Russia Sold to Iran the Su-35 Fighter. Why Isn’t Fighting Israel?

National Security Journal ^ | 6/18/2025 | Caleb Larson

[whyilovetexas111]

Well, that alliance isn't so strong after all...

[DCBryan1]

Worst pilots on the planet. 200+ hours for soloing, some 400!

[Regulator]

Article title appears to be transliteration from Russian...

Or YodaSpeak

[MeanWestTexan]

Worst maintenance, too.

I’ve dealt with ME “maintenance” before in the oilfield. There’s a reason Western contractors are used almost exclusively.

I doubt they’re flyable.

[jjotto]

Iran and Russia made a deal last year for Iran to “build* SU-30 and -35s. Delivery of existing ones was rumored but never seen. Russia is in a hot war and needs them.

[ETCM]

Iran never received these fighters. They were built for Egypt, but Egypt backed out of the sale and bought Rafale’s. It would be no surprise if these jets that have been in storage since 2021, are not flyable, and they might well have been cannibalized to to keep Russian Sukhois flying.

[Texas Eagle]

Are these the planes whose wings fall off mid-flight?

[ImJustAnotherOkie]

Pretty scary looking Iranian Jet

[Vigilanteman]

Maybe their pilots remembered the old adage:

Sometimes, it is best to run away and live to fight another day.

[EQAndyBuzz]

Where are the S-400 antii-aircraft batteries Russia sent to Iran?

[jjotto]

Almost certainly already destroyed.

[kenmcg]

Probably being used in Ukraine.

[bray]

Iran has no radar or air defense so the war is basically over. Israel can hit whatever it wants whenever. Every missile launch is the launcher’s last.

[larrytown]

There seems to be a misunderstanding about what the Iranian AF is for.

Internal ‘security’, border and sea lane intimidation, and propaganda imagery.

Not fighting - that might lead to unnecessary aircraft loss.

Being totally serious here.

[Vermont Lt]

Air forces are integrated systems these days.

The fighters themselves are impressive. But without AWACS support and ground radar they are on their own. The F35s are networked with each other, creating a great picture of the situation.

Iran doesn’t have the pieces.

[DPMD]

Yup; it isn’t the plane, it’s the pilot. And the IAF rules the sky.

[BenLurkin]

Who wrote that headline?

[montag813]

I thought I saw a blurb Friday afternoon that Israel had shot down eight Iranian planes

[Georgia Girl 2]

Even if they got a few they probably can’t fly em. You don’t just jump out of a Tomcat or a Phantom into the Millennial Falcon. 😆

[TangoLimaSierra]

Or maybe the one about old and bold pilots.