Soviet Air Force pilot Vladimir Chilin headed skyward in his MiG-29 after a takeoff run of only 1,600 feet. His acrobatic performance began immediately with a dynamic vertical climb followed by an extensive repertoire of maneuvers.

Only a handful of USAF fighter pilots have ever been schlemmed. Those who have, though, consider themselves lucky. They have experienced what others have only read about or encountered in simulations.

The Su-35 is viewed as the most potent threat facing Western military air forces today. It is a superb combat aircraft, mixing modern technique and technology with a strong dose of Russian mechanical pragmatism.