Russia's UAC delivers third Su-35S fighter batch of 2026

The United Aircraft Corporation (UAC) said on August 27, 2026, that it had delivered a new batch of Su-35S multirole fighters to the Russian Aerospace Forces. As in previous announcements, the company did not say how many aircraft were involved, and it did not name the receiving unit or the base where the jets were sent.

The aircraft went through a complete cycle of factory testing and were run through various operating modes by military pilots before being flown from the Komsomolsk-on-Amur plant to their new posting, according to the company's statement. Images released with the announcement show at least two aircraft.

This is the third such delivery disclosed in 2026, following similar announcements from Rostec in April and May. None of the three statements gave specific aircraft counts. Open-source estimates cited in coverage put total Su-35 production at more than 150 airframes built at the Komsomolsk-on-Amur facility.

An unnamed Su-35S pilot quoted by UAC described the aircraft's roles: long-range interception, escort of strike formations, drone destruction, precision strikes against ground and surface targets, and reconnaissance deep beyond the front line.

The Su-35S has been Russia's main air superiority fighter in the conflict with Ukraine. Ukraine's air force reported that one such aircraft was shot down on the eastern front on July 8, 2026. Separately, an open-source visual loss tracker cited in coverage lists nine Russian Su-35S aircraft as destroyed since the start of the full-scale invasion.