Sukhoi Su-35 Fighter Jets to Enter Service with Iranian Air Force This Year

(DEFENCE SECURITY ASIA) – Russian-made Sukhoi Su-35 fighter jets will enter service with the Iranian Air Force this year, significantly boosting the country’s air capabilities, which have long relied on aging aircraft.

The development was confirmed by a report from Iran Observer through its official account on platform X.

The Su-35 jets, classified as 4.5-generation fighters, will undoubtedly enhance Iran’s aerial strength, which has struggled to modernize due to international economic and military sanctions.

The addition of Su-35 fighters to Iran’s Air Force inventory is expected to shift the balance of air power in the Middle East, which has long been dominated by U.S.-allied nations operating modern Western-built fighter jets.

Currently, the most advanced aircraft in Iran’s Air Force are MiG-29s acquired more than a decade ago, alongside aging American-made F-4 and F-14 fighters procured during the Shah’s reign before the 1979 revolution.

On November 30 last year, Iran reportedly received its first two Russian-made Sukhoi Su-35SE fighter jets on November 18.

According to German media outlet “Flugrevue,” the delivery of the two jets took place in a private ceremony at the Komsomolsk-on-Amur aircraft manufacturing facility (KnAAPO) in Russia’s Far East region.

“The two Sukhoi Su-35 fighter jets were disassembled into several components before being flown to Tehran’s Mehrabad Airport aboard a Russian military Antonov An-124-100 transport aircraft,” the report stated.

Upon arrival at Mehrabad Airport, the fighter jet components will be transported to the Hamadan Air Base for reassembly, granting Iran its first 4.5-generation fighter aircraft.

The German media report indicated that Iran intends to replace its F-14 Tomcat fighters stationed in Isfahan with the newly acquired Su-35SE jets.

Iran is expected to receive up to 50 Su-35 fighters, surpassing the previously reported figure of 24.

The acquisition of 50 Su-35 jets will enable Iran to phase out part of its F-4 Phantom fleet, currently serving with the 31st Tactical Squadron based in Hamadan.

Defence Security Asia reports that Iran will soon receive six Sukhoi Su-35 fighter jets from Russia, likely to be stationed at Hamadan Air Base, as previously speculated.

All six of the 4.5-generation jets, dubbed “Super Sukhoi,” will reportedly be flown to the Iranian airbase by Russian pilots, according to social media sources.

The six jets are believed to be part of the first batch of several Su-35 fighters that Russia is expected to deliver to Iran over the coming months and years.

The deployment of Su-35 fighters at Hamadan Air Base aligns with the ongoing construction of aircraft bunkers at the site.

Recent satellite imagery analyzed by international defense media shows that the bunkers being constructed at Hamadan Air Base are notably large, suggesting they may be intended to house larger, more advanced aircraft.

Defense analysts speculate that some of the new bunkers may be designed to accommodate the Sukhoi Su-35 fighters that Iran is set to receive from Russia in the near future.

Recent international media reports indicate that Russia has granted Iran permission to assemble Su-35 and Su-30 fighter jets under license within the country.

Observers suggest that domestic assembly could see Iran’s Air Force acquiring over 100 Su-35 and Su-30 jets in the near future.

The collaboration between Iran and Russia on the local assembly of Su-35 and Su-30 jets is seen as “bad news” for several U.S.-aligned nations in the Middle East, as Tehran’s expanding air power is poised to challenge their long-standing aerial dominance. — DSA