Wow, awesome. Military will get 21 Su-30SMs this year.
So, 21 Su-30SM, 12 Su-35s, 16 (?) Su-34 + Su-30M2 = at the very least, 50+ brand spanking new Flankers.
That is nothing to sneeze at.
During the inspection of aircraft factory produced combat aircraft Su-35s, Su-30M2 and Su-27SM3 Sergei Shoigu, together with the President of the United Aircraft Corporation Mikhail Pogosyan and Commander of the Air Force Lt. Gen. Viktor Bondarev rose Su-35s, who was in the assembly shop of the plant, and examined the cockpit.
Presumably, 16 Su-30SM for VVS and 5 for VMF this year?14 Su-30SM was the number before this one. 21 - Wow huuge increase
Wish info on what MiG will deliver and delivered is as good as for the Sukhois: should we expect 10 MiG-29K/KUB and "some" MiG-29SMTs this year, thus totaling close to 70 brand new fighters and strikers for VVS and VMF? (not to mention upgrades like MiG-31BSM, Su-27SM3, Su-25SM3, maybe extra Su-24M-SVP24, MiG-25RBM etc. etc.)So, 21 Su-30SM, 12 Su-35s, 16 (?) Su-34 + Su-30M2 = at the very least, 50+ brand spanking new Flankers.
medo wrote:Su-30SM have 2D or 3D TVC engines?
TR1 wrote:Basically in between- not fully articulated 3d like say MiG-29OVT, but more so than say Raptors TVC.
Is it true that Russian Air Force used few units of Su-30MKIs, which they had in reserve during the Georgia war 2008? Some reports say that, RuAF was damn impressed with the ability of these flankers, and hence wanted the Russianised version of the MKIs in the service!TR1 wrote:-Work for Irkut
-To get airframes into service faster. AF badly needs them, and NAPO and Knaaz would not be able to just produce enough airframes to skip the Su-30SM entirely. Irkut has a well worked out, fast production schedule.
-Navy I guess wanted something in between the two other birds, hence the intention for 50 SMs.
It is understood that the decision to procure the Su-30SM was inspired by the successful use of industry-owned Su-30MKI/MKM operational-standard prototypes during Russia's August 2008 conflict with Georgia.
Some reports say that, RuAF was damn impressed with the ability of these flankers, and hence wanted the Russianised version of the MKIs in the service!
That's why I asked TR1, if that report was apt? Perhaps those prototype MKIs did heavy ground plus A2A damage and hence managed to impress RuAF with their versatility.GarryB wrote:Impressed in what way? What are they supposed to have done?
Have heard rumours an Su-34 was rushed to the area but not MKIs.
Low cost , all right! But it carries something precious when compared with Su-35S,i.e. an extra human life. And Su-35 is as multi-role as Su-30SM. Correct me if I'm wrong?The main feature of the SM is its low cost compared with the Su-34 and Su-35 so it can be bought in greater numbers yet still carry the same new weapons.
Is Su-30SM, the first mass produced fighter jet for Russian Navy/Air Force to carry a neutral designation(0)? Generally Russians use specific planes for fighting(odd number-1,5,7 etc)), and for striking(even number- 2,4,etc).
And also does a number that ends with zero mean it is multi-role, right?
PS: Tu-160 excluded as it's a tactical bomber and not a fighter
shouldn't pak-fa be getting an official name from ruaf soon? it's going to go into production within a year or two, after all... do past examples suggest that "50" may not be in its designation? After all, su27 was T-10.
Thanks Garry for another fantastic reply.GarryB wrote:On paper the odd number represented either a fighter or an interceptor, so Mig-21 and Mig-25 and Su-9,11,15,27 etc were all fighter interceptors. The Mig-27 however was a strike aircraft like the Jaguar, while the Su-17 could be called as being similar, with the Su-22 perhaps correcting that error.the Su-25 and of course the Tu-95 being the obvious exceptions also as neither are fighters or interceptors.
I have read some conflicting reports about the inception of Su-30. Some reports say that PVO wanted a plane that has similar dogfighting/ A2A ability of the Su-27S, but should have a longer range. Hence they chose the 2 seater derivative of Su-27 i.e. Su-27UB, because it had a very similar aerodynamic performance like the Su-27 and had 2 pilots, which simply meant less load for the pilots for a long mission.The Su-30 and Su-30M were basically Su-27UB operational two seaters that were tested by the PVO as mini AWACS like aircraft that would operate with lots of smaller and lighter aircraft by providing target information for the smaller aircraft who would operate in radar silent mode with the Su-30s operating their radars and passing target data to the radar silent aircraft operating closer to the enemy.
I have read some conflicting reports about the inception of Su-30. Some reports say that PVO wanted a plane that has similar dogfighting/ A2A ability of the Su-27S, but should have a longer range. Hence they chose the 2 seater derivative of Su-27 i.e. Su-27UB, because it had a very similar aerodynamic performance like the Su-27 and had 2 pilots, which simply meant less load for the pilots for a long mission.
However, there are some other reports which say that they wanted a mini-AWACS sort of plane that would lead other fighters towards a target.
While some reorts say that Russia unvelied this plane in 1996 as a swing-role fighter.
Even China uses its Su-30MKK as a ground attack striker than an interceptor. Correct me if I'm wrong!
However other projects like Su-27K(33), with its modified LERX/canard; Su-37 Terminator with its TVC etc, also made their contribution in this project known as Su-30SM/MKI