Here is what seems to me to be a balanced article on the relative capabilities of the F16 V the Su 35. What's clear is that technologically they are both very impressive hardware created by the best American and Russian minds in the field. The writer of the article says that there's no telling which will have the upper hand when they fight it out in Ukraine. But if you ask me there are 3 big factors that Im betting will tip the result in Russia's favour :-
(1) The hubris and the sense the West has of being superior human beings (givemethecash just oozes of this) will decidedly disadvantage them. They will assume that they and their technology is just better and therefore will underestimate the abilities and capabilities of their opponent to their detriment;
(2) The Russian have proved over and over again that they are adaptable and capable innovators. And this isnt just a recent thing. In WW2, whereas the Germans relied on their existing technology (because they knew they were superior humans beings), the Russians kept improving and adapting their hardware based on what they were learning in the field. Same thing in Ukraine. Each time NATO threw something else at them the Russians quickly adapted and rendered NATO's latest "Game Changer" a dud;
(3) Aircraft are very complicated machines. They're not something you learn in a hurry. Were told the people who will be piloting the F16s will be Ukrainians. If this is true (and I don't believe it - IMO the USA/NATO couldn't care less about risking the killing of billions of people in a nuclear war and will therefore use experienced NATO pilots to fly the F16s) they will be up against experienced Russian pilots with years of experience flying their Su 35s.
