India and Russia have signed a major defense deal worth approximately $1.2 billion, as per which the Indian Air Force is purchasing approximately 300 R-37M ultra-long-range air-to-air missiles from Russia.
Published: May 16, 2026 11:07 AM IST
A Russian Su-35 fighter jet has shot down an US’ F-16 fighter jet in Ukraine for the first time during a long-range attack. Reports indicate the Russian fighter jet used R-37M missile, the attacking air-to-air missile tracked on Ukrainian monitoring channels is likely one of these two missiles. If Ukraine confirms this incident, it would be the first time an American aircraft has been shot down in air-to-air combat.
The Su-35 is an advanced version of the Soviet Su-27 air superiority fighter, specifically designed to outperform NATO’s F-15 and F-16 fighters. It has proven its capability in numerous simulated engagements. The F-16 was designed as a lighter and less expensive alternative to the F-15—the US. Air Force’s primary Cold War-era air superiority fighter. It is a lighter, single-engine aircraft, while the F-15 and Su-35 are heavier, twin-engine aircraft.
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F-16 and Mirage-2000 fail to counter Russia?
Ukrainian sources have repeatedly warned that the F-16 and French Mirage 2000 fighters are completely incapable of countering the capabilities of advanced Russian fighters like the Su-35. Ukrainian Air Force spokesman Yuri Ignat said on June 3, 2025, “Unfortunately, today Russia has jets that can see farther and missiles that can fly farther. This is true even in comparison to the F-16. They also have powerful air defense systems that work in conjunction with the aviation.”
In March, Ignat specifically compared the F-16 to the Su-35, saying, “The F-16s Ukraine has cannot compete head-on in aerial combat. The Su-35 is a newer jet than the F-16… It includes ground-based air defenses, electronic warfare systems, and an airborne radar. Onboard radar and air-to-air missiles are also extremely important.”
India is buying R-37M air to air missile
Of significance to India is the R-37M missile, which is said to have shot down the US F-16. India and Russia have signed a major defense deal worth approximately $1.2 billion, under which the Indian Air Force is purchasing approximately 300 R-37M ultra-long-range air-to-air missiles from Russia.
R-37M is one of longest-range air-to-air missiles
- The R-37M is one of the world’s longest-range air-to-air missiles, capable of engaging targets 300 to 400 kilometres away.
- This missile is specifically designed to destroy enemy ‘high-value’ aircraft such as AWACS, spy planes and air refuelling tankers.
- These missiles will be deployed on the Su-30MKI fighter aircraft, which are considered the backbone of the Indian Air Force fleet, thereby increasing India’s air combat capability manifold.
- This missile can fly at hypersonic speeds of approximately Mach 6, or six times the speed of sound. This missile is considered a counter to the Chinese PL-15 missile.
Comparison of the R-37M with China’s PL-15 missile
The Russian R-37M is a very heavy missile (about 600 kg) specifically designed to target large aircraft (such as AWACS and tankers) flying at ranges of 300-400 km. In comparison, the Chinese PL-15 is a lightweight missile with a range of 200-300 km. The R-37M’s speed reaches Mach 6 (hypersonic), leaving enemy aircraft with no chance of evasion. The PL-15’s speed is around Mach 5. The Chinese PL-15 is equipped with a modern AESA (Active Electronically Scanned Array) radar seeker, which is very robust against electronic jamming. The R-37M, on the other hand, uses a conventional active radar seeker and a mid-course data link.
