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Killbox Flanker: The Su-27 Series in Modern Combat
Win a free print copy of this book!
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1 copies available
U.S. only
What happens when a Soviet fighter outlives the empire that created it?
The Sukhoi Su-27 "Flanker" emerged from the Soviet Union as one of the most fearsome fighters of its generation—a long-range air superiority platform built to meet the American F-15 Eagle on equal terms. But the collapse of the USSR ensured that the Flanker's story would unfold far beyond the Cold War battlefields for which it had been designed.
In Killbox Flanker , military historian Mike Guardia (author of Tomcat Fury and Viper Alley ) traces the combat history of the Su-27 family from its Cold War origins to the battlefields of the 21st century.
Follow the Flanker and its descendants—the Su-30, Su-33, Su-34, and Su-35—through air patrols over the former Soviet frontier, fierce dogfights in the Horn of Africa, Russia's intervention in Syria, and the brutal air war over Ukraine.
Along the way, the Flanker story extends eastward into China, where the Su-27 evolved into the J-11, J-15, and J-16—aircraft now patrolling the Taiwan Strait and the Himalayan frontier.
From the dying days of the Cold War to the hot skies over Ukraine, Killbox Flanker tells the story of an aircraft family that became one of the defining combat aviation systems of the post-Cold War era. Through firsthand accounts and operational analysis, discover how this Cold War fighter became an icon of modern air power—and why it still flies today.
The Sukhoi Su-27 "Flanker" emerged from the Soviet Union as one of the most fearsome fighters of its generation—a long-range air superiority platform built to meet the American F-15 Eagle on equal terms. But the collapse of the USSR ensured that the Flanker's story would unfold far beyond the Cold War battlefields for which it had been designed.
In Killbox Flanker , military historian Mike Guardia (author of Tomcat Fury and Viper Alley ) traces the combat history of the Su-27 family from its Cold War origins to the battlefields of the 21st century.
Follow the Flanker and its descendants—the Su-30, Su-33, Su-34, and Su-35—through air patrols over the former Soviet frontier, fierce dogfights in the Horn of Africa, Russia's intervention in Syria, and the brutal air war over Ukraine.
Along the way, the Flanker story extends eastward into China, where the Su-27 evolved into the J-11, J-15, and J-16—aircraft now patrolling the Taiwan Strait and the Himalayan frontier.
From the dying days of the Cold War to the hot skies over Ukraine, Killbox Flanker tells the story of an aircraft family that became one of the defining combat aviation systems of the post-Cold War era. Through firsthand accounts and operational analysis, discover how this Cold War fighter became an icon of modern air power—and why it still flies today.
226 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 12, 2026
About the author
Mike Guardia
33 books122 followersMike Guardia is an internationally recognized author and military historian. A veteran of the United States Army, he served six years on active duty as an Armor Officer. He is the author of the widely-acclaimed "Hal Moore: A Soldier Once...and Always," the first-ever biography chronicling the life of LTG Harold G. Moore, whose battlefield leadership was popularized by the film "We Were Soldiers," starring Mel Gibson.
He has twice been nominated for the Army Historical Foundation's Distinguished Book Award and is an active member of the Military Writers Society of America.
As a speaker, he hosts the lecture series "Hal Moore: Lessons in Leadership," which is available for presentation at schools, businesses, and civic organizations worldwide. Mike Guardia has given presentations at the US Special Operations Command and the International Spy Museum. His work has been reviewed in the Washington Times, Armchair General, ARMY Magazine, DefenceWeb South Africa, and Miniature Wargames UK.
He holds a BA and MA in American History from the University of Houston. He currently lives in Texas.
He has twice been nominated for the Army Historical Foundation's Distinguished Book Award and is an active member of the Military Writers Society of America.
As a speaker, he hosts the lecture series "Hal Moore: Lessons in Leadership," which is available for presentation at schools, businesses, and civic organizations worldwide. Mike Guardia has given presentations at the US Special Operations Command and the International Spy Museum. His work has been reviewed in the Washington Times, Armchair General, ARMY Magazine, DefenceWeb South Africa, and Miniature Wargames UK.
He holds a BA and MA in American History from the University of Houston. He currently lives in Texas.
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September 23, 2026
Books by this author are amongst my favourite in the history genre to read. His thorough research and style of writing have a way of making the story come alive and keeping the reader engaged. His latest release of Killbox Flanker is no exception. The author utilizes firsthand accounts and operational analyses to show the impact of the Su-27 on modern airpower. I highly recommend this book, and any other written by the author, to my fellow history nerds.
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