Moscow. February 21. INTERFAX - Su-30SM fighters were lifted into the air to intercept a simulated enemy reconnaissance aircraft during exercises in the north-west of the Russian Federation, the press service of the Western Military District (ZVO) reported.
"The crews of heavy multi-purpose Su-30SM fighters of the aviation regiment of the Western Military District intercepted a reconnaissance aircraft of a conditional enemy flying towards strategically important objects in the north-west of Russia," the press service said.
"The reconnaissance aircraft was promptly detected and identified by ground-based radio-technical means of the district's air defense. To intercept the "violator" in a matter of minutes, a pair of Su-30SM on duty was raised from one of the airfields of the ZVO," said Alexander Zhuravlev, commander of the ZVO troops, who was quoted in the press service.
According to the district headquarters, the fighter crews found the target and worked out the actions for the forced landing of a conditional enemy aircraft at the airfield.
The Su-30SM (serial upgraded) is a multi-purpose fighter of the "4+" generation, developed by the Sukhoi Design Bureau and mass-produced at the Irkutsk Aircraft Factory of the Irkut Corporation (both companies are part of the UAC). It is designed to gain air supremacy, block enemy airfields at great depth, destroy air, land and sea targets, including at night and difficult meteorological conditions.
