14:53 10-11-2025

Russia’s Su-35 Deal with Iran Could Disrupt Israel’s Air Power

By Vitaly V. Kuzmin - http://vitalykuzmin.net/?q=node/464, CC BY-SA 4.0, Link

Military Watch Magazine warns that Russia’s sale of 48 Su-35 jets to Iran could challenge Israel’s air superiority as Tehran trains pilots and prepares for delivery.

Analysts from the American magazine Military Watch Magazine believe that a potential sale of 48 Su-35 fighter jets and R-37M missiles from Moscow to Tehran could seriously undermine Israel’s strategic plans regarding Iran.

According to the publication, Iranian personnel have already begun training to operate the Su-35 aircraft on Russian territory, while Tehran is preparing to integrate the new fighters into its air force. The magazine estimates that the delivery of 48 jets would allow Iran to modernize roughly 15 percent of its aging tactical aviation fleet.

The observers noted that the aircraft could enter service within the next six months, marking a significant shift in regional air power dynamics.

Military Watch Magazine also pointed out that persistent technical problems with the American fifth-generation F-35 — currently operated by Israel’s Air Force in limited numbers — combined with the country’s reliance on older fourth-generation F-15 and F-16 models, make the deployment of Su-35s by Iran a potentially game-changing development for the balance of power in the skies of the Middle East.