The Russian Su-27 Flanker could easily compete with the United States Air Force F-15 Eagle. Both, the F-15 and the Su-27 Flanker were designed as powerful air superiority fighters. A Flanker performs better than the Eagle in a dogfight, but is the difference that big? Each pilot would probably share a different opinion.
The F-15 Eagle is a twin-engine, all-weather, extremely maneuverable, tactical fighter aircraft designed by McDonnell Douglas (now Boeing) to gain and maintain air supremacy in aerial combat. It takes place among the most successful modern fighter jets, with over 100 aerial combat victories and no losses in dogfights. The only losses the F-15 fleet faced was due to ground fire. Here is what the F-15s killed during the Gulf War alone, according to the USAF:
– 5 MiG-29 „Fulcrum“
– 2 MiG-25 „Foxbat“
– 8 MiG-23 „Flogger“
– 2 MiG-21 „Fishbed“
– 2 Su-25 „Frogfoots“
– 4 Su-22 „Fitter“
– 1 Su-7
– 6 Mirage F1
– 1 Il-76
– 1 Pilatus PC-9 trainer
– 2 Mi-8 helicopter
The Su-27 on the other hand has a kill/loss ratio of 6-0, and two losses due to ground fire. One ground fire loss each was in the Abkazhia War and in the Angolan Civil War, 5 kills in the Ethiopian-Eritrean War and one in the first Chechen War.
The Eagle’s air superiority is achieved through a combination of superior maneuverability (low wing loading) and acceleration (high engine thrust/weight ratio), range, weapons and multimission avionics (including a head-up display, advanced radar, inertial navigation system, flight instruments, ultrahigh frequency communications, tactical navigation system, instrument landing system, an internally mounted, tactical electronic-warfare system, „identification friend or foe“ system, electronic countermeasures set and a central digital computer). The F-15 is equipped with electronics and weaponry enabling the pilot to detect, acquire, track and attack enemy aircraft while operating in friendly or enemy-controlled airspace.
The Eagle would probably have an advantage at longer ranges because of its superior avionics.