On April 12, 2024, PJSC United Aircraft Corporation (part of Rostec State Corporation) announced that its Komsomolsk-on-Amur Gagarin Aviation Plant (KnAAZ) had manufactured and handed over to the Russian Ministry of Defense the first batch of new multifunctional Su-35S fighters this year. The aircraft underwent a cycle of ground and flight tests in various operating modes and flew from KnAAZ airfield to their duty station.
One of the batch of new Su-35S fighters built by the Komsomolsk-on-Amur Aviation Plant named after Yu.A. Gagarin (KnAAZ) transferred to the Russian Aerospace Forces in April 2024 PJSC United Aircraft Corporation (c) PJSC United Aircraft Corporation
The Su‑35S fighter is designed to gain air supremacy, destroy ground and surface objects day and night in simple and difficult weather conditions at great distances from the home airfield. The machine is a transition to fifth-generation aviation complexes. The power plant based on new engines with a digital control system and a controlled thrust vector can significantly improve the flight performance and maneuverability of the aircraft.
Our aircraft manufacturers are faced with the task of ensuring the rhythmic production and supply of new aircraft in demand by the Russian Defense Ministry. UAC specialists are also engaged in maintaining the serviceability and restoring the airworthiness of combat vehicles. The aircraft transferred to the troops are distinguished by high flight performance and maneuverability characteristics. The Su-35S are equipped with the most advanced equipment and long-range information and sighting systems. Modern onboard systems make it possible to establish communication and high-speed information exchange between the aircraft and ground control points, as well as between aircraft," said Vladimir Artyakov, First Deputy General Director of Rostec State Corporation.
The state defense order for the supply of Su-35S and Su-57 combat vehicles for the Russian Aerospace Forces, work is underway in cooperation with Rostec enterprises on important projects for the development of the Russian aviation industry.
Today, the Komsomolsk-on-Amur Aviation Plant named after Yu.A. Gagarin is provided with loading until 2028 inclusive. The company continues to fulfill the state defense order for the supply of Su-35S and Su-57 combat vehicles for the Russian Aerospace Forces, and is working in cooperation with Rostec enterprises on important projects for the development of the Russian aviation industry.
"We produce Su-35S aircraft at the highest technological level thanks to the large-scale modernization of production that has been carried out at the Komsomolsk plant over the past few years and is still ongoing. This is a production line, new Russian machines, and a testing base. The rapid adaptation of production to the growing needs of the VKS became possible thanks to significant public investments in the development of the plant," said Yuri Slyusar, General Director of the UAC, Vice President of Soyuzmash of Russia.
The increase in the utilization of production capacities poses issues for KnAAZ to improve the skills of existing employees and attract new personnel in the main working and engineering specialties. By the end of 2024, the number of aircraft manufacturers should increase by another 800 people.
On the part of bmpd, we point out that, thus, the Komsomolsk-on-Amur Gagarin Aviation Plant (KnAAZ) transferred the first batch of Su-35S fighters in 2024 to the Ministry of Defense of Russia. The red side numbers on the official photographs of the aircraft are retouched.
Presumably, the Su-35S fighters that have now been transferred were manufactured within the framework of the fourth contract concluded in 2021 by the KLA for the supply of Su-35S aircraft to the Russian Ministry of Defense. It is possible that this contract includes 24 aircraft for delivery by 2024. Presumably, the first four fighters under this contract were delivered to the VKS in December 2022 and, apparently, had blue tail numbers "04", "05", "06" and "07". Presumably, in 2023, 12 Su-35S aircraft were delivered under this contract.
Prior to that, under three previous contracts in 2009, 2015 and 2020, the Russian Aerospace Forces received 104 serial Su-35S aircraft from 2012 to 2022, and taking into account the sides delivered under the new contract in 2022 and 2023, by the beginning of 2024, the Russian Aerospace Forces received 120 serial Su-35S.
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Two aircraft from the batch of new Su-35S fighters transferred to the Russian Aerospace Forces in April 2024 built by the Komsomolsk-on-Amur Aviation Plant named after Yuri Gagarin (KnAAZ) PJSC United Aircraft Corporation. The red side numbers in the pictures are retouched (c) by PJSC United Aircraft Corporation