Watch The Sukhoi Su-35 "UFO" Fighter Jet Dance On Air

Sukhoi Su-35 (Photo: Reuters/Pascal Rossigno)

June 21, 2013 - Russia's Sukhoi Su-35 has such incredible maneuverability and grace that it has been nicknamed the "UFO." (Watch Below)

The Su-35 version of the Sukhoi is even more maneuverable than its predecessors, "New engines enable Su-35 to perform all kinds of stunts," reports Russia Today, "including Pugachev's Cobra, the Frolov Chakra, the Dead Leaf, and the unprecedented Pancake, which is an horizontal 360-degree made turn without losing speed." The Sukhoi is designed for tight, close air support.

A report at Military.com says that the Sukhoi Su-35 "is a Russian heavy class, long-range, multi-role one-seat fighter. Developed from the original Su-27 air superiority fighter, it was originally designated Su-27M and later named Su-35. Due to the similar features and components it contains, the Su-35 is considered a close cousin of the Sukhoi Su-30MKI, a modernized Su-30 variant for India."

The video here shows a "UFO" at the 50th Paris Air Show at Le Bourget Airport near Paris. The air show runs from June 17-23. The show was the first time that a Sukhoi showed off its advanced maneuverability on foreign soil, says Engineering.com. More below video...



The Su-35, says Engineering.com, "is meant to match the speed and maneuverability of the United States’ 5th generation fighter, the F-22 Raptor" (made by Lockheed-Martin). The Su-35's amazing maneuverability is due largely to its ability to change the direction of its engine thrust. "Known as thrust vectoring, this engine technology gives the Su-35 greater control over its angular velocity and altitude." For total geek info about the Su-35, visit Milavia.com. Continuted below video...



The Su-35 is "not a fifth-generation plane like the F-35, with all the attendant problems," reports Business Insider. "It is a 4++ generation plane with all the tried and true basics overlaid with cutting edge avionics and navigation equipment. It's hard to tell which is the better jet, but one of them has no problem flying and that's an issue the F-35 can't seem to shake."

Sukhoi Su-35 (Photo: Reuters/Pascal Rossigno)

Lockheed-Martin's F-35 has had a long and bitter struggle to get approval. It has been criticized as being extremely expensive, and still suffers from a number of technical problems. Even so, reports BreakingDefense.com, "the Marines need the F-35 badly because it would replace their F/A-18s, EA-6Bs and AV-8Bs, all of which are at or over their expected service life." And there is no other viable choice at this time.

Sukhoi is Russia’s major aircraft holding company, employing more than 26,000 people. All of the stock of the Sukhoi Aviation Holding Company (JSC) belongs to the United Aircraft Corporation (JSC), says the Sukhoi website. "The Company is Russia's major manufacturer of export aircraft, placed 3rd in the world in terms of the numbers of modern fighters produced."

Cyberwar! Hackers Hit Lockheed Martin, Other U.S. Defense Companies

May 28, 2011 - A major breach of security has hit major U.S. weapons makers, including Lockheed Martin - and may still be occurring. According to a Reuters report, hackers penetrated the computer systems of Lockheed Martin and other weapons manufacturers, and it is feared that they could have stolen information about future weapons programs. Also at risk is information about existing military technology already in use. The Wall Street Journal reports that a "person familiar with the situation" said that many employees were required to change their "SecurID" passwords. This, says WSJ, was probably done because of the hacker attack, which may have been accomplished by a person or persons using "duplicate SecurID electronic keys made by EMC Corp.'s RSA security division." More about the defense industry cyber attack at WSJ.com... The problems seem to stem from a hacker attack against RSA back in March. Photo: Lockheed Martin

Lockheed Martin's F-35 Seems Inevitable

May 18, 2011 - The U.S. military hopes to eventually get at least 2,400 of the controversial F-35 Joint Strike Fighter jets. It's been controversial (as are most big military orders). The program is estimated at around $328 billion and is intended to replace several other fighters in use by the military. One of the main "selling points" of the F-35 is its ability to take off and land vertically, thereby making it independent of any runway. The F-35 program, a decade old, has suffered from budget woes and political delays. The fighter seems to have overcome most objections and it now appears inevitable that the F-35 will become a staple in the arsenals of the Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps. According to Lockheed Martin, Canada decided to go with the F-35 last July. "The Government of Canada ... announced plans to acquire the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II as the country’s next-generation fighter aircraft," says a Lockheed Martin press release. "The F-35 will replace Canada’s fleet of CF-18 Hornets that entered service in the early 1980s." PATUXENT RIVER, Md. - Test aircraft for the carrier variant of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter have exceeded test and evaluation program goals this year. As of May 11, F-35C test aircraft CF-1 currently at Naval Air Station Patuxent River has completed 36 test flights, nearly half of the program’s goal for the year of 85. More at DefenceProfessionals.com...

(photo: Lockheed Martin)