Documents
Russia Sukhoi
Su-27
Twin-engine air-superiority fighter that became the foundation of an entire family (Su-30, Su-33, Su-34, Su-35, J-11) built to counter Western fourth-generation fighters. Still operated in original or upgraded form by Russia and several export customers.
In service since 1985 · 9 operator countries
Compiled from public sources ·primary reference ↗ ·last verified 2026-07-02
2,500
km/h
3,530
km range
18,500
m ceiling
6,000
kg payload
1.13
T/W
Pricing: Out of production; no reliable public unit-cost figure
Procurement snapshot
Availability & export
Russian state channel
Rosoboronexport monopoly; Western sanctions exposure and payment/logistics risk for many buyers.
Channel: Rosoboronexport (state)
Fielded & proven
Established · 9 operators
In service since 1985. Status: active · ~809 built.
Lifecycle cost (est.)
No public unit price to model from. Why so few systems publish one →
Interoperability
No standardised NATO calibre / datalink detected in public specs.
Derived guidance from public data, export regime by country of origin, lifecycle from the GAO ~30% acquisition rule. Verify eligibility, pricing and offsets with the manufacturer and your acquisition authority.
Compatible munitions & weapons
Publicly reported weapons the Su-27 can carry. Linked items have a full spec page.
Powerplant
The Su-27's engine has its own full spec page.
Full specifications
Performance
Speed, range, altitude and engagement capability.
| Max speed Maximum level speed. For aircraft this is at optimal altitude; for ground vehicles, top road speed. Higher means faster response and better kinematic performance. | 2,500 km/h |
|---|---|
| Max speed (Mach) Maximum speed as a multiple of the speed of sound. Mach 2+ is typical for air-superiority fighters. | 2.35 Mach |
| Range Maximum distance: ferry range for aircraft, operational range for vehicles, maximum engagement distance for missiles. Higher means more standoff or persistence. | 3,530 km |
| Combat radius Distance an aircraft can fly, complete its mission and return without refueling. Roughly a third of ferry range. | 1,500 km |
| Service ceiling Maximum operating altitude. Higher gives energy advantage and sensor horizon. | 18,500 m |
| Thrust-to-weight Engine thrust divided by loaded weight. Above 1.0 the aircraft can accelerate going straight up. On a standalone engine record, this is the engine's own thrust divided by its dry weight, the standard figure of merit for jet engines. | 1.13 |
Firepower
Armament, payload and guidance.
| Main armament Primary weapon: main gun, cannon or missile type. | 30 mm GSh-30-1 cannon |
|---|---|
| Hardpoints External stations for weapons and pods. More means bigger and more flexible loadouts. | 10 |
| Weapons payload Maximum ordnance weight the platform can carry. Higher means more strike capacity per sortie. | 6,000 kg |
Protection
Armor, countermeasures and survivability.
| Countermeasures Self-protection: chaff, flares, DIRCM, towed decoys, smoke dischargers, jammers. | chaff, flares, internal EW suite |
|---|
Physical
Dimensions, weight and crew.
| Length Overall length including gun/probe where applicable. | 21.9 m |
|---|---|
| Wingspan Wingtip-to-wingtip span. | 14.7 m |
| Height Overall height. Lower profile is harder to spot and hit for ground vehicles. | 5.93 m |
| Empty weight Weight without fuel, ammunition or crew. | 16,380 kg |
| Combat weight Fully loaded weight. Lighter eases transport and bridging limits; heavier often means more armor. | 23,430 kg |
| Crew Personnel required to operate. Fewer reduces exposure; autoloaders trade a loader for mechanical complexity. | 1 |
Propulsion
Engine, power and fuel.
| Engine Powerplant model and type. | 2x Saturn AL-31F afterburning turbofans |
|---|---|
| Engines Number of engines. Twin-engine gives redundancy at higher cost. | 2 |
| Thrust Total engine thrust (with afterburner where applicable). | 123 kN |
| Fuel capacity Internal fuel volume. | 9,400 L |
| Propulsion type Turbofan, turboshaft, diesel, gas turbine, solid-fuel rocket, ramjet… | Turbofan |
Sensors & avionics
Radar, sensor suite and datalinks.
| Radar Primary radar. AESA (active electronically scanned array) is the current state of the art. | N001 Myech pulse-Doppler radar |
|---|---|
| Sensors IRST, EO/IR turrets, laser designators, sniper pods, thermal sights. | OEPS-27 infrared search and track |
Program
Cost, production scale and operators.
| Units built Total production run. Higher means proven manufacturing, mature logistics and spares availability. | 809 |
|---|---|
| Operator countries Number of countries operating the system. More operators means broader support ecosystem. | 9 |
Specifications compiled from public Sukhoi and reference sources ↗. Published defense figures are approximations, treat comparisons as directional. Last verified 2026-07-02.
Compare with rivals
See how it stacks up
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Su-27 vs
J-35 Frequently asked questions
What is the top speed of the Sukhoi Su-27? +
The Sukhoi Su-27 has a maximum speed of 2,500 km/h.
What is the range of the Sukhoi Su-27? +
The Sukhoi Su-27 has a maximum range of 3,530 km.
What is the weapons payload of the Sukhoi Su-27? +
The Sukhoi Su-27 can carry up to 6,000 kg of weapons payload.
How much does the Sukhoi Su-27 weigh? +
The Sukhoi Su-27 has a combat weight of 23,430 kg.
How many crew does the Sukhoi Su-27 require? +
The Sukhoi Su-27 requires a crew of 1.
What is the main armament of the Sukhoi Su-27? +
The Sukhoi Su-27's primary weapon is the 30 mm GSh-30-1 cannon.
What engine does the Sukhoi Su-27 use? +
The Sukhoi Su-27 is powered by the 2x Saturn AL-31F afterburning turbofans.
What is the Sukhoi Su-27 used for? +
The Sukhoi Su-27 is a fighter aircraft typically used for air superiority.
How many countries operate the Sukhoi Su-27? +
The Sukhoi Su-27 is operated by 9 countries.
How much does the Sukhoi Su-27 cost? +
Sukhoi Su-27: Out of production; no reliable public unit-cost figure. Defense program costs are rarely fully public and vary by contract and configuration.
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