TimeLine of Soviet and Russian aircraft Numer Built Comparison Video In Video is an incomplete Numer Built Comparison of Soviet and Russian military aircraft, from the Soviet Union's foundation in 1917 until its present state as Russia. The Most Dangerous Russian Military Aircraft. Sukhoi Su-27 Sukhoi’s Su-27 (NATO reporting name “Flanker”) was the Soviet’s answer effort to then-new American aircraft like the F-15 and F-16. The plane conducted its maiden flight in the late 1970s and was introduced into service in the Soviet Air Force in 1985. MiG-29 Small, short-range, and widely produced, Mikoyan’s MiG-29 (NATO reporting name “Fulcrum”) might accurately be described as the TIE Fighter of the former U.S.S.R. Entering service for the Soviet Union in 1983, the MiG-29, much like the Su-27, was designed to compete with the F-15 and F-16. Sukhoi Su-35 While technically a variant of the Su-27, the Sukhoi Su-35’s impressive modernizations easily merit this multirole fighter plane its own spotlight. The Su-35 was built to meet the challenges of the post-Cold War era. It still undergoing testing but is expected to enter into operational service later this year. Tupolev Tu-160 Russia’s fighter fleet provides an array of dynamic platforms that can be refitted and updated to conduct an array of missions. Nevertheless, a fighter platform can only be stretched so far, and the Soviet Union, like the United States, designed strategic bombers to carry out long-range campaigns with a heavy weapons supply. For exactly this purpose, the Russian Federation recently announced it will resume production of the Soviet-era Tupolev Tu-160 strategic bombers (NATO reporting name “Blackjack”). Sukhoi T-50/PAK FA The MiG-29, Sukhoi Su-27, and their derivatives are at least intended to match the capabilities of American and European fourth generation fighter models like the F-15, F-16, Dassault Rafale, & Eurofighter Typhoon. Sukhoi’s PAK FA multirole stealth fighter flies in a league of its own as Russia’s only direct answer to U.S. fifth generation designs like the F-22 Raptor and F-35 Lightning II.