F‑16 versus SU‑30: An Indian pilot's insight on the aerial clash

Western F-16 fighters will soon appear over Ukraine, whose opponents could include Russian Su-30SM aircraft. Is it possible to identify a clear favourite in this confrontation? Former Indian Air Force pilot Anil Chopra has commented on this.

This is not the first time an expert opinion has been voiced in the context of comparing the capabilities of the F-16 with Russian designs. Recently, US aviator Jeffrey Fisher commented on American designs. The expert compared them with the latest designs currently in the Russian Federation, namely the Su-57.

The US pilot indicated that the F-16 has the advantage in this duo. However, it is worth noting that the Russians, indeed, do not have many Su-57s. They currently have about ten copies, so it can be stated with high probability that the opponents of the US aircraft in the sky will be other fighters—primarily the Su-30SM and Su-35. A former military pilot from India assessed their effectiveness in light of the F-16.

Chopra notes that comparing the Su-30 to the F-16 is not entirely accurate. “It’s like comparing apples and oranges,” he explains. He points out that the performance of the Su-30SM should be compared with the F-15. Comparing the F-16, on the other hand, makes sense when evaluating the capabilities of the MiG-29s.

The difficulty in comparing the F-16 and the Su-30 arises from the fact that the Russian design is much larger than the American one. As a result, it is a fighter that is much easier to detect by radar and visually. According to the pilot, the Su-30 has an advantage over the F-16 in manoeuvrability at high attack angles and faster weapon targeting. “The Su-30 demonstrates greater agility and carries a larger payload,” Chopra comments.

However, the pilot notes that the F-16 has a better arsenal of missiles. “Currently, the American AIM-120 surpasses the Russian R-77 in range,” he stated, emphasizing that American F-16s will most likely be constantly targeted by intercepting MiG-31 fighters with six long-range missiles each.

“Pilot skills will be the decisive factor in aerial encounters,” Chopra explains. The expert notes that the F-16s sent to Ukraine will not have “advanced radars and systems that can be found in the Block 70/72 variants” but will still have a chance in combat with Russian aircraft.

According to the Indian pilot, the chance for the Ukrainians lies in a specific strategy, which should be based on quickly closing in on the enemy and firing long-range missiles, and then quickly returning to the base. Ultimately, however, Chopra does not speak very favourably about the American F-16s and says frankly that in most scenarios, Russian fighters could pose a significant threat to the Ukrainians.

Let us recall that the F-16s that will go to the Ukrainian armed forces are designs with a length of just under 10 metres and a wingspan of about 15 metres. Under the American fighter, which accelerates to a speed of about 2 Ma (about 2400 km/h), there is room for armament mounted on nine weapon stations.

For comparison, the Su-30, which according to the expert is not a direct competitor to the F-16, measures nearly 22 metres in length and has wings with a wingspan of 15 metres. Additionally, it can carry armament on 12 stations.