The Su-30 (NATO Classification: Flanker-C) is a Soviet/Russian multipurpose fighter developed by the Sukhoi Design Bureau (now part of the United Aircraft Corporation, UAC) on the basis of the Su—27UB combat training aircraft in the late 1980s.
It is designed to gain air supremacy, destroy aerial targets day and night, in simple and complex meteorological conditions, as well as when using active and passive interference, airspace control, blocking enemy airfields at great depth and actions on land and sea objects. The aircraft can be used to control group combat operations while gaining air supremacy and conducting aerial reconnaissance.
It became the world's first supermaneuverable aerial vehicle.
The first flight of the Su-30 fighter took place in 1989.
The Su-30 was initially designated as the T-10PU-5 and was intended for engine testing. Before launching it into mass production, the chassis and center section were significantly strengthened. As the range and duration of the flight increased, sanitary facilities were installed for the crew.
The first serial Su-30 took to the skies on April 14, 1992.
The Su-30 has fully preserved the aerobatic qualities of its predecessors — single-seat combat and two-seat combat training fighters, and due to the installation of new types of missiles and weapons control systems, it has increased combat effectiveness.
Thanks to the advent of radar stations (radars) with an active antenna array, it became possible to transfer to the fighter part of the functions of the long-range radar detection aircraft when controlling the group. At the same time, the presence of one such aircraft gave a huge advantage, and in addition, it made it possible to exclude the AWACS aircraft from combat formations. The Su-30 is equipped with the N011 Bars radar, which provides an overview of space, automatic detection and tracking of targets, including in conditions of close maneuverable air combat, targeting of aircraft guided missiles of types (R-77, R-73, R-27, X-31, RVV-AE), automatic radar mapping of the area.
The aircraft carries electronic warfare (EW) modules that can suppress radars of both air defense and aircraft.
In addition, the Su-30 is equipped with optical target detection stations, weapons guidance systems control is built into the pilot's helmet, which allows you to switch target search systems literally by turning your head.
The Su-30 aircraft has an integrated layout. It consists of an elongated trapezoidal wing, equipped with developed inflows, smoothly joins with the fuselage, creating a single body. The power plant is represented by two dual-circuit AL-31F turbojet engines, which are placed in separate engine nacelles and installed under the fuselage at a safe distance, which allows you to fix two suspended missiles under them. The air intakes are adjustable and installed under the center section.
There is no mechanical wiring in the longitudinal channels of the control system on the Su-30 aircraft. It was replaced by a remote control system (SDU). The fighter has a retractable tricycle landing gear, each rack of which has one wheel.
The aircraft's armament consists of a 30-mm built-in gun GSH-30-1; six medium-range guided missiles R-77, R-27R or R-27ER, R-27T or R-27ET with TGS and six melee missiles R-73 with TGS; Free-falling bombs weighing 500 kilograms (up to eight units) or 250 kilograms (28 units); KMG-U containers (up to seven units) or C-13 and C-8 NAR blocks (up to four units).
The main customer of the Su-30 was the air defense forces, where it was possible to fully test the capabilities of patrolling and long-range interception. However, in the early 1990s, more and more orders began to arrive for air-to-ground and air-to-ship missile weapons. Russian design bureaus began to switch to the design of aircraft carriers of this weapon.
Since 1993, the development of various modifications of the Su-30 fighter began.
In particular, the Su-30MK (modernized, commercial) was considered. Equipped with on-board electronic equipment (avionics), the aircraft had an updated radar available, which could not only detect several targets, but also distinguish their locations (on the ground or under water). A new optical-electronic sighting and navigation system with a base of computer functions was installed on the model. An upgraded objective control system has been installed with the fixation of the tactical situation and system parameters.
At the end of 1996, the first contract was signed for the supply of Su-30MKI attack aircraft to India. Some details were changed in the design of the machine, in particular, the Doppler-coherent radar "Topaz", SPO-32, a complex of optical-electronic sighting navigation, liquid crystal multifunction screens, an OK system and an irradiation receiver of the target radar "Pastel" were included in the avionics. The most obvious difference of the aircraft is the presence of an all-weather digital radar N011M. It is she who is the gap between the fighters of the fourth and fifth generation. The second experimental machine was designed in 1997.
The Su-30KI is a single-seat modified fighter aircraft based on the Su-27SK. It is distinguished by the presence of a fuel receiver for refueling in the air. All other equipment meets the basic model. The aircraft is equipped with EDSU (SDU-10), RPLK-27, OEPS-27 sight, SEI-31 system display. The armament consists of a built-in 30-millimeter gun GSH-301, a number of suspensions for 10 points. It is capable of using R-27, R-73E, PTB missiles and air—to-ground missiles. The armament is 8000 kilograms. The power plant is represented by AL-31F engines (each thrust is 12,500 kg). Aircraft of this type were delivered to the Indian Air Force.
The Su-30M2 is an aircraft upgraded from the MiG-29SMT and Su-27. Thanks to the work carried out, it can destroy surface and ground targets with guided missiles, regardless of the time of day. The standard indicator was replaced with a multifunctional multi-colored liquid crystal MFI-55. The indicator functions in television and graphic modes. The operator's and pilot's cabins are equipped with MFI-55, which allows the same control of the aircraft.
The Su-30MKK was created on the basis of the Su-30M2 and assembled in March 1999. It was created in connection with the interest in updating the air forces of the People's Republic of China. This modification differs from the basic one in the absence of PGO and the presence of UHT engines. The plumage is similar to the Su-35 aircraft with the difference in the presence of a powerful VHF antenna. The aircraft was also equipped with a radar of the N001VE class, which is capable of reaching a range of up to 100 km of the front hemisphere and 40 km of the rear. A new system for conducting group combat operations, a control system for homing missiles of different classes has been built in. There are 12 suspension points on the wings.
Su-30SM — (serial upgraded) — the latest modification of the multi-purpose heavy fighter Su-30 generation 4+. The first flight of the Su-30SM took place in September 2012. The aircraft is equipped with a phased array radar, thrust vector-controlled engines and a front horizontal tail. It can be used to train pilots for promising multifunctional supermaneuverable single-seat fighters. The model has proven itself well during the fighting in Syria. It is in service with ten countries of the world.
Technical characteristics of the Su-30 fighter:
Crew — two people;
The weight of an empty aircraft is 17 thousand kilograms;
The normal take—off weight is 24 thousand kilograms;
The length of the aircraft is 21.94 meters;
The height of the aircraft is 6.36 meters;
The wingspan is 14.7 meters;
The combat load of the aircraft is about 10 tons;
The flight range at the ground is 1,270 kilometers, at an altitude of 3,000 kilometers;
Flight range without refueling — 3500 kilometers;
Maximum speed — near the ground: 1,350 km/h (M=1,13), at altitude: 2,350 km/h (M=1,9603);
The practical ceiling is 17,500 meters;
Engine type — 2 DTRD AL-Z1F.
In total, more than 500 aircraft of this type were built, they are in service with many countries of the world. In addition to Russia, these are Angola, Algeria, Venezuela, Vietnam, India, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, China, Malaysia, Uganda, Iraq.
Since 2016, the Russian Knights aerobatic team has been performing on this type of aircraft.
The material was prepared on the basis of information from RIA Novosti and open sources.
