The most modern fighter. The most powerful air force in the world

The most powerful fighter jet has arrived in Paris fourth generation in the world – Russian Su-35S. He flew there not with the goal of bombing the most beautiful city in Europe, but to take part in one of the largest air shows in the world - Le Bourget 2013. The aircraft exhibition in Paris first took place in 1908, and since then has been held every two years. Our country made its debut here in 1936, and has been a permanent participant since 1957.

This time, 2 thousand companies from 44 countries will take part in the 50th anniversary salon. It is expected that the value of deals that could be concluded during the show will be about $125 billion. This could become a record figure in history.

Our Su-35S took the central place on the main alley of the exhibition. So, get acquainted. This 4++ generation super-maneuverable multi-role jet fighter is a deep modernization of the Su-27. But it can be classified as the fourth generation very conditionally, since in almost all respects, with the exception of stealth technologies, the aircraft meets the requirements of fifth-generation fighters.

This bird is designed to dominate the air by destroying any aircraft, destruction of surface and ground targets, in any weather conditions, as well as ground infrastructure facilities, air defense systems, etc.

The Su-35S is equipped with a strapdown inertial navigation system BINS-SP2. It was developed by the Radioelectronic Technologies Concern, which is part of the Rostec corporation. SINS-SP2 autonomously determines the location of an object without using satellite systems navigation and in conditions of lack of communication with ground services, and the accuracy is twice as high as previously created analogues.

In addition to SINS-SP2, the most important difference between the new fighter and the “4+” generation aircraft was the introduction of a fifth-generation avionics complex. The Irbis-E rotary phased array radar provides guaranteed detection and acquisition of air targets at ranges of up to 200 kilometers, and in a narrowed field of view up to 350-400 km. This system is capable of simultaneously tracking up to 30 targets and guiding missiles at 8 of them, while monitoring the airspace is not interrupted. The radar also provides selection of ground targets. The visibility of the aircraft itself to enemy radar is reduced several times. Protect the Su-35S from enemy missiles electronic warfare, developed by the same concern “Radio-Electronic Technologies”.

The aircraft's armament is divided into small arms and cannon, guided air-to-air and air-to-surface missiles, unguided missiles and bombs.
Today the Su-35S is one of the most popular fighters. As part of the MAKS-2009 aerospace salon, the largest deal in Russia in recent decades for the purchase of combat aircraft was concluded. The agreement provides for the supply of 48 Su-35C; as of the beginning of 2013, 10 fighters have already been delivered.

This is the only aircraft in the world that can make a “pancake” - a 365-degree turn in a horizontal plane without losing speed. Experts from the air show began to speak very flatteringly about our aircraft, for example, engineer Christian Kunowski said the following: “I have been in this industry for 22 years, I have seen a lot, but this flight is something incredible! This is not a fighter, it’s just a UFO! To be honest, I cried with delight for the first time in my life!”

While foreigners admire our technology, you can sleep peacefully, because the skies of Russia are guarded by the best fighters in the world.

The most important evaluation criterion is combat experience. All fighters presented, except for the 10th place (but that’s why good reason), participated in hostilities. Secondly, all cars, without exception, have some kind of clear advantage; most have outstanding performance characteristics.

10th place – F-22 “Raptor”

The only 5th generation fighter in the world, built according to the concept of “first to see, first to shoot, first to hit the target.” Supersonic stealth vehicle, equipped with last word technology has become the subject of heated debate about its price, capabilities and relevance. Literally from the words of the American program: “Why spend 66 billion dollars on the F-22 program if deep modernization of the F-15 and F-16 can give a comparable effect? Because technology must develop, progress cannot be stopped..."
Lack of real combat experience negatively affects Raptor's valuation. The most modern fighter takes only 10th place.

9th place - Messerschmitt Me.262 “Schwalbe”

The world's first jet combat aircraft. 900 km/h. It was a breakthrough. It was used as a fighter-interceptor, blitz-bomber and reconnaissance aircraft.
The airborne complex included 4 30 mm cannons with 100 shells per barrel and 24 unguided missiles, which made it possible to riddled a 4-engine bomber in one go.
Having received the captured Swallows, the Allies were impressed by their technical excellence and manufacturability. What did crystal clear radio communication cost?
Before the end of the war, the Germans managed to release 1,900 Swallows, of which only three hundred were able to take to the skies.

8th place – MiG-25

Soviet supersonic high-altitude interceptor that set 29 world records. In this role, the MiG-25 had no competitors, but its combat capabilities remained unclaimed. The only victory was achieved on January 17, 1991, when an Iraqi MiG shot down a US Navy F/A-18C Hornet carrier-based fighter.
His service as a scout turned out to be much more productive. During combat service in the Arab-Israeli conflict zone, MiG-25Rs opened the entire fortification system of the Bar-Lev line. The flights took place on maximum speed and an altitude of 17-23 km, which was the only means of protecting an unarmed reconnaissance officer. In this mode, the engines burned half a ton of fuel every minute, the plane became lighter and gradually accelerated to 2.8 M. The MiG's skin heated up to 300 °C; according to the pilots, even the cockpit canopy became so hot that it was impossible to touch it. Unlike the titanium SR-71 "Black Bird", the thermal barrier became a problem for the MiG-25. The permitted flight time at a speed of more than 2.5 Mach was limited to 8 minutes, which, however, was enough to cross Israeli territory.
Another remarkable feature of the MiG-25R was its potential ability to “catch” 2 tons of bombs in flight. This especially tickled the nerves of the Israeli military: an indestructible reconnaissance aircraft was still tolerable, but an indestructible bomber was really scary.

7th place - British Aerospace Sea Harrier

The first vertical take-off and landing aircraft (the land version of the Hawker Siddeley Harrier appeared back in 1967). Having gone through a series of modernizations, it still remains in service with the US Marine Corps under the name McDonnell Douglas AV-8 Harrier II. The clumsy-looking aircraft is very photogenic in flight - the sight of a combat vehicle hovering in one place will not leave anyone indifferent.
The main secret of British designers was the method of creating lifting traction. Unlike their Soviet colleagues from Yakovlev Design Bureau, who used a scheme with 3 independent jet engines, The Harrier uses a single Rolls-Royce Pegasus power unit with thrust vectoring. This made it possible to increase the aircraft's combat load to 5,000 pounds (about 2.3 tons).
During the Falklands War, the Royal Navy's Harriers operated at a distance of 12,000 km from home and achieved excellent results: they shot down 23 Argentine aircraft, without a single loss in air combat. Quite good for a subsonic aircraft. In total, 20 Harriers took part in the hostilities, of which 6 were shot down while attacking ground targets.
According to all experts, without the support of carrier-based aircraft, the Royal Navy would not have been able to defend the Falklands.

6th place – Mitsubishi A6M

The legendary deck Zero-sen. A mystery plane from Mitsubishi engineers, which combined the incongruous. Excellent maneuverability, powerful weapons and a record flight range - 2600 km (!) with a curb weight of 2.5 tons.
“Zero” was the embodiment of the samurai spirit, with its entire design demonstrating contempt for death. Japanese fighter was completely stripped of armor and protected fuel tanks; the entire payload reserve was spent on fuel and ammunition.
For a whole year, aircraft of this type dominated the skies above Pacific Ocean, ensuring the victorious advance of the Imperial Navy. Towards the end of World War II, the Zero played a grim role, becoming one of the main weapons of kamikaze pilots.

5th place – F-16 “Fighting Falcon”

The F-16 review is written in the form of a comparison with the MiG-29, I hope this will help answer many questions for readers.

The rule of fighter aviation is that whoever spots his enemy first has the advantage. Therefore, optical visibility in air combat has great importance. Here the “American” has an advantage. The frontal projection of the F-16 almost matches the MiG-21, which American pilots said was almost impossible to visually notice at a distance of 3 kilometers. Visibility from the F-16's cockpit is also better, thanks to the canopy. For the MiG-29, the disadvantage is that the RD-33 engine creates a dense plume of smoke in some flight modes.
In close maneuver combat, thanks to the integral layout and the presence of 2 engines, the MiG has outstanding flight characteristics. The F-16 lags somewhat behind. The MiG-29's turn speed reaches, according to Russian data, 22.8 °/s, while the F-16's turns at 21.5 °/s. The MiG climbs at a speed of 334 m/s, the rate of climb of the F-16 is 294 m/s. The difference is not that big and good pilots can level it out.

The frontline fighter's armament must include both air-to-air and air-to-ground weapon categories. The F-16 has the largest range of weapons at its disposal and is capable of using guided and unguided bombs and anti-radar missiles. Electronics housed in an additional container make targeted use of weapons possible. The MiG-29, on the contrary, is forced to limit itself to unguided bombs and NURS. In terms of carrying capacity, there is a net loss: for the MiG-29 this figure is 2200 kg, for the F-16 - up to 7.5 tons.

Such a huge difference can be explained simply: the MiG-29’s payload reserve “ate” the second engine. According to many experts, the MiG has a largely flawed layout; 2 engines for a front-line fighter is too much. Best said on this matter General designer MiG Design Bureau Rostislav Belyakov on Farnborough-88: “If we had such a reliable and high-torque engine as Pratt&Whitney, we would without a doubt design a single-engine aircraft.” The range of the MiG-29 also suffered from such vicissitudes: the MiG-29 does not exceed 2000 km with a PTB, while the F-16 has a flight range with a PTB and 2 2000-pound bombs that can reach 3000-3500 km.

Both fighters are equally armed with missiles medium range air-to-air class. For example, the Russian R-77 has impressive declared performance characteristics, while the American AIM-120 has repeatedly confirmed its rather modest characteristics in combat. Pure parity. But the MiG-29 has a greater firing range from an air cannon and larger caliber. The six-barreled Vulcan F-16, on the contrary, has more ammunition (511 rounds versus 150 for the MiG).

The most important element is avionics. It’s difficult to evaluate radars because manufacturers hide exact specifications. But according to some statements by pilots, it can be determined that the MiG-29 radar has the largest viewing angle - 140 degrees. The APG-66 radar for the F-16A and, accordingly, the APG-68 for the F-16C have viewing angles of no more than 120 degrees. A significant advantage of the MiG-29 aircraft is that the pilot has a helmet with a “Schel-ZUM” sight, which gives decisive superiority in close air combat. But the F-16 again has its own important advantage- flight control system (Fly-by-Wire) and HOTAS (Hands on Throttle and Stick) engine control system, which makes the aircraft extremely easy to fly. With just the press of a single switch, the Falcon is ready for battle. In contrast, the MiG-29 is manually tuned, which takes much longer to get into combat.
MiG Design Bureau and General Dynamics demonstrated completely different approaches to solving the same problem. Both aircraft implement interesting design solutions and, in general, the verdict is this: the F-16 is a multirole fighter, while the MiG is a pure air fighter, focused primarily on close maneuver combat. Here he has no equal.

Why did the Falcon win, and the MiG-29 not even enter the “Top 10” rating? Once again, the answer will be results. combat use these cars. The F-16 fought in the skies of Palestine and went through the Balkans, Iraq and Afghanistan. A separate page of Falcon was the raid on the Iraqi nuclear center "Ozirak" in 1981. Having covered 2800 km, the F-16s of the Israeli Air Force secretly penetrated into Iraqi airspace, destroyed the reactor complex and returned to the Etzion airbase without losses. Total number of aircraft F-16 victories under the control of pilots from NATO countries, Israel, Pakistan and Venezuela amount to about 50 aircraft. There is no data on the defeat of F-16s in air combat, although one aircraft of this type was shot down by air defense missiles in Yugoslavia.

4th place – MiG-15

Single-seat jet fighter, the name of which has become a household name for everyone in the West Soviet fighters. Entered service with the Soviet Air Force in 1949. The plane that prevented the Third world war.
Literally from the words of the Military Channel: “In Western society, there is an opinion that Soviet technology is something bulky, heavy and outdated. There was nothing like this in the MiG-15. A fast and maneuverable fighter with clean lines and an elegant shape...” Its appearance in the skies of Korea caused a furor in the Western press and headache for the US Air Force Command. All plans for applying nuclear strike across the territory of the USSR, from now on the B-29 strategic bombers had no one chance break through the screen of MiG jets.
And one more important point, - The MiG-15 became the most produced jet aircraft in history. It was in service with the air forces of 40 countries.

3rd place - Messerschmitt Bf.109

Favorite fighter of the Luftwaffe aces. Four famous modifications: E (“Emil”) – the hero of the Battle of England, F (“Friedrich”) – it was these fighters that “broke the silence at dawn” on June 22, 1941, G (“Gustav”) – the hero of the Eastern Front, the most successful modification, K ("Elector") - an overpowered fighter, an attempt to squeeze out all the remaining reserves from the vehicle.
104 German pilots who fought on Messerschmitt were able to bring their tally to 100 or more downed vehicles.
A sinister, fast and powerful aircraft. A real fighter.

2nd place - MiG-21 vs F-4 “Phantom II”

Two different views on the appearance of a 2nd generation jet fighter. An 8-ton light front-line fighter and a 20-ton universal fighter-bomber, which became the basis of the fighter fleet of the Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps.
Two irreconcilable opponents. Hot battles in the skies of Vietnam, Palestine, Iraq, India and Pakistan. Hundreds of downed cars on both sides. A vivid battle story. They are still in service with the air forces of many countries.

Soviet designers relied on maneuverability. The Americans are looking for missiles and radio-electronic equipment. Both views turned out to be wrong: after the first air battles, it became clear that the Phantom had given up its guns in vain. And the creators of the MiG realized that 2 air-to-air missiles were unacceptably few.

1st place – F-15 “Eagle”

Murderer. 104 confirmed aerial victories without a single loss. None of the modern aircraft can boast of this indicator. The F-15 was created specifically as an air superiority aircraft and for 10 years, before the advent of the Su-27, it was completely out of competition.
The first time the F-15 went into battle was on June 27, 1979, when Israeli “Needles” shot down 5 Syrian MiG-21s in close maneuver combat. Over more than 30 years of combat service, F-15 trophies included MiG-21, MiG-23, Mirage F1, Su-22 and MiG-29 (4 in Yugoslavia, 5 in Iraq). No less impressive were the achievements of the Eagles in Asia, for example, during the “Team Spirit-82” exercise, 24 F-15 fighters based on the island of Okinawa carried out 418 “combat” sorties in 9 days, of which 233 were for three days, while the level of combat readiness of all aircraft was almost continuously 100%.
The high flight characteristics of the F-15, its ability to operate autonomously in conditions of the enemy’s use of electronic warfare, day and night, in simple and difficult weather conditions, at high and low altitudes, made it possible to create the F-15E “Stike Eagle” attack aircraft based on its design. 340 cars were produced). By 2015, the troops will receive a “stealth” version of the fighter-bomber based on the F-15 - the F-15SE “Silent Eagle”.
The combat use of the F-15 is the cause of much controversy. Particularly questionable is the fact that not a single Eagle was lost in battle. According to statements by Syrian and Yugoslav pilots, at least ten F-15s were shot down over Lebanon, Serbia and Syria. But it is not possible to confirm their words, because... No one on either side was able to demonstrate the wreckage. One thing is certain: the participation of F-15s in hostilities largely determined the course of many military operations (for example, the Lebanon War of 1982).
The F-15 Eagle is the most formidable and effective combat vehicle, and therefore deservedly takes 1st place.

Conclusion

Unfortunately, many of the outstanding designs remained outside the “Top 10” ranking. The hero of all air shows, the Su-27 is the best peacetime aircraft, the flight qualities of which allow it to perform the most complex aerobatics, but was not included in the rating. The Supermarine Spitfire, which is simply a good aircraft in all respects, was also not included in the rating. Too many successful designs have been created and it was very difficult to choose the best ones.

From the first steps of mankind in conquering the sky, the world has constantly observed the evolution military aviation. Fighters have always come to the rescue of the military and local conflicts, performing complex operations. Today, this type of aircraft has reached incredible levels of development. high point progress. Nowadays, no one can be surprised by the ability of a person to be in the air, but the high technology, colossal combat equipment of combat fighters and the mass of opportunities that open up before them really amaze the mind and excite the imagination. The wealth of power and variety of these combat vehicles encourages the creation rating of the best fighters in the world.

10. Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet

Opens the top 10 best Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet fighters. It is in service with the US Army and is a carrier-based fighter-bomber and attack aircraft. Combat vehicles of this type are very popular for placement on aircraft carriers. This fighter is equipped with a 6-barreled cannon that is capable of firing at a rate of 6,000 rounds per minute. Nine external mounts allow the aircraft to be equipped with a wide range of different weapons, including: missiles - simple and laser-guided, many types of bombs, as well as weapons that allow effective fight against enemy ships, and a system that prevents the aircraft from being tracked on radar.

9. Saab JAS 39 Gripen

The Swedish army has been in service with the Saab JAS 39 Gripen combat fighter for thirty years now, which ranks 9th in our ranking. Its first demonstration flight took place in 1988. Today, this combat vehicle is equipped with some of the best technology in the world. The fourth generation fighter was created specifically for effective combat operations in the Scandinavian terrain - limited plains and harsh weather. The Saab JAS 39 Gripen is armed with a 30mm cannon, various types of bombs (depending on need), several types of missiles (guided and unguided).

8. MIG-35

Russian military genius air weapons– MIG-35 fighter. This aircraft is planned to be put into service only this year (2018), but it has already established itself as one of the best fighters, although it has not yet shown itself in combat. The MIG-35 surpassed its predecessor in many respects. Thus, this fighter consumes less fuel, the oxygen station produces more oxygen, and the duration of the autopilot during aiming is extended so that the pilot has more possibilities conducting accurate fire at the enemy. Among other things, Russian engineers managed to reduce the cost of producing a fighter; for comparison, the French side spends 2-3 times more money on creating aircraft of this type.

7. F-16 Fighting Falcon

The seventh place in the fighter rating is occupied by the American F-16 Fighting Falcon. At one time, this combat vehicle was a leader among the most popular in the world - the low cost of its production and high quality characteristics allowed US military factories to produce these vehicles in large quantities for export to other countries. There are currently over 4,700 F-16 Fighting Falcons worldwide. These combat vehicles have proven themselves in more than a hundred combat operations around the world.

6. Eurofighter Typhoon

The Eurofighter Typhoon combat fighter is the brainchild of four EU countries, which has proven its effectiveness in real armed conflicts. One of the main advantages of this aircraft is the ability to interfere with enemy radars, which makes it possible to adjust the flight of guided missiles. This, first of all, influenced the fact that the Eurofighter Typhoon became very “survivable” - getting into a fighter with such a system is quite difficult. The Typhoon also surpasses its counterparts in firing range (by as much as 100 km). Today there are about five hundred such fighters in the world, and each combat vehicle is manufactured using unique technology.

5. Dassault Rafale

The list of the most powerful fighters also includes the pride of the French armed forces - the Dassault Rafale. The creators claim that the only factor that hinders the incredible rise of this combat vehicle is its high cost. The Dassault Rafale has been in service with the French army for 50 years; it has shown itself excellently in armed conflicts several times. However, today this fighter is used only for training and demonstration flights. Also, its name often appeared in plane crashes, but the French side argued each time that the reason for this was the human factor.

4. Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II

Another development of the US Air Force was the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II, designed to replace outdated aircraft of this generation. The fighter entered service with both the US Navy and ground forces– it is actively used on fleet aircraft carriers due to the short takeoff run during takeoff and braking during landing. Also, the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II is capable of vertical takeoff. After the fighter was developed and entered into mass production, it was exported to other countries of the world, the first of which was Great Britain. The aircraft is equipped with advanced electronics and powerful weapons.

3. Su-35S

On the third line of the rating is one of the best Russian fighters. The Su-35S made its first combat flight in 2008. Based on its qualitative characteristics, the fighter can be classified as the 5th generation. US analysts have dubbed the Su-35S the most dangerous and deadly model ever created in the USSR and Russia. Today, some of the characteristics and combat capabilities of the fighter are kept in the strictest secrecy by the armed forces, so it is not yet possible to fully assess its combat potential.

2. Su-57

A completely new achievement of the domestic military industry is the Su-57. The fifth generation fighter is recognized by domestic designers as the best fighter of Russian aviation. Today, this combat vehicle is on the same level as the American Raptor. Main feature The Su-57 is capable of fighting several opponents at once, who can be both in the air and on the ground. Currently, designers are working on improved camouflage for the fighter. The aircraft is equipped with world-leading electronics and incredibly lethal weapons.

1. Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor

The American Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor ranks first in the “best fighters in the world” rating. In fact, it shares the palm with the Russian Su-57. Raptor is a 5th generation fighter, presented to the public in the second half of 1990. It is capable of performing many purposes and combat missions. On this moment The Raptor is recognized as an advanced development by American designers in this area. Among the advantages of the combat vehicle is complete invisibility from enemy radars. The Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor is characterized as a fighter with high maneuverability, low fuel consumption and a relatively low weight. Only two cases of loss of these fighters in combat operations have been recorded.

10

10th place - Pakistan

The Royal Pakistan Air Force was formed in 1947. The Pakistani Air Force actively participated in the wars with India, and during Afghan war intercepted Soviet and Afghan aircraft invading the country's airspace. Pakistan purchases aircraft mainly made in America and China. The Air Force has 65,000 soldiers and officers (including 3,000 pilots). The state has about 955 combat, transport and training aircraft.

9

9th place - Türkiye

The Turkish Air Force was founded in 1911. By 1940, Turkey had the largest air force in the Middle East and Balkan Peninsula region. The Turkish air force participated in the invasion of Cyprus (1974) and military operations in the Balkans in the 1990s, and is also periodically involved in military operations within the country. The number of personnel is about 60,000 people. The company is developing its own fifth-generation fighter, the TF-X.

8

8th place - Egypt

The Egyptian Air Force was created on November 2, 1930 by decree of King Fuad I. Egyptian aviation took an active part in the Arab-Israeli wars. In the 1950-1970s, the aircraft in service were mainly Soviet-made aircraft. After the break in relations with the USSR, Egypt began purchasing aircraft from the USA and France. The number of troops is about 40 thousand people.

7

7th place - France

Created as part of French army in 1910. The French Air Force actively participated in the First and Second World Wars. After the occupation of the country by Germany in 1940, the national air force split into the Vichy Air Force and the Free French Air Force. The main manufacturer of aircraft is Dassault Aviation. It is engaged not only in the creation of military types of aircraft, but also regional and business class ones. The second largest company, Airbus S.A.S, produces cargo, military transport and passenger aircraft.

6

6th place - South Korea

The basis of the weapons are American-made airplanes and helicopters, but the government South Korea Considerable efforts are being made to organize the production of its military equipment and reduce dependence on the United States in military-economic terms. There are also a number of Russian, English, Spanish and Indonesian-made aircraft in service. In terms of the number of aircraft and the number of personnel, the South Korean Air Force is more than half that of the North, but it is armed with more modern equipment, and the average flight time of its pilots is higher. Since 1997, the Air Force Academy has admitted female cadets. The number of members is about 65 thousand people.

5

5th place - Japan

The Japan Air Self-Defense Force was created in 1954. Until the end of World War II, aviation was directly subordinate to the Imperial Japanese Army and Navy. It was not allocated as a separate type of troops. After the Second World War, during the formation of new armed forces The Japanese Air Self-Defense Force was formed, which received US-made aircraft. After the United States refused to sell the fifth-generation F-22 fighter to Japan in 2007, the Japanese government decided to build the Mitsubishi ATD-X, its own fifth-generation aircraft. At the moment, the number of personnel is 47,123 people.

4

4th place - India

Air Force India were created on October 8, 1932, and the first squadron appeared in their composition on April 1, 1933. They played important role in combat on the Burmese front during World War II. In 1945-1950, the Indian Air Force used the prefix “royal”. Indian aviation has taken an active part in the wars with Pakistan, as well as in a number of smaller operations and conflicts. As of 2017, the number of personnel is 127,000 people.

3

3rd place - China

The PLA Air Force was created on November 11, 1949 after the victory of the Chinese Communist Party in civil war. The Soviet Union played a major role in their creation and armament. Production began in the mid-1950s Soviet aircraft in Chinese factories. The “Great Leap Forward”, the break in relations with the USSR and the “cultural revolution” caused serious damage to the Chinese Air Force. Despite this, the development of its own combat aircraft began in the 1960s. After graduation cold war and the collapse of the USSR, China began modernizing its air force, purchasing Su-30 multirole fighters from Russia and mastering the licensed production of Su-27 fighters. Later, China terminated the contract for the supply of Russian fighters and began producing its own aircraft based on the know-how received. The number of personnel is 330,000 people.

2

2nd place - Russia

Since 1998, they have been a new branch of the Russian Armed Forces, formed as a result of the merger of the Air Force (Air Force) and the Air Defense Forces (Air Defense). The basis combat personnel The Air Force consists of air bases and aerospace defense brigades. During the war years, 44,093 pilots were trained. 27,600 were killed in action: 11,874 fighter pilots, 7,837 attack pilots, 6,613 bomber crew members, 587 reconnaissance pilots and 689 auxiliary aviation pilots. After the collapse of the USSR in December 1991, the USSR Air Force was divided between Russia and other former Soviet republics. As a result of this division, Russia received approximately 40% of the equipment and 65% of the personnel of the Soviet Air Force, becoming the only post-Soviet space a state with long-range strategic aviation. Many aircraft were transferred from the former Soviet republics to Russia. Some were destroyed. In particular, 11 new Tu-160 bombers located in Ukraine were scrapped in cooperation with the United States.

In January 2008, Air Force Commander-in-Chief A.N. Zelin called the state of Russian aerospace defense critical. In 2009, purchases of new aircraft for the Russian Air Force approached the levels of purchases of Soviet-era aircraft. The fifth generation fighter PAK FA is being tested; its first flight took place on January 29, 2010. The 5th generation fighters are planned to enter service with the troops in 2020. The number of personnel is 148 thousand people.

1

1st place - USA

In terms of the number of personnel and the number of aircraft, they are the largest air force in the world. IN modern form The United States Air Force was formed on September 18, 1947, shortly after the end of World War II. Until this moment they were part of the US Army. The number of personnel is 329,638 people.

The United States Air Force provides high mobility for the American military. In this component, no army in the world comes even close to the United States. The Air Force is special kind troops for the United States, which includes two components of the strategic triad: intercontinental ballistic missiles(ICB) and strategic aviation. It is the US Air Force that is a kind of pole of attraction for most of the innovations that Americans are actively using in the military industry.

There are enough people in the world to make ratings of the very best. Usually this is TOP 5 or TOP 10. Military equipment is also popular in these ratings. Of course, it is difficult to talk about their objectivity. After all, all these tanks, planes and ships have most often never been seen in combat conditions, and therefore they are compared based on performance characteristics taken from open sources. In addition, patriotic feelings are superimposed, due to which the compilers of ratings give preference to native cars. Nevertheless, it can be interesting to look at these TOPs.

Today we have the British version of the top five fighters in the world. The comparison was carried out according to the following parameters: speed and maneuverability, level of stealth, weapons system installed on board, cost of production and maintenance. Let's fly!

5. F/A-18E/F Super Hornet - American carrier-based fighter-bomber and attack aircraft

The author of the rating claims that this American fighter is ignored by many analysts, but in vain. "Super Hornets" serve in the navies of the United States and Australia. The USA has about five hundred of them, and Australia has 24 pieces. The Super Hornet has excellent cruising speed and thrust vectoring, but it is not as maneuverable as the Su-35 and F-22. After the planned upgrades, we can expect that this aircraft will remain in service until the 2040s or even until the 2050s. Naval forces The United States loves this aircraft very much and is constantly modernizing it, not wanting to exchange it for something else.

• Maximum speed - 1900 km/h at an altitude of 12190 meters;
• Flight range - 2346 km;
• Combat radius - 722 km;
• The practical ceiling is 15 km.

4. Lockheed The Martin F-35 Lightning II is an American fifth-generation stealth fighter-bomber.

wikipedia

In fourth place is again a product of the American aviation industry. The fifth-generation fighter with stealth technology got off to a very bad start. There were constant news about technical problems, due to which it was necessary to cancel its deliveries and postpone the start of mass production. The cost of the project has long exceeded the planned value. However, the F-35 is struggling, but making its way.

The F-35 is produced in three options: fighter ground-based for the US Air Force, a fighter with a short take-off and vertical landing for Marine Corps US and British Navy and carrier-based fighter for the US Navy.

• Maximum speed - 1950 km/h;
• Combat radius - 1150 km;
• Maximum range flight without

3. Su-35 - Russian multi-role super-maneuverable fighter with thrust vector control engines

wikipedia

Even the British ranked our Su-35 aircraft higher than the vaunted F-35. The Su-35 is the result of the deepest modernization of the Su-27. This aircraft can carry a record eight tons of payload in the form of weapons and ammunition. In terms of maneuverability, the Su-35 is not inferior to the F-22, but is capable of performing unique aerobatics that no other aircraft can perform. About 60 of these aircraft are already in service. It is planned to release 70 more pieces.

• Maximum speed - 2390 km/h;
• Combat radius - 3600 km;
• The practical ceiling is 18 km.

2. Eurofighter Typhoon - fourth generation European multi-role fighter

wikipedia

Well, here we see an example of subjectivity. Since Great Britain took part in the development of the European fighter, the author of the rating placed the Eurofighter above the Su-35. Although the Eurofighter looks quite ordinary in appearance, inside it is stuffed with the most sensitive sensors and innovative technologies. Initially, this aircraft was conceived as a pure fighter, but modernizations have significantly expanded its capabilities. The latest modification, called Tranche, has significantly expanded the capabilities of hitting ground targets, i.e. the aircraft is capable of performing the functions of an attack aircraft.

• Maximum speed - 2495 km/h;
• Combat radius - 1390 km;

1. Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor - American fifth-generation multi-role fighter

wikipedia

In first place, the British put, oddly enough, the American Raptor, which had so many problems that it was discontinued. In addition, this is the most expensive fighter: in 2006 it cost the same as gold of equal weight. Due to availability on board the latest developments The US Congress has banned the export of the F-22. A special feature of this aircraft is its sensitive long-range radars, which allows the Raptor to hit targets without coming into direct contact with the enemy.

In principle, this aircraft can be not only a fighter, but also an attack aircraft, but then it loses the advantage of “invisibility”. In fact, it does not need this feature, which only increases the cost of production. The Raptor has excellent maneuverability, but this is of little use, since pilots are expressly prohibited from performing certain maneuvers in order to avoid loss of consciousness. Therefore, only the most experienced pilots are allowed to fly the F-22. A total of 187 of these vehicles are in service with the US Air Force.

• Maximum speed - 2410 km/h;
• Combat radius - 759 km;
• Service ceiling - 19.8 km.

Let's remember that all these ratings are quite subjective. How can, for example, put in first place a discontinued aircraft that has not proven itself in any way? Or why is a European aircraft, which was already outdated by the time of its introduction, ranked higher than the Su-35? The questions, as they say, are rhetorical. We will be glad that our designers are able to create a car that is not only not inferior to foreigners, but also surpasses them in many respects.