The fighter jets that Russia and Ukraine are using in Ukraine

• After five months of war, neither Russia nor Ukraine have achieved air superiority over Ukraine.
• The Russian Air Force had a surprisingly limited role and did not achieve the results Ukraine had hoped for.
• Both of these forces often use jets for intense air combat.

Since Russia invaded Ukraine in February, neither side has asserted complete air superiority, surprising analysts and officials who believed Russia’s larger and more technologically advanced air force would overwhelm Ukrainian forces.

Five months later, the Ukrainian air force and air defenses continue to fight the Russian air force, which has a surprisingly limited role in the overall conflict.

Russia appears to have scaled back its activity in recent months, but observers reported the downing of 36 Russian and 35 Ukrainian warplanes by the end of July.

The total loss may have been higher, but the reported numbers still show the strength of the aerial struggle.

Overlapping items

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Because both countries were part of the Soviet Union and hosted the USSR’s defense industrial base, Ukraine and Russia have always had similar military aircraft.

Before February 24, the largest fighter in Ukraine’s inventory was the MiG-29, which first flew in 1977 and was officially adopted by the Soviets in 1982.

Developed as a response to the US F-15 and F-16 fighters, the MiG-29 was primarily designed for air-to-air combat. It has a top speed of about 1,500 mph and a ceiling of less than 60,000 feet. It can carry nearly 8,000 pounds of equipment on seven hardpoints and has a 30 mm autocannon with 150 rounds.

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The Su-27 was developed in conjunction with the MiG-29 and was officially adopted by the Soviets in 1985. It was the first operational Soviet fighter with fly-by-wire controls.

The Su-27 is primarily an air superiority fighter, although it can conduct strikes, and has a top speed of over 1,500 mph and a ceiling of over 60,000 feet. In addition to a 30mm autocannon with 150 rounds, it has 10 hardpoints that allow it to carry more than 9,700 pounds of weapons.

Ukraine and Russia are also attacking each other with the same Su-24 and Su-25 strike aircraft.

In the year Adopted in 1974, the Su-24 is a flexible swept-wing attack aircraft intended for interception missions. It has a top speed of 1,000 mph, a ceiling of 36,000 feet, and can carry more than 17,000 pounds of weapons, from missiles to guided bombs, on nine hardpoints. It also carries a six-barreled 23 mm rotary cannon with 500 rounds.

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The Su-25 was adopted in 1993 as a small attack aircraft intended for direct attacks and close air support, with a top speed of 600 mph and a ceiling of 22,000 feet.

In addition to the 250-round 30mm twin-barreled cannon, the Su-25 has 10 hardpoints and more than 9,000 pounds of weapons, including missiles, rockets, guided and unguided bombs, and additional artillery. It also has 6mm to 25mm thick steel and titanium plates around the cockpit, fuselage sections and wings, as well as self-sealing fuel tanks.

The armor and armor of the Su-25 effectively make it a fast, low-flying tank – comparable to the US Air Force’s venerable A-10.

Performance of war

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In the year

Some Ukrainian aircraft were active at the beginning of the war. Su-24s and MiG-29s supported operations around Hostomel Airport as Russian paratroopers tried to capture it. Ukrainian Su-27s have also been seen around Kiev, as well as several MiG-29s, possibly attempting to intercept Russian aircraft and missiles.

But Russian mobile air defense and aircraft have caused a lot of damage. So far, 35 Ukrainian fighter jets have been destroyed: 11 MiG-29, 11 Su-24, four Su-27, eight Su-25 and one unidentified fighter.

There were some losses Friendly fireSince it is difficult for ground-based anti-aircraft systems to distinguish friendly aircraft from Russian ones.

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Despite the losses, Ukraine may have more operational aircraft than at the beginning of the war, as spare parts donated by NATO forces will allow it to repair airframes in stock.

They are Ukrainian fighters and attack aircraft It is still active on the front.. On May 27, Ukraine claimed to have shot down one of its MiGs, a Russian Su-35, a Ukrainian Su-24 and Su-25s It has been seen near combat zones. Ukrainian Su-27 is seen Bomb attack He may have been involved in attacks on Russian oil facilities near Snake Island and Crimea.

Since the start of the war, Russia has increased its air activity. Its jets are seen operating in pairs and occasionally in groups of four.

Russian Su-25s are seen most frequently, probably because they provide close air support. Since they have to fly very low, they are often engaged by Ukrainian air defenses, especially shoulder-fired missiles. So far, 16 Russian Su-25s have been shot down and others have fallen It is damaged.

Special aircraft

REUTERS/Sergey Karpukin

Russia has taken steps to modernize its air force in recent years, which sets its fleet apart from Ukraine’s air force. The most modern Russian fighter jets seen in Ukraine are the Su-30, Su-35 and Su-34, all based on the Su-27 frame.

Su-30 They were adopted in 1996 and the Su-35 in 2014. Both are classified as air superiority fighters but can perform other roles. They also have thrust-vector control, which gives them acrobatic abilities that are a huge advantage in air combat.

The Su-30 has a top speed of 1,300 mph and a service ceiling of 55,000 feet. In addition to a 30mm autocannon with 150 rounds, it has 12 strongpoints that can hold 18,000 pounds of ammunition. The Su-35 is similarly equipped and can reach speeds of 1,500 mph and a ceiling of 59,000 feet.

Also adopted in 2014, the Su-34 fighter-bomber was intended to replace the aging Su-24. With a top speed of 1,100 mph and a ceiling of around 50,000 feet, it can carry 20,000 pounds of ordnance on 12 hardpoints and has a single 30mm autocannon with 180 rounds.

Ministry of Defense of Ukraine

So far, four Su-30s have been shot down, with at least one more Destroyed on the ground. A Su-35 armed with anti-radiation missiles – which it suggests was hunting Ukrainian air defenses – was also downed. 11 Su-34s are confirmed to have been shot down. Three more destroyed planes remain unidentified.

Russian officials and state media say the Su-57, Russia’s fifth-generation stealth fighter, has been used in Ukraine, including by Ukrainian air defenses, but observers doubt the Su-57 is being used extensively in combat.

As in other recent conflicts, aerial drones have played a significant role in Ukraine. Observers have identified that 50 Russian and 23 Ukrainian drones have been shot down in the war so far.

The most common Russian drone is the Orlan-10, a small propeller-driven surveillance aircraft. Space targets, Direct artillery, and even throw small bullets. Russia also operates the Kronstadt Orion, a large surveillance drone, to strike Ukrainian targets.

Ukraine used the Turkish-made Beyraktar TB2 to beat Russia. Targets And control the Russian operations. Ukrainians and their international backers have splashed the cash to buy more drones, even though they may become less effective as the Russian military upgrades its defenses.