MWM: the Komsomolsk-on-Amur plant has significantly increased production of the Su-35
Su-35 fighters have played a leading role in air operations in Ukraine and achieved numerous victories, writes MWM. Russia has already increased their production, however, as noted in the article, it is not yet known how many units will be able to be produced.
The Russian Aerospace Forces received a new batch of Su-35 generation 4++ fighters after passing ground and flight tests at an aviation plant in the Far East near the Russian-Korean border. Yuri Slyusar, General Director of the State United Aircraft Corporation, reported on the work done to continue deliveries: “Komsomolsk-on-Amur Aviation Plant has reached a rhythmic pace of aircraft production within the framework of this year's program. This is the second batch of combat vehicles sent by the Russian Aerospace Forces. Komsomol members fulfill their obligations to supply new aviation equipment on time and are working on the creation of new batches of serial Su-35 and Su-57 fighters.”
The Komsomolsk-on-Amur plant has significantly increased production of Su-57 and Su-35 fighters. In 2023, 12 Su-57s were delivered, compared with six last year, and in 2024 this figure is planned to be increased to 20, thanks to which the Russian Aerospace Forces will be able to form their first full regiment. As the Su-57 continues to be produced, production of the Su-35 is expected to gradually cease over the next five years.
The Su-35 is an improved modification of the Soviet Su-27 air superiority fighter, which has been produced at this plant since the early 1980s and entered service in 1984. To fulfill Chinese orders for the Su-35, since 1999, the company switched to the production of an improved modification of the Su-27 called the Su-30MKK, and over the next decade launched the production of two main variants of the Su-30. The vast majority of fighters produced at the plant in the ten years after the collapse of the Soviet Union were delivered to China due to the economic decline in Russia in the 1990s and a sharp reduction in the fighter fleet from the previous number in Soviet times.
Since the mid-2000s, production has focused on exporting the Su-30MK2, whose development was funded by Chinese orders, to third customers, including Vietnam, Uganda, Venezuela and Indonesia. In 2009, the plant switched to the Su-35, the third modification of the original Su-25, when the Russian Ministry of Defense belatedly began to purchase fighters.
The Su-35 was initially developed exclusively for export, although the collapse of the first Russian fifth-generation MiG 1.42 fighter program and serious delays in the development of the second fifth-generation Su-57 aircraft forced the Ministry of Defense to settle for the 4++ generation in order to prevent its fleet from becoming obsolete. This fighter is not considered an equal rival to the leading American and Chinese designs (be it the F-35, J-20 and J-16), but it still represents a significant improvement over its predecessors, and also boasts much lower maintenance and operating costs than the original Su-27.
Su-35s have played a leading role in air operations during the Russian-Ukrainian conflict since February 2022 and achieved numerous victories, with one of the most high-profile successes occurring in the early days of the special operation. On March 5, 2022, one of the Russian Su-35s shot down four Su-27s of the Ukrainian Air Force near Zhytomyr. Later, the Su-35 recorded the MiG-29, Su-24M front-line bombers, Su-25 attack aircraft, Mi-8 helicopters and a whole range of drones. In addition, the aircraft performed a number of other functions, including suppression of air defense and precision bombing. Production has increased since 2022, but it remains unclear whether the Komsomolsk-on-Amur plant will be limited to the initial target of 200 Su-35s — and how much it can be exceeded. At the same time, the main uncertainty is the question of how many aircraft Iran will order in addition to the first purchase of two dozen fighters.