How Many Su-27, Su-30, & Su-35 Fighter Jets Does Russia Have? Here's What We Know

When it comes to the nation with the world's largest air force, look no further than the United States. According to World Population Review, the U.S. had a total of 5,213 active aircraft in the Air Force in 2022, which was significantly larger than Russia's 3,864-strong contingent. Now that Russia has lost a considerable number of strategic bombers in Ukraine's Operation Spider's Web, that number has decreased.

Despite sitting in the number two spot, there's no denying that the Russian Air Force projects a great deal of strength in the region. The Russian Air Force operates a variety of fighter jets, including the MiG-31, of which the nation is believed to have 128, according to a 2024 World Air Forces report. While Russia flies several MiG models produced by Mikoyan, it's not the only defense company that outfits the Russian Air Force with fighters. Sukhoi is also a key player in defense manufacturing for the nation, and it makes some of the world's fastest and most lethal fighter jets.

While numerous nations fly Sukhoi fighter jets, Russia's fleet dwarfs them all. There are several models in operation, with the Su-27 Flanker, Su-30 Flanker, and Su-35 Flanker E being some of the most advanced employed by the Russian Air Force, which boasts more than 300 of all three models combined. The Su-30 is the most popular Sukhoi jet and is incredibly important to Russia's strategic planning and tactical operations in places like Ukraine. Here's a breakdown of how many units Russia has of each model.

Russia isn't in the habit of detailing its military strength to the world, and while it parades its toys for the world to see, the nation keeps the total number to itself. However, there are agencies around the world that track this data and compile numbers for the public. A World Air Forces report from 2025 lists the total number of Su-27s, Su-30s, and Su-35s at 384 units, but doesn't break down the numbers for each fighter.

The World Directory of Modern Military Aircraft has an estimated breakdown. According to the WDMMA, Russia has 12 Su-27s, 18 Su-27UBs, 24 Su-27SM3s, and 47 Su-27SMs, totaling 101 Su-27s of various models. For the Su-30, Russia possesses 19 Su-30M2s and 91 Su-30SMs, amounting to 110. The Su-35 is limited to the Su-35S, of which Russia possesses 114.

Combined, the WDMMA's data puts the total number of Russia's Sukhoi Su-27, Su-30, and Su-35 aircraft at 325. That makes for a difference of 59 Sukhoi fighter jets between the WDMMA numbers and those cataloged by World Air Forces. Still, even if we go by the more conservative figure, there's no denying the combat power of 325 advanced fighter jets that are more than capable of taking the fight to the enemy. Russia also recently sold an unknown number of Su-35s to Iran, though it likely didn't deplete its fleet, as Sukhoi manufactures models specifically for export.