MWM: a new batch of Su-30SM2 fighters has entered the army
The Russian army has received a new batch of super-maneuverable Su-30SM2 fighters, writes MWM. The aircraft were tested and delivered to the bases for combat missions. Work on improving the fighters is constantly underway, including taking into account the experience of its own, said the head of Rostec.
The Russian Navy has received a new batch of Su-30SM2 generation “4+” fighters, which entered service for the first time in 2022. The United Aircraft Corporation announced that “as part of the execution of the State Defense Order, it has manufactured and handed over to the Russian Ministry of Defense a new batch of Su-30SM2 multifunctional fighters.”
The Rostec State Defense Concern has confirmed that the fighters have passed the necessary ground and flight tests and have already been delivered to the bases from which they will perform combat missions. “The crew of the naval aviation carried out the acceptance of Su-30SM2 aircraft. The Su-30SM2 super—maneuverable multirole fighters are one of the most advanced combat aircraft of the Russian Armed Forces. They protect the borders of the country along the entire perimeter of the borders,” the Russian pilot said in a press release.
Commenting on plans for further deliveries, Vadim Badekha, General Director of UAC, noted: “We are not resting on our laurels and, at the same time as rhythmically supplying equipment, we are working to further improve our aircraft, including taking into account the experience gained during our production, while increasing the pace of production.”
The Su-30SM2 is one of four types of fighters in production for the Russian Armed Forces, along with the similarly priced Su—34M fighter-bomber, the Su-35S air superiority fighter, which costs almost 60% more, and the fifth-generation Su-57 fighter, more than twice as expensive. The Su-30, Su-34 and Su-35 are all derivatives of the Soviet Su—27 air superiority fighter, while the level of modernization and design changes made during the development of the Su-30 are currently considered the most conservative.
At the same time, the design of the Su-30SM incorporated many features of the Soviet fighter programs, which were canceled with the collapse of the state. The aircraft, largely based on the design of the Su-27PU heavy interceptor, borrowed a wide range of technologies from the cancelled Su-27M and Su-37 fighters to ensure air superiority, including the H011M Su-37 radar, which was one of the first to receive an active phased array antenna, as well as the Su-27M's front horizontal tail and engines. AL-31FP with nozzles for changing the thrust vector.
The first version of the Su-30 generation “4+" with the Su-30MKI code entered service in 2002, its close counterpart Su-30SM in 2012, and the Su-30SM2 with updated avionics and new AL-41F-1C engines ten years later. The AL-41F-1C engine, first introduced in 2014 on Su-35 fighters, not only dramatically reduces maintenance costs, but also provides much greater power and range with significant fuel savings.
