With tensions escalating between Tehran and Washington, the Islamic Republic of Iran is reportedly pressuring Russia to accelerate the delivery of Su-35 fighter jets—a move intended to bolster its aging and crumbling air force. The deal, first floated in recent years, has gained renewed urgency as Iran faces increasing military pressure, particularly from Israel and the United States.
However, despite the fanfare surrounding the Su-35, defense analysts agree: these jets will not save Iran. Not now. Not ever.
The Su-35 is a capable platform by Russian standards, but air power is not measured solely by airframes—it is measured by integration, pilot skill, training infrastructure, and the ability to conduct sustained operations under pressure. And on every one of these fronts, Iran’s air force is stuck in the 1970s.
Iran’s pilots, trained under an outdated system, will require years to master the Su-35’s complex air-to-air and air-to-ground systems. By the time they reach combat proficiency—if ever—those same jets would already be obsolete on a battlefield dominated by fifth-generation Israeli F-35s, advanced electronic warfare, and real-time battlefield integration with U.S. and allied forces.
More importantly, the Iranians are inheriting more than just the jets—they are inheriting the logistical nightmare of maintaining Russian military aircraft. Iran’s air force, plagued by decades of poor maintenance and parts shortages, is already struggling to keep its current fleet airborne. The Su-35s won’t change that equation—they’ll only add more complexity to an already failing system.
Let’s be clear: this isn’t a magic wand for the regime. It’s a symbolic move meant to save face and intimidate on paper, but it will collapse the moment it meets modern Western air power. As one Israeli analyst put it bluntly, “The Iranian Air Force will fall like it was sprayed with K-300”—a reference to insecticide.
Israel’s air dominance in the region remains undisputed. With state-of-the-art technology, unmatched intelligence capabilities, and years of combat experience, the Israeli Air Force is more than prepared to neutralize any new Iranian acquisition before it even leaves the runway. If Iran dares to deploy these jets in a real conflict, they will be turned into burning wreckage before their pilots even realize they’re under attack.
In the end, the Su-35 deal is more PR than power. Iran’s regime may try to spin it as a strategic upgrade, but the truth is simple: no fighter jet, no matter how advanced, can make up for decades of decay and defeat.
