Eurofighter Typhoon vs Su-35: Light and Fast or Big and Maneuverable?

Which Is Better: the Eurofighter Typhoon or the Su-35?

Neither wins on every count. The Eurofighter Typhoon is faster and climbs quicker, and it is a much lighter jet. The Sukhoi Su-35 is bigger, carries far more fuel, flies higher and has thrust-vectoring engines.

The two were built for different air forces. The Typhoon is a European air-superiority and multirole fighter, while the Su-35 is a heavily upgraded Soviet-era Su-27 design.

Where the Eurofighter Typhoon Wins

The Typhoon is the faster, quicker-climbing jet. The database lists a top speed of 1,550 mph (2,495 km/h) against 1,491 mph (2,400 km/h) for the Su-35, which is a small gap.

The climb gap is larger. The Typhoon is listed at 62,000 ft/min (315 m/s) and the Su-35 at 55,000 ft/min (279 m/s).

Weight explains much of it. The Typhoon has an empty weight of 24,251 lb (11,000 kg), while the Su-35 weighs 41,888 lb (19,000 kg) empty. The Su-35 has more total thrust, but it also hauls a much heavier airframe.

The Typhoon’s agility is designed in. It is a canard-delta with relaxed stability, so a digital fly-by-wire system keeps it flyable, and its design limits are +9 g and -3 g.

It can also fly supersonic without afterburner. Wikipedia reports a maximum supercruise of Mach 1.1 for the RAF FGR4, and a Mach 1.21 run on a hot day in a Singaporean evaluation.

On payload the database favors the Typhoon, at 19,800 lb (9,000 kg) against 17,600 lb (8,000 kg) for the Su-35. Wikipedia lists the Su-35S with 12 hardpoints for up to 17,630 lb (8,000 kg) of ordnance.

It also carries a strong missile mix. Wikipedia lists the MBDA Meteor long-range missile alongside the AIM-120 AMRAAM and short-range ASRAAM, IRIS-T and AIM-9 missiles.

Where the Sukhoi Su-35 Wins

The Su-35 is the bigger jet in every dimension. It is 71 ft 10 in (21.90 m) long with a 50 ft 2 in (15.30 m) wing span, against 52 ft 4 in (15.96 m) and 35 ft 11 in (10.95 m) for the Typhoon.

That is the opposite of what this page used to say. The older text claimed the Typhoon was the larger aircraft, and the database figures show otherwise.

The size buys fuel. The Su-35 carries 11,500 kg (3,800 gal) of internal fuel, against 4,500 kg (1,480 gal) for the Typhoon, which is more than two and a half times as much.

So the Su-35 flies farther on internal fuel. Its listed range is 2,240 mi (3,600 km) at altitude. Wikipedia gives a combat range of about 990 mi (1,600 km), against 863 mi (1,389 km) for the Typhoon on a hi-lo-hi ground attack.

Those numbers are measured on different profiles, and the Typhoon’s 2,360 mi (3,790 km) is a ferry range with three drop tanks. Treat the gap as direction, not an exact margin.

The Su-35 also flies higher, with a ceiling of 59,055 ft (18,000 m) against 55,000 ft (16,800 m).

Its signature feature is thrust vectoring. Wikipedia describes nozzles on each AL-41F1S that are canted so the pilot can produce pitch, roll and yaw, which allows post-stall maneuvers at low speed.

The Typhoon does not have it. Thrust-vectoring nozzles for the EJ200 have been developed and tested, but they are not fitted to the production jet.

The Su-35 also has the more powerful radar on paper. Wikipedia credits the N035 Irbis-E with detecting an air target up to 250 mi (400 km) away and tracking 30 targets, though that is a Russian-published claim.

The Typhoon is closing that gap. Its Captor-E AESA radar is fitted to newer aircraft, and Wikipedia says the Captor-M it replaces is mechanically scanned. The Typhoon also has the PIRATE infrared sensor, the counterpart of the Su-35’s OLS-35.

Typhoon vs Su-35 in a Dogfight

Up close, the Su-35’s thrust vectoring gives it a trick the Typhoon cannot match. In a slow, turning fight it can point the nose where the Typhoon cannot.

Using it costs speed and energy, and modern fighters try not to get that close. Both jets are stressed to +9 g, so neither has a structural edge.

Modern air combat often starts beyond visual range. That fight comes down to sensors, missiles, networking and who sees whom first.

No public combat has pitted the two against each other. Any claim about who would win is informed opinion, because exercises are scripted and the relevant performance is classified.

Cost: Typhoon vs Su-35

The database lists a price of $90 million (2018) for the Typhoon and $85 million (2020) for the Su-35. The two figures are close, but the years differ and so does what each one includes.

Export Su-35 prices have also been affected by sanctions. Contracts with Egypt, Indonesia and Algeria were reported cancelled or redirected, so a list price says little about what a buyer actually got.

Who Flies Them

Airbus counted 769 Typhoons ordered as of 30 June 2026. Wikipedia lists nine air forces in service: Austria, Italy, Germany, the United Kingdom, Spain, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait and Qatar, and Turkey has ordered the jet.

The Su-35 has far fewer users. Wikipedia lists Russia as the main operator, with about 110 in inventory in December 2022 and further deliveries since, and China with 24 jets bought under a $2 billion contract signed in November 2015.

Algeria is reported to have taken delivery of Su-35s that were first built for Egypt. Indonesia signed for 11 jets and none had been delivered as of May 2024.

Both have seen combat. RAF and Italian Typhoons flew missions over Libya in 2011, and Russia first deployed the Su-35S to Syria in January 2016. Su-35s have also flown in Ukraine, where Ukraine has claimed several as shot down.

Which Should You Choose?

A buyer that wants a light, fast, NATO-compatible jet with Western missiles leans toward the Typhoon. A buyer that needs long reach, high altitude and a very maneuverable airframe has historically leaned toward the Su-35.

In practice the choice is as much political as technical. Sanctions, supply and interoperability have decided more orders than a single spec row.

Related Comparisons

Looking at other matchups? See our Eurofighter Typhoon vs Su-57 Felon, Su-27 vs Su-35 and F-22 vs Su-35 pages, or the Typhoon vs F-35 comparison. For the wider picture, see the best fighter jets in the world ranking.