Russian SU-37 (Flanker-F) multi-role jet fighter aircraft
The Sukhoi Su-37 (NATO reporting name: Flanker-F) is a Russian experimental multi-role jet fighter aircraft. It is a single seat fighter modified from the 1st generation Su-35 prototypes for thrust vector control testing. The Su-37 is derived from the original Su-35, which was initially designated Su-27M. A Su-27M prototype (T-10S-70) first flew in 1988. Changes from the Su-27 include canards, upgraded engines, new radar, and a digital fly by wire flight control system. Sukhoi changed the Su-27M's designation to Su-35 in 1993. Later Su-35 prototypes added a glass cockpit and modified tailfins. The Su-35 design was modified into the Su-37 by adding 2D thrust vectoring nozzles. The first Su-37 test aircraft made its maiden flight in April 1996 equipped with vectoring nozzles. The Su-37 appeared at the 1996 Farnborough airshow piloted by Sukhoi test pilot Yevgeny Frolov. A second Su-37 was similarly converted in 1998. Su-37 did not reach the production stage, although by mid-2000 Sukhoi introduced several modernizations of Su-27, such as Su-30MKI and 2nd generation Su-35/Su-35BM, which feature similar improvements such as improved avionics and radar systems, and thrust vectoring engines.
