Russia Expands Su‑35S Fighter Jet Mission Profile With Twin Kh‑31P Missiles For Anti‑Radar Strikes
{loadposition bannertop}
{loadposition sidebarpub}
New footage from Russia’s Defense Ministry shows a Su-35S multirole fighter armed with two Kh-31P anti-radiation missiles during patrols over southern Ukraine. The configuration highlights a shift toward assigning radar-suppression roles to frontline fighters as the air campaign adapts.
On 11 November 2025, new footage released by Russian MoD shows a Su-35S taking off on a combat air patrol while covering strikes in the southern sector. The aircraft is clearly filmed with an unusually heavy anti-radiation fit, a detail that sheds light on how missions are being assigned as the air war evolves. This is relevant because it indicates a broader distribution of anti-radar duties across fighter units, beyond dedicated strike platforms, to maintain pressure on Ukrainian ground-based air defenses.
Follow Army Recognition on Google News at this link
Russia’s Su‑35S fighter was filmed carrying twin Kh‑31P anti‑radiation missiles, underscoring its evolving role in suppressing Ukrainian air defenses (Picture Source: Russian MoD)
The platform shown is a Su-35S, Russia’s principal multirole air-superiority fighter, departing with two Kh-31PM anti-radiation missiles mounted under the wings. In the same sequence, the jet also carries a mixed air-to-air set that appears to include members of the R-77 family and possibly an R-37M for long-range counter-air coverage, a pattern consistent with how Su-35S units balance self-protection with strike escort. While such mixed fits are routine, the presence of two live Kh-31P-series missiles on a Su-35S in official footage is uncommon; earlier Russian releases more often depicted a single ARM on this type. Documented imagery of dual-missile Su-35S loadouts was previously noted in 2022, underscoring the rarity of today’s depiction.
Operationally, the Su-35S has participated in counter-air and escort missions since the outset of the conflict, with anti-radiation shots from Su-30SM and Su-35S documented alongside Su-34 strikes. The new video’s narrative states the jet was providing cover for bombers, attack aircraft and army aviation during strikes in support of the “South” grouping, aligning with observed patterns in which frontline fighters both guard strike packages and retain the option to prosecute hostile emitters. Open-source analysis during 2022–2024 similarly recorded routine Russian use of Kh-31P/PM to pressure Ukrainian radars, even when air superiority remained contested.
The Kh-31P family is central to this loadout. The baseline Kh-31P is a ramjet-powered anti-radiation missile with a published range of up to 110 km and an 87 kg warhead, homing passively on radar emissions. The modernized Kh-31PM variant, seen in recent Russian releases, is reported to extend engagement range significantly, open sources place it roughly around 150 miles when launched from favorable conditions, and to employ a broadband seeker able to address diverse air-defense radars. In practical terms, carrying two such weapons increases the chance of rapid re-attack if a defended radar shuts down or if multiple emitters appear in quick succession.
A comparison with Western counterparts is instructive. Northrop Grumman’s AGM-88E AARGM and the newer AARGM-ER add GPS/INS and a millimeter-wave terminal seeker to defeat shutdown tactics and improve terminal accuracy, with the ER variant focused on much greater standoff. Russia’s approach with Kh-31PM emphasizes very high speed via ramjet propulsion and expanded seeker coverage, trading a multi-sensor terminal package for velocity and a well-established integration across Flanker-family aircraft. In a mixed escort role, pairing two Kh-31P/PM with R-77-1 and, potentially, an R-37M allows the Su-35S to deter airborne threats while keeping options open against hostile radars beyond the forward line of troops.
From a force-employment perspective, showing a Su-35S with two ARMs signals an intent to distribute anti-radar duties across high-end fighters, not only specialized strike aircraft. Historically, Russian Su-34s have been the principal anti-radar and strike platform, with Su-30SM and Su-35S contributing episodically. Official imagery in March 2022 already showed Su-35S configured for anti-radar missions; today’s footage suggests that practice is again prominent, reflecting operational demand. This aligns with the continued evolution of Ukraine’s layered air-defense network, Patriot, IRIS-T SLM and other Western systems, forcing Russian aviation to combine escort, counter-radar pressure and standoff strike support in the same sortie.
Strategically, the appearance carries several implications. Geopolitically, it points to sustained Russian investment in keeping Ukrainian sensors under intermittent pressure as winter approaches and as Kyiv continues to field Western-supplied systems and munitions. Geostrategically, a heavier anti-radar fit on air-superiority fighters improves sortie flexibility: a patrol can rapidly transition from shield to sensor-neutralization without calling in a dedicated strike cell, compressing the kill chain against radars that briefly light up. Militarily, the twin-missile configuration increases the probability of defeating radar survival tactics, whether through immediate restrike or simultaneous engagement of multiple emitters, while the accompanying R-77-1 and potential R-37M provide layered air-to-air reach to manage aerial threats during the same mission window.
The Russian MoD’s video offers a rare official view of a Su-35S prepared to conduct robust anti-radar actions while escorting strikes. The twin Kh-31P-series loadout suggests a drive to compress reaction times against Ukrainian radars and to spread this mission set across more of the VKS fighter force. If repeated at scale, this posture would reinforce Russia’s ability to hold Ukrainian sensors at risk during high-tempo strike cycles while retaining credible counter-air options, an economy of effort that matters as both sides adapt their air-defense and counter-defense playbooks.
Written by Teoman S. Nicanci – Defense Analyst, Army Recognition Group
Teoman S. Nicanci holds degrees in Political Science, Comparative and International Politics, and International Relations and Diplomacy from leading Belgian universities, with research focused on Russian strategic behavior, defense technology, and modern warfare. He is a defense analyst at Army Recognition, specializing in the global defense industry, military armament, and emerging defense technologies.
{loadposition bannertop}
{loadposition sidebarpub}
New footage from Russia’s Defense Ministry shows a Su-35S multirole fighter armed with two Kh-31P anti-radiation missiles during patrols over southern Ukraine. The configuration highlights a shift toward assigning radar-suppression roles to frontline fighters as the air campaign adapts.
On 11 November 2025, new footage released by Russian MoD shows a Su-35S taking off on a combat air patrol while covering strikes in the southern sector. The aircraft is clearly filmed with an unusually heavy anti-radiation fit, a detail that sheds light on how missions are being assigned as the air war evolves. This is relevant because it indicates a broader distribution of anti-radar duties across fighter units, beyond dedicated strike platforms, to maintain pressure on Ukrainian ground-based air defenses.
Russia’s Su‑35S fighter was filmed carrying twin Kh‑31P anti‑radiation missiles, underscoring its evolving role in suppressing Ukrainian air defenses (Picture Source: Russian MoD)
The platform shown is a Su-35S, Russia’s principal multirole air-superiority fighter, departing with two Kh-31PM anti-radiation missiles mounted under the wings. In the same sequence, the jet also carries a mixed air-to-air set that appears to include members of the R-77 family and possibly an R-37M for long-range counter-air coverage, a pattern consistent with how Su-35S units balance self-protection with strike escort. While such mixed fits are routine, the presence of two live Kh-31P-series missiles on a Su-35S in official footage is uncommon; earlier Russian releases more often depicted a single ARM on this type. Documented imagery of dual-missile Su-35S loadouts was previously noted in 2022, underscoring the rarity of today’s depiction.
Operationally, the Su-35S has participated in counter-air and escort missions since the outset of the conflict, with anti-radiation shots from Su-30SM and Su-35S documented alongside Su-34 strikes. The new video’s narrative states the jet was providing cover for bombers, attack aircraft and army aviation during strikes in support of the “South” grouping, aligning with observed patterns in which frontline fighters both guard strike packages and retain the option to prosecute hostile emitters. Open-source analysis during 2022–2024 similarly recorded routine Russian use of Kh-31P/PM to pressure Ukrainian radars, even when air superiority remained contested.
The Kh-31P family is central to this loadout. The baseline Kh-31P is a ramjet-powered anti-radiation missile with a published range of up to 110 km and an 87 kg warhead, homing passively on radar emissions. The modernized Kh-31PM variant, seen in recent Russian releases, is reported to extend engagement range significantly, open sources place it roughly around 150 miles when launched from favorable conditions, and to employ a broadband seeker able to address diverse air-defense radars. In practical terms, carrying two such weapons increases the chance of rapid re-attack if a defended radar shuts down or if multiple emitters appear in quick succession.
A comparison with Western counterparts is instructive. Northrop Grumman’s AGM-88E AARGM and the newer AARGM-ER add GPS/INS and a millimeter-wave terminal seeker to defeat shutdown tactics and improve terminal accuracy, with the ER variant focused on much greater standoff. Russia’s approach with Kh-31PM emphasizes very high speed via ramjet propulsion and expanded seeker coverage, trading a multi-sensor terminal package for velocity and a well-established integration across Flanker-family aircraft. In a mixed escort role, pairing two Kh-31P/PM with R-77-1 and, potentially, an R-37M allows the Su-35S to deter airborne threats while keeping options open against hostile radars beyond the forward line of troops.
From a force-employment perspective, showing a Su-35S with two ARMs signals an intent to distribute anti-radar duties across high-end fighters, not only specialized strike aircraft. Historically, Russian Su-34s have been the principal anti-radar and strike platform, with Su-30SM and Su-35S contributing episodically. Official imagery in March 2022 already showed Su-35S configured for anti-radar missions; today’s footage suggests that practice is again prominent, reflecting operational demand. This aligns with the continued evolution of Ukraine’s layered air-defense network, Patriot, IRIS-T SLM and other Western systems, forcing Russian aviation to combine escort, counter-radar pressure and standoff strike support in the same sortie.
Strategically, the appearance carries several implications. Geopolitically, it points to sustained Russian investment in keeping Ukrainian sensors under intermittent pressure as winter approaches and as Kyiv continues to field Western-supplied systems and munitions. Geostrategically, a heavier anti-radar fit on air-superiority fighters improves sortie flexibility: a patrol can rapidly transition from shield to sensor-neutralization without calling in a dedicated strike cell, compressing the kill chain against radars that briefly light up. Militarily, the twin-missile configuration increases the probability of defeating radar survival tactics, whether through immediate restrike or simultaneous engagement of multiple emitters, while the accompanying R-77-1 and potential R-37M provide layered air-to-air reach to manage aerial threats during the same mission window.
The Russian MoD’s video offers a rare official view of a Su-35S prepared to conduct robust anti-radar actions while escorting strikes. The twin Kh-31P-series loadout suggests a drive to compress reaction times against Ukrainian radars and to spread this mission set across more of the VKS fighter force. If repeated at scale, this posture would reinforce Russia’s ability to hold Ukrainian sensors at risk during high-tempo strike cycles while retaining credible counter-air options, an economy of effort that matters as both sides adapt their air-defense and counter-defense playbooks.
Written by Teoman S. Nicanci – Defense Analyst, Army Recognition Group
Teoman S. Nicanci holds degrees in Political Science, Comparative and International Politics, and International Relations and Diplomacy from leading Belgian universities, with research focused on Russian strategic behavior, defense technology, and modern warfare. He is a defense analyst at Army Recognition, specializing in the global defense industry, military armament, and emerging defense technologies.
