The Su-27S (NATO reporting name – Flanker) is a single-seat highly-maneuverable fighter aircraft built by Sukhoi Design Bureau as the Soviet response to the U.S. F-14 and F-15 and entered service in 1985. The primary role of the Su-27 was to provide defense against American bombers, USN ships and provide Soviet bomber escorts. There have been many improvements over the years resulting in numerous variants of the Su-27. The export variant, the Su-27SK was sold to China and eventually developed into the license-built Shenyang J-11.
In 1989 the Soviets revealed their new Sukhoi Su-27 at the Paris Airshow. Two variants of the aircraft were on display, Su-27 Flanker B Blue 388 and Su-27UB Blue 389. Blue 388 was given Sukhoi bureau number T10-41 but for the Paris show 41 was painted over with the new number 388. During the show test pilot Viktor Pugachev demonstrated a maneuver called the Cobra that later would be referred to as the Pugachev Cobra. The aircraft was capable of raising the nose 120 degrees and hovering in that upward position.