Su-34 Tactical Bomber: News

Russia completes rearming air regiment in Urals with generation 4++ fighter-bombers

The aviation regiment near Chelyabinsk is the sole unit in the Central Military District that operates Su-34 aircraft, the commander said

TASS, October 2. A composite aviation regiment of Russia’s Central Military District stationed in the Chelyabinsk Region in the Urals has completed its rearmament with Sukhoi Su-34 generation 4++ fighter-bombers, Central Military District Commander Colonel-General Alexander Lapin said on Wednesday.

"The work on setting up the second squadron of Su-34 planes near Chelyabinsk has been completed. Now the air regiment is 100% armed with new generation 4++ bombers," the commander said.

The aviation regiment near Chelyabinsk is the sole unit in the Central Military District that operates Su-34 aircraft, he added.

The rearmament process was completed after three Su-34 planes arrived at the Shchagol airfield from Novosibirsk, the press office of the Central Military District reported.

"The flight and ground personnel who will operate and service Su-34 planes have been retrained for the new aircraft at the Lipetsk state aviation personnel training center and received all the necessary certificates," the press office specified.

The first Su-34 planes entered service with the Central Military District’s aviation in 2018. Overall, 24 aircraft have arrived for the aviation regiment.

The Su-34 multirole supersonic fighter-bomber is designated to strike enemy ground and air targets day and night in any weather conditions.

The Su-34 carries long-range air-to-surface and air-to-air missile armament with the multi-channel employment capability. The Su-34 has an operating range of 4,000 km, can develop a maximum speed of 1,900 km/h and is capable of carrying a weapon payload of up to 8 tonnes. The Su-34 is half as noisy as earlier models.

Shagol Aviation Regiment completes rearmament to Su-34 front-line bombers

As Zvezda TV Channel reported on October 2, 2019, the mixed aviation regiment of the Central Military District (CVO), deployed in the Chelyabinsk Region, completed re-equipment for 4 ++ generation aircraft. At the Shagol airfield, the second squadron of Su-34 bombers was formed.

The air regiment is 100% equipped with new generation 4 ++ bombers. The compound near Chelyabinsk is the only one in the Central Military District, where the Su-34 is in service.

“Today, the last three supersonic multifunctional fighter-bomber Su-34s have entered service. The flight and engineering personnel to operate and maintain the Su-34 underwent retraining for new aviation equipment in the Lipetsk State Center for the Training of Aviation Personnel and received all the necessary certificates, ”said regiment commander Andrei Ermakov.


Comment bmpd. Thus, the 2nd Guards Combined Aviation Regiment of the 21st Combined Aviation Division of the 14th Smolensk Red Banner Army of the Air Force and Air Defense of the Central Military District, stationed at the Shagol airfield (Chelyabinsk), received the last three Su-34 front-line bombers to re-equip this a regiment from Su-24M2 aircraft, and thus, the regiment now has a staff of 24 Su-34 aircraft (consisting of two squadrons).

The last Su-34 aircraft arriving in Shagol have red tail numbers "14", "15" and "16", and are the fourth, fifth and sixth bombers of this type built by the Novosibirsk Aviation Plant named after V.P. Chkalova (NAZ) PJSC "Company" Sukhoi "under the State Defense Order of 2019.

At the end of 2017, the 2nd Guards Mixed Aviation Regiment received the first six Su-34 bombers, which were manufactured by the NAZ under the state order order of 2017 (red tail numbers from “01” to “06”, with the last two aircraft arriving only in February 2018) . From May to December 2018, the regiment received another 12 Su-34 aircraft manufactured by the NAZ at the state procurement order of 2018 and having red tail numbers from 07 to 12 and from 20 to 25. In June 2019, the regiment received three more Su-34s with red tail numbers "26", "27" and "28", which became the first aircraft of this type built by the NAZ under the 2019 state defense order.

At the same time, the first 12 Su-34 regiments built in 2017-2018 did not arrive at the place of permanent deployment of the 2nd Regiment in Shagol, but were temporarily transferred to the 4th State Center for the Training of Aviation Personnel and Military Tests of the Ministry of Defense of Russia named after V.P. Chkalov in Lipetsk for retraining the flight personnel of the 2nd mixed regiment. Only from September 2018 to January 2019 did these 12 aircraft arrive from Lipetsk to Shagol.

In February 2018, upon completion of the retraining, the first four Su-34 regiment aircraft transferred at the end of 2017 (red tail numbers from 01 to 04) were transferred to the Russian air group at the Khmeimim air base in Syria. Subsequently, other regiment planes were also flown to Syria.

Three Su-34s, built in 2019 at the NAZ, transferred to the regiment in October 2019, and the Su-34 were manufactured under a contract with the Russian Ministry of Defense of February 2012 for 92 such aircraft. With their arrival, the total number of aircraft of this type transferred to the Aerospace Forces under the 2012 contract reached 88 units. The first two Su-34s under this contract were transferred to the Russian Air Force on December 24, 2013, the next 18 aircraft in 2014, another 18 aircraft in 2015, 16 in 2016, 16 in 2017, 12 in 2018 and now six - in 2019. The contract will be completed by the end of the year with the delivery of the remaining four Su-34 aircraft, which, according to some reports, have already been built.

The total number of Su-34s built under all contracts, including seven prototypes and pre-production models, reached 132 units.

George1 wrote:

Shagol Aviation Regiment completes rearmament to Su-34 front-line bombers

 As Zvezda TV Channel reported on October 2, 2019, the mixed aviation regiment of the Central Military District (CVO), deployed in the Chelyabinsk Region, completed re-equipment for 4 ++ generation aircraft. At the Shagol airfield, the second squadron of Su-34 bombers was formed.

 The air regiment is 100% equipped with new generation 4 ++ bombers. The compound near Chelyabinsk is the only one in the Central Military District, where the Su-34 is in service.

 “Today, the last three supersonic multifunctional fighter-bomber Su-34s have entered service. The flight and engineering personnel to operate and maintain the Su-34 underwent retraining for new aviation equipment in the Lipetsk State Center for the Training of Aviation Personnel and received all the necessary certificates, ”said regiment commander Andrei Ermakov.


 Comment bmpd. Thus, the 2nd Guards Combined Aviation Regiment of the 21st Combined Aviation Division of the 14th Smolensk Red Banner Army of the Air Force and Air Defense of the Central Military District, stationed at the Shagol airfield (Chelyabinsk), received the last three Su-34 front-line bombers to re-equip this a regiment from Su-24M2 aircraft, and thus, the regiment now has a staff of 24 Su-34 aircraft (consisting of two squadrons).

   The last Su-34 aircraft arriving in Shagol have red tail numbers "14", "15" and "16", and are the fourth, fifth and sixth bombers of this type built by the Novosibirsk Aviation Plant named after V.P. Chkalova (NAZ) PJSC "Company" Sukhoi "under the State Defense Order of 2019.

   At the end of 2017, the 2nd Guards Mixed Aviation Regiment received the first six Su-34 bombers, which were manufactured by the NAZ under the state order order of 2017 (red tail numbers from “01” to “06”, with the last two aircraft arriving only in February 2018) . From May to December 2018, the regiment received another 12 Su-34 aircraft manufactured by the NAZ at the state procurement order of 2018 and having red tail numbers from 07 to 12 and from 20 to 25. In June 2019, the regiment received three more Su-34s with red tail numbers "26", "27" and "28", which became the first aircraft of this type built by the NAZ under the 2019 state defense order.

   At the same time, the first 12 Su-34 regiments built in 2017-2018 did not arrive at the place of permanent deployment of the 2nd Regiment in Shagol, but were temporarily transferred to the 4th State Center for the Training of Aviation Personnel and Military Tests of the Ministry of Defense of Russia named after V.P. Chkalov in Lipetsk for retraining the flight personnel of the 2nd mixed regiment. Only from September 2018 to January 2019 did these 12 aircraft arrive from Lipetsk to Shagol.

   In February 2018, upon completion of the retraining, the first four Su-34 regiment aircraft transferred at the end of 2017 (red tail numbers from 01 to 04) were transferred to the Russian air group at the Khmeimim air base in Syria. Subsequently, other regiment planes were also flown to Syria.

   Three Su-34s, built in 2019 at the NAZ, transferred to the regiment in October 2019, and the Su-34 were manufactured under a contract with the Russian Ministry of Defense of February 2012 for 92 such aircraft. With their arrival, the total number of aircraft of this type transferred to the Aerospace Forces under the 2012 contract reached 88 units. The first two Su-34s under this contract were transferred to the Russian Air Force on December 24, 2013, the next 18 aircraft in 2014, another 18 aircraft in 2015, 16 in 2016, 16 in 2017, 12 in 2018 and now six - in 2019. The contract will be completed by the end of the year with the delivery of the remaining four Su-34 aircraft, which, according to some reports, have already been built.

   The total number of Su-34s built under all contracts, including seven prototypes and pre-production models, reached 132 units.

https://bmpd.livejournal.com/3795166.html


so we have 125 produced under contracts and 118 in service now because some were lost or removed from service

with the next 4 Su-34s delivered all orders for the aircraft will have been concluded. I wonder if there is intention for an additional contract

George1 wrote:
so we have 125 produced under contracts and 118 in service now because some were lost or removed from service

with the next 4 Su-34s delivered all orders for the aircraft will have been concluded. I wonder if there is intention for an additional contract

When Su-24 replaced? It's pretty stupid Russian air force still uses turbojet powered planes.

flamming_python wrote:As Syria proved, the Su-24 is still a very useful plane.

If not for low-altitude penetration into NATO's airspace as it was originally designed for, then certainly for low and high altitude accurate bombing in lower-intensity conflicts. In this role it's no worse than a Su-34. The Su-34s can be reserved for where they're actually needed.

I can easily see a few dozen of them remaining in service for another 15 years with some minor upgrades along the route, stationed in the N. Caucasus and Central Asia - in range of the Afghan border in particular. Some Su-24s can be given to Syria, and maybe 4-8 others employed in support of friendly forces in Libya and the CAR if Russia decides to more deeply engage in those countries.

Russia can save some money this way, and put it towards ordering more Su-30SMs, as well as Okhotniks at the same factory if orders there are needed.

Arrow wrote:The F-22 had a smaller IR signature.

ultimatewarrior wrote:

Arrow wrote:The F-22 had a smaller IR signature.

The bigger the engines, the hotter it is. Simple physics. Physics is laws of universe. No man can change physics.

ultimatewarrior wrote:

Arrow wrote:The F-22 had a smaller IR signature.

The bigger the engines, the hotter it is. Simple physics. Physics is laws of universe. No man can change physics.

Su-24 is very old plane. Still uses turbojets bleed fuel like crazy. All Su-24 should have been replaced by Su-34 by now. Su-34 has turbofans that double the range. All Su-24 should have been handed off to friendly countries especially to Syria.

The F-22 had a smaller IR signature.

GarryB wrote:

Su-24 is very old plane. Still uses turbojets bleed fuel like crazy. All Su-24 should have been replaced by Su-34 by now. Su-34 has turbofans that double the range. All Su-24 should have been handed off to friendly countries especially to Syria.

The Su-24 is not a new plane but it is only a couple of years older than the F-15... should they all be scrapped too?

Turbojets are actually rather common engine designs and are really not that different from low bypass turbofans in use today except fuel consumption... which is not really a huge concern for Russia ATM.

The F-22 had a smaller IR signature.

Not sure what you are thinking... that image of the Su-34 didn't seem very much different from the images of the so called stealthy high tech western aircraft... F-22 and F-35.

No one ever claimed the Su-34 was invisible... but plenty of claims of invisibility for F-22 and F-35... which, based on the photos posted are clearly not invisible at all in the IR range.... as you mention in fact their big powerful engines make them easy to spot at long ranges... in IR.

ultimatewarrior wrote:Americans started using turbofan on F-111 in 1960s. Russia didn't start using turbofan until 1980s. Su-24 is a whole generation behind F-15. Su-34 has twice the combat radius as Su-24 because of turbofan instead of turbojet.

ultimatewarrior wrote:
Americans started using turbofan on F-111 in 1960s. Russia didn't start using turbofan until 1980s. Su-24 is a whole generation behind F-15. Su-34 has twice the combat radius as Su-24 because of turbofan instead of turbojet.

Americans started using turbofan on F-111 in 1960s. Russia didn't start using turbofan until 1980s.

Su-24 is a whole generation behind F-15.

Su-34 has twice the combat radius as Su-24 because of turbofan instead of turbojet.

Radius is very important, specially when you have a fighter than can used cruise missile. You can strike countries far away when needed. It gives you more "roads" fornyour operations in order to avoid a particular era.

Production of Su-34 aircraft in Novosibirsk may cease