{"id":59837,"date":"2025-06-08T23:32:21","date_gmt":"2025-06-08T21:32:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.outono.net\/elentir\/?p=59837"},"modified":"2026-06-08T00:15:38","modified_gmt":"2026-06-07T22:15:38","slug":"an-f-16-fighter-jet-defeated-the-larger-and-more-modern-russian-su-35s-with-a-little-swedish-help","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.outono.net\/elentir\/2025\/06\/08\/an-f-16-fighter-jet-defeated-the-larger-and-more-modern-russian-su-35s-with-a-little-swedish-help\/","title":{"rendered":"An F-16 fighter jet defeated the larger and more modern Russian Su-35S with a little Swedish help"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>This Thursday I spoke here about <a href=\"https:\/\/www.outono.net\/elentir\/2025\/06\/05\/why-is-the-f-16-still-so-highly-valued-in-a-market-dominated-by-more-modern-fighters\/\">the value that the F-16 still has as a fighter jet<\/a>, and one fact has demonstrated it once again.<!--more--><\/p>\n<p><rel><a href=\"https:\/\/www.outono.net\/elentir\/2024\/08\/04\/the-ukrainian-air-force-shows-off-its-f-16-fighters-revealing-some-details\/\">The Ukrainian Air Force shows off its F-16 fighters, revealing some details<\/a><\/rel><br \/>\n<rel><a href=\"https:\/\/www.outono.net\/elentir\/2025\/06\/05\/why-is-the-f-16-still-so-highly-valued-in-a-market-dominated-by-more-modern-fighters\/\">Why is the F-16 still so highly valued in a market dominated by more modern fighters?<\/a><\/rel><\/p>\n<p>This Saturday at 10:10 CET, <a href=\"https:\/\/t.me\/kpszsu\/35909\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">the Ukrainian Air Force announced the following<\/a>: <em>\"This morning, June 7, 2025, <strong>following a successful Air Force operation in the direction of Kursk, a Russian Su-35 fighter jet was shot down!<\/strong>\"<\/em>. Yesterday, at 10:55 CET, <a href=\"https:\/\/t.me\/kpszsu\/35912\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">The Ukrainian Air Force published this video of the downed plane<\/a>, inserting in it screenshots from <strong>Russian sources confirming the downing of the plane, a Sukhoi Su-35S<\/strong>, and that its sole crew member had managed to eject:<\/p>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/telegram.org\/js\/telegram-widget.js?22\" data-telegram-post=\"kpszsu\/35912\" data-width=\"100%\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/RealAirPower1\/status\/1931457843284070654\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Air Power noted yesterday<\/a> that various reports suggest the <strong>Su-35 was shot down by a Ukrainian F-16AM using an AIM-120 AMRAAM medium-range air-to-air missile:<\/strong> <em>\"If confirmed, this would mark the first air-to-air kill of a Ukrainian Viper. More importantly, it would mean the front-line Russian Flanker was shot down by <strong>an ex-Dutch F-16AM, a variant many considered obsolete<\/strong>.\"<\/em><\/p>\n<div class=\"foto_piedefoto\"><a href=\"https:\/\/live.staticflickr.com\/65535\/54576148665_7de4b459ec_o.jpg\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/live.staticflickr.com\/65535\/54576148665_5c58ee1160_c.jpg\" style=\"width:100%; height:auto; border:0px;\" \/><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"piedefoto\">A Ukrainian F-16AM armed with AIM-120 AMRAAM and AIM-9 Sidewinder missiles (Photo: <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/KpsZSU\/status\/1823298675164004664\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Ukrainian Air Force<\/a>).<\/div>\n<p>This is yet another fact that demonstrates the Fighting Falcon's virtues. <strong>The F-16AM is a mid-life upgrade of the F-16A, the oldest version of this fighter.<\/strong> Several F-16 operators subjected their aircraft to this modernization plan to keep their capabilities up to date, with <strong>improvements to their avionics, electronic warfare systems, and their ability to operate more modern air-to-air missiles<\/strong>, including the AIM-120C-7 version of the AMRAAM, which began development in 1998 and entered service a few years later.<\/p>\n<div class=\"foto_piedefoto\"><a href=\"https:\/\/live.staticflickr.com\/65535\/54575813796_74e56ebdb1_o.jpg\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/live.staticflickr.com\/65535\/54575813796_7411983fcd_c.jpg\" style=\"width:100%; height:auto; border:0px;\" \/><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"piedefoto\">Two Ukrainian F-16AMs with an air-to-air combat armament configuration: AIM-120 AMRAAM medium-range air-to-air missiles on the wing mounts and AIM-9 Sidewinder missiles on the underwing mounts (Photo: Ukrainian Air Force).<\/div>\n<p>In turn, <strong>the Su-35 is an improved version of the Russian Su-27 fighter, an aircraft of the same generation as the F-16<\/strong> (the American fighter made its first flight in 1974, while the Russian fighter in 1977). <strong>The Su-35S made its first flight in 2008 and is one of Russia's main fighters.<\/strong><\/p>\n<div class=\"foto_piedefoto\"><a href=\"https:\/\/live.staticflickr.com\/65535\/53559821751_1a5d045fff_o.jpg\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/live.staticflickr.com\/65535\/53559821751_3401793151_c.jpg\" style=\"width:100%; height:auto; border:0px;\" \/><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"piedefoto\">A Russian Sukhoi Su-35S fighter jet. Today, it is one of Russia's most advanced fighters and the backbone of its air defense system (Photo: Russian Ministry of Defense).<\/div>\n<p>The Russian Air Force had 110 fighters of this type in 2022, at the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Except for the few Su-57s already in service, <strong>the Su-35 is the most modern and advanced fighter in the Russian Air Force<\/strong>. Due to its large size (21.9 meters long and 15.3 meters wide) and its performance (it reaches a speed of Mach 2.25, with a flight ceiling of 18,000), <strong>the Su-35 is Russia's competitor to the most modern versions of the American F-15 Eagle<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<div class=\"foto_piedefoto\"><a href=\"https:\/\/live.staticflickr.com\/65535\/54576047203_627fa873cf_o.jpg\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/live.staticflickr.com\/65535\/54576047203_e5fe2de609_c.jpg\" style=\"width:100%; height:auto; border:0px;\" \/><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"piedefoto\">A Ukrainian pilot in his F-16AM. He's wearing a JHMCS helmet, introduced on the mid-life upgrade (MLU) versions of this fighter. On the wings, we see two types of air-to-air missiles: AIM-120 AMRAAM on the wing mounts and AIM-9 Sidewinder on the underwing mounts (Photo: <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/KpsZSU\/status\/1909177005997797793\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Fuerza A\u00e9rea Ucraniana<\/a>).<\/div>\n<p>Any expert would have said by now that <strong>an F-16AM had a good chance of being defeated in an aerial combat with a Su-35S<\/strong>, especially considering that Russian pilots have more experience with their fighters than the Ukrainians with their F-16s (remember that <a href=\"https:\/\/www.outono.net\/elentir\/2024\/02\/09\/the-first-photo-of-an-f-16-fighter-with-ukrainian-insignia-and-the-details-it-has-revealed\/\">the Ukrainian Air Force debuted these fighters in 2024<\/a>). <strong>That combat over Kursk is a new example of David defeating Goliath.<\/strong><\/p>\n<div class=\"foto_piedefoto\"><a href=\"https:\/\/live.staticflickr.com\/65535\/53901727300_efdf257031_c.jpg\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/live.staticflickr.com\/65535\/53901727300_efdf257031_b.jpg\" style=\"width:100%; height:auto; border:0px;\" \/><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"piedefoto\">A Ukrainian F-16AM in a photo released in August 2024 (Photo: Ukrainian Air Force).<\/div>\n<p>Still, <strong>the Ukrainian F-16 may have had a little help<\/strong> that could have been decisive in tipping the dogfight in its favor. Last night, <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/Tendar\/status\/1931487845815918650\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Tendar noted<\/a>: <em>\"<strong>It is likel that Ukrainian F-16 fighters are already aided by type ASC890 surveillance crafts.<\/strong> Sweden announced to transfer two planes of that AEW&C type back in 2024. Its radar can track targets up to 400 km (250 miles) away.\"<\/em><\/p>\n<div class=\"foto_piedefoto\"><a href=\"https:\/\/live.staticflickr.com\/65535\/54576148715_b35cdca440_o.jpg\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/live.staticflickr.com\/65535\/54576148715_cd839aa262_c.jpg\" style=\"width:100%; height:auto; border:0px;\" \/><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"piedefoto\">A Saab 340 AEW&C early warning aircraft of the Swedish Air Force (Photo: <a href=\"https:\/\/blogg.forsvarsmakten.se\/flygvapenbloggen\/2016\/05\/24\/73-transport-och-specialflygdivisionen-i-standig-beredskap\/\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Forsvarsmakten<\/a>).<\/div>\n<p><strong>The ASC-890 Erieye is the active electronically scanned array radar carried by the Saab 340B AEW&C-300<\/strong>, a Swedish-made airborne early warning and control aircraft. As Tendar points out, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.regeringen.se\/pressmeddelanden\/2024\/05\/militart-stodpaket-16-till-ukraina--ny-formaga-som-starker-ukrainas-luftforsvar-och-stod-som-moter-ukrainas-prioriterade-behov\/\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">on May 29, 2024, the Swedish Armed Forces announced the delivery of two of these aircraft to Ukraine<\/a>, noting the following:<\/p>\n<blockquote><p><em>\"<strong>The ASC 890 provides Ukraine with a completely new capability for airborne radar reconnaissance<\/strong>, command and control against air and sea targets. <strong>It strengthens Ukraine's ability to identify and engage targets at long range.<\/strong> The aircraft provides a comprehensive solution that includes training, technical equipment and methodological support for radar reconnaissance and airborne command and control.\"<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>In addition to these AEW&C aircraft, <strong>in that same military aid package Sweden included Rb 99 air-to-air missiles<\/strong>, the Swedish version of the AIM-120A AMRAAM, which apparently would have been the type of missile used in this combat that resulted in the downing of a Su-35S. At the wrong time, Putin decided <a href=\"https:\/\/www.outono.net\/elentir\/2022\/02\/25\/the-putin-regime-continues-its-campaign-of-terror-and-now-threatens-finland-and-sweden\/\">to threaten Sweden<\/a> three years ago to prevent it from joining NATO...<\/p>\n<p>---<\/p>\n<p><small>Main photo: Ukrainian Air Force.<\/small><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>This Thursday I spoke here about the value that the F-16 still has as a fighter jet, and one fact has demonstrated it once again.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[11546,19536],"tags":[1257,6616,10383,10731,11372,15307,16145,16152,16153,21351,22395,24621,24622],"class_list":["post-59837","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-military-aviation","category-we-said-yesterday","tag-general-dynamics-f-16-fighting-falcon","tag-aim-120-amraam","tag-sweden","tag-russia","tag-russian-air-force","tag-ukraine","tag-sukhoi-su-35","tag-ukrainian-air-force","tag-russian-invasion-of-ukraine-of-2022","tag-saab-340-aewc","tag-kursk","tag-asc-890-erieye","tag-rb-99"],"publishpress_future_action":{"enabled":false,"date":"2026-07-14 21:55:39","action":"change-status","newStatus":"draft","terms":[],"taxonomy":"category","extraData":[]},"publishpress_future_workflow_manual_trigger":{"enabledWorkflows":[]},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.outono.net\/elentir\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/59837","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.outono.net\/elentir\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.outono.net\/elentir\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.outono.net\/elentir\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.outono.net\/elentir\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=59837"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.outono.net\/elentir\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/59837\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.outono.net\/elentir\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=59837"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.outono.net\/elentir\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=59837"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.outono.net\/elentir\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=59837"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}