Su-35 vs F-15EX Compared for Range, Radar and Payload

In the Su-35 vs F-15EX matchup, the Russian jet claims superior maneuverability and a 400-kilometer radar reach, while Boeing’s F-15EX answers with a bigger weapons load of about 29,500 pounds, an AESA radar and modern electronic warfare. Both are heavy, twin-engine 4.5-generation fighters, but they were designed around different ideas about how air combat should be fought.

12

Air-to-air missiles the F-15EX can carry, per Boeing

~29,500 lb

F-15EX maximum weapons load, Boeing figure

~8,000 kg

Su-35S payload, manufacturer claim

400 km

Su-35 Irbis-E detection range against large targets, manufacturer claim

Su-35 vs F-15EX specifications

The Su-35S is a heavily upgraded Flanker with thrust-vectoring engines, an electronically scanned passive array radar and a long list of Russian-claimed performance figures. The F-15EX, made by Boeing, is the latest Eagle, built for the US Air Force with a fly-by-wire system, a large digital cockpit and an active array radar. Note that all Su-35 figures below are manufacturer claims or Russian-reported numbers, not independently verified.

Head-to-head specifications

Specification	Su-35S (manufacturer claims)	F-15EX (Boeing and USAF figures)
Role	Air superiority and multirole	Air superiority and multirole strike
Crew	1	2 (pilot and weapon systems officer)
Length	About 21.9 m	About 19.4 m
Wingspan	About 15.3 m	About 13.1 m
Max takeoff weight	About 34,500 kg	About 36,700 kg
Engines	2 x AL-41F1S, thrust vectoring	2 x GE F110-GE-129
Max speed	About Mach 2.25, claim	About Mach 2.5 class
Range	About 3,600 km, claim	Reported ferry range above 3,900 km with conformal tanks
Service ceiling	About 18,000 m, claim	About 18,000 m class
Air-to-air loadout	Typically up to 8 to 10 missiles, claim	Up to 12 missiles, per Boeing

Su-35 numbers are manufacturer claims; F-15EX figures are approximate and drawn from public Boeing and US Air Force literature.

On paper the aircraft are close in size. The F-15EX is a bit heavier at takeoff and carries a second crew member, which helps manage sensors and weapons in complex missions. The Su-35S, a single-seat fighter, relies on a more automated cockpit.

Su-35 vs F-15EX radar and sensors

The Su-35S uses the Irbis-E passive electronically scanned array, which Russian sources claim can detect large targets at around 400 kilometers and track dozens at once. Its infrared search and track sensor adds a passive option, as explained in our IRST guide. The F-15EX carries the AN/APG-82(V)1 active array, which has no moving antenna mechanics and supports faster beam steering, better reliability and electronic attack modes, as described in our AESA explainer.

Electronic warfare is another gap. The F-15EX integrates the Eagle Passive Active Warning Survivability System, a digital suite designed to sense and jam modern threats. The Su-35S uses its own self-protection system and wingtip pods, but the real-world effectiveness of Russian electronic warfare against Western weapons is unproven in head-to-head air combat.

Su-35 vs F-15EX weapons and payload

Weapons comparison

Weapon class	Su-35S	F-15EX
Gun	30 mm GSh-30-1	20 mm M61A1 Vulcan
Long-range air-to-air	R-77 family, R-37M (claims)	AIM-120D AMRAAM
Short-range air-to-air	R-73 and R-74M	AIM-9X Sidewinder
Stand-off strike	Kh-59, Kh-31 anti-radiation and anti-ship variants	AGM-158 JASSM and other US stand-off weapons
Weapons carriage	About 8,000 kg, claim	About 13,400 kg (29,500 lb)

Weapon lists are indicative; the exact loadout depends on mission and customer.

The F-15EX’s outsized payload is its clearest advantage. With up to a dozen air-to-air missiles, it can act as a missile truck for other aircraft, while the Su-35S carries fewer weapons but more maneuvering potential.

Which is better, Su-35 or F-15EX

The answer depends on the mission. In a close-range dogfight, the Su-35S’s thrust vectoring and agility matter, though modern missiles and helmet sights have reduced the premium on turning fights. At beyond-visual-range distances, sensors, datalinks and missiles decide outcomes. The F-15EX benefits from an AESA radar, secure networking and integration with US airborne early warning and tankers.

Similar trade-offs appear in our comparisons of the Gripen E and F-16V and the F-35 and Su-57: performance brochures tell only part of the story, since training, maintenance, and the surrounding network shape real-world results.

Who operates the Su-35 and F-15EX

The Russian Aerospace Forces operate the Su-35S, which has flown in combat in Syria and in the war in Ukraine, where operator-reported claims and losses are disputed. China received 24 aircraft in the late 2010s and Egypt has been reported as a customer, although delivery details remain unclear. Sanctions have complicated exports, and several earlier deals stalled.

The F-15EX flies with the US Air Force, which has ordered close to 100 aircraft, according to recent budget plans. Qatar operates the closely related F-15QA, and other countries have shown interest in the Eagle family because of its payload and upgrade path.

Editor’s read

The Su-35 and F-15EX are not mirror images. One is a maneuvering airframe with a powerful but older radar architecture, the other a networked missile carrier with modern electronics. In most realistic scenarios, sensors and the wider kill chain matter more than turn rate.