It became known why the Su-35S was chosen for Putin’s air escort

Photo: Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation

As cover aircraft for Russian Air Force No. 1 – Vladimir Putin's plane – When flying to the Middle East, it was not by chance that the Su-35S multirole fighter was chosen. This aircraft has unique flight characteristics. This was reported by the Fighterbomber channel, which is hosted by a former military pilot.

According to experts, on December 6, during Putin’s visit to the United Arab Emirates, “a rare event in the history of military aviation and in the history of Russia” occurred. The fact is that the four-engine presidential aircraft Il-96-300 is a long-range aircraft designed for intercontinental range. At the same time, he was accompanied by a flight of Su-35S – front-line aircraft. However, the armed fighters made a non-stop flight to the UAE without giving way to the airliner.

In principle, the channel administrator noted, there are only a few such cases in the world, if there were such cases at all, because there are no other such cases in the world fighters that can fly such distances with weapons, without refueling and without external fuel tanks.

The uniqueness of the Russian air escort, the expert noted, is also in the fact that very few countries, in principle, allow armed aircraft onto their territory except for allied countries. Usually the fighters of the receiving party act as escorts. 

Consequently, the countries through whose airspace our president’s plane flew, accompanied by a Su-35S, trust and respect Russia. “This is such a transparent bell to the whole world that it’s like an alarm bell!” — noted the expert.