The fight-generation Lockheed Martin F-35 Joint Strike Fighter is set to become the mainstay of NATO’s arsenal with the UK Government ordering 17 for their new aircraft carriers.
But, the F-35 is controversial and has been criticised inside and outside the US.
The programme is the most expensive military weapons system in history and critics argue the plane is riddled with design flaws.
Russia and China are not likely to attempt to develop a fifth-generation fighter fleet.
Instead, derivatives of the Sukhoi Su-27 Flanker – such as the SU-35 – will make up the bulk of their tactical air arsenals.
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When considering who would win in a fight between the SU-35 and the F-35, experts at National Interest said: “To counter the proliferation of Flanker variants, the US Air Force, Marines and to a far lesser extent, the US Navy will have to rely on versions of the F-35 even though it was never intended to be an air superiority fighter.
“It was and continues to be a strike aircraft with a robust air-to-air self defence capability even though the Pentagon has pushed it to a be a jack-of-all-trades.”
In the future, the Flanker-E is likely to spread around the world.
The most deadly type is the Russian SU-35, which is a much more improved version.
The SU-35 is an upgrade of the SU-27 Flanker which took flight in 1977.
Its upgrades include new avionics, new engines and a modified airframe.
The new F-35s is not designed to be an air-to-air killer like its predecessor, the Raptor.
The Raptor combines a stealthy airframe with high altitude ceiling and supersonic cruise speeds in excess of Mach 1.8.
But, the F-35 can only achieve a speed of Mach 1.6 in full afterburner.
When asked how a group of four F-35s would fare against a formation of SU-35s, the experts added: “The most likely answer is that they would change course and call in the F-22 Raptors and F-15Cs, which are tasked with gaining and maintaining air superiority.
“Meanwhile, the F-35s would go on their merry way to their assigned targets.
“Whereas a four-ship flight of Raptors cruising at high supersonic speeds in the rarified atmosphere above 50,000 feet can effectively choose when and where to fight, a flight of slower, lower-flying F-35s might find themselves forced to react to better-performing enemy planes if they are not careful.”
Slower speed means less missile launch energy which means a shorter attack range.
The F-35 is not capable of carrying as many air-to-air missiles as F-22 and in its stealth configuration does not carry any at all.
The experts continued: “”If forced into a dogfight, an American F-35 pilot’s superior skills and experience might be the only factor that might save him or her from being shot down.
“Basically, an F-35 pilot should avoid a close-in fight at all costs.”