Sukhoi Su-35S (NATO reporting name: Flanker-E) will be upgraded in 2017 based on the experience from the combat use in Syria, Deputy Defense Minister Yuri Borisov said on Monday.

"This year’s aircraft will be upgraded based on all the drawbacks and the Syrian experience," he said during a visit to the Gagarin aircraft plant in Komsomolsk-on-Amur.

The deputy defense minister said at first the plane "inhaled" small stones from the runway, it had problems with the light, screens. But during the combat use these drawbacks were fixed. The ministry contracted ten aircraft annually, which the plant will supply to 2020.

"Our pilots, who serve in Syria, say it is one of the best aircraft in the world in the flight-technical characteristics, the nomenclature and the range of weapons," he said. "They believe the aircraft cannot be compared in combat use with any other plane, and thus foreign clients have been considering this aircraft.".