develop highly maneuverable aircraft, Roblin concluded.