Su-30 for Russian Air Force #2

The US pilots had no problems admitting that the Su-27's were superiors fliers.

Su-30 on the left in the above picture.

Baltic stronghold: the newest Su-30SM2 will be sent near Kaliningrad

The first samples of the deeply modernized Su-30SM2 will be sent to the Baltic Fleet aviation. Multifunctional combat vehicles will be located in the Kaliningrad region. They are capable of not only shooting down planes, cruise missiles and drones, but also destroying land and sea targets. In the region, fighters have to increasingly face NATO opponents in the air, including the latest fifth-generation F-35 aircraft. Experts believe that the new items will significantly increase combat capabilities in the Baltic and strengthen Russia's position there.

Sources in the military department told Izvestia that the first Su-30SM2 will enter service with the Baltic Fleet by the end of this year. The newest fighters will be used to re-equip the 689th Fighter Regiment and the 4th Guards Naval Assault Aviation Regiment. The arrival of these aircraft will replace the outdated Su-27 and radically increase the combat capabilities of naval aviation in the region. They will become the first representatives of the newest type of multipurpose vehicles in service. So far, they are not in the aerospace forces or in the naval aviation of other fleets.

Last year, Defense Minister Shoigu announced his intention to sign contracts for 21 new Su-30SM2 fighters and 25 combat training Yak-130s by the end of 2020. The total amount of these two contracts amounted to more than 100 billion rubles. Deliveries are due to start this year.

Not so long ago, the head of the Baltic Fleet's naval aviation, Colonel Andrei Kosterin, announced that four new aircraft would be added to its fleet this year, without specifying their types. According to him, in addition to them, one military transport An-140 and three helicopters will arrive there.

Due to the increased activity of NATO, the western strategic direction remains the most threatened for the military security of the Russian Federation, the Ministry of Defense said. To neutralize threats, new military units are being formed and the existing ones are being rearmed.

“Kaliningrad is actually our only outpost in the West, its vulnerability lies in the fact that it is somewhat distanced from the main territory of Russia,” Inna Vetrenko, head of the Department of Management and Social Technologies of the North-West Institute of RANEPA, explained to Izvestia. “Therefore, it is very important for us that he be equipped with the most reliable means of protection in the event of an exacerbation, that he be able to hold out on his own and respond to threats. The ongoing strengthening there is being implemented planned, strategically.

In June, NATO exercises took place and it became clear what our Baltic Fleet lacks. To strengthen it, an auxiliary component is needed: transport and air. Therefore, it was decided to equip the Baltic Fleet with the new Su-30SM2. This will strengthen Russia's position in the Baltic, the expert emphasized.

Confrontation over the Baltic

According to the Russian Ministry of Defense, in the first six months of this year, Baltic Fleet fighters took to the air more than 70 times to escort foreign combat aircraft, including the latest F-35s. Meetings of Russian pilots with NATO aircraft occur in this region more often than anywhere else.

About fifteen fighters from the air forces of the main NATO member countries are permanently based at the airfields of the Baltic states on the principles of rotation. The latest combat vehicles are regularly sent there.

In addition, NATO countries in the Baltic region are actively modernizing their air forces, replacing outdated F-16 fighters. In the coming years, several dozen F-35s will be deployed in the region. Poland recently signed a contract for 32 units. Holland and Norway purchased these machines, Denmark purchased 27 units.

“The appearance of the newest super-maneuverable fighters Su-30SM2 will increase the capabilities of the Baltic Fleet aviation at times,” military expert Dmitry Boltenkov told Izvestia. - They are of a qualitatively different generation than the Su-27SM fighters, which are in service in the Kaliningrad region now. SuperDry can intercept surface and air targets, deliver missile and bomb strikes - this is a good, multipurpose aircraft, acting as an interceptor and attack aircraft.

Against the background of the intentions of Poland and Denmark to purchase lots of modern F-35 fighters, and the Americans are constantly active in the Baltic, strengthening the defense of the region by supplying modernized Su-30SM2 is very important, the expert noted.

The 34th mixed division of the Baltic Fleet Air Force is stationed in the Kaliningrad region. It includes the 4th Guards Attack Aviation Regiment, equipped with Su-24M bombers and a squadron of multipurpose Su-30SM, as well as the 689th Fighter Aviation Regiment, armed with modifications of the Su-27 fighter. They are supplemented by a helicopter regiment with transport, anti-submarine and search and rescue vehicles.

Even in the basic version, the Su-30SM are formidable combat units. In naval aviation, they play the role of both fighters and strike aircraft. In addition to air-to-air missiles, they can use the powerful X-35 anti-ship, guided and conventional bombs. They have already been tested not only for training purposes, but also in the real combat situation of the Russian operation in the Syrian Arab Republic.

A new modification of the Su-30SM2 was developed taking into account the extensive Syrian experience. It replaced the "heart" in order to unify with the most advanced Russian fourth-generation fighter Su-35. Instead of the AL-31FP engine, the combat vehicle received a much more powerful AL-41F-1S aircraft engine with an all-aspect controlled thrust vector. Installed on the plane and a powerful radar "Irbis". It will allow you to detect targets, including subtle ones, at a much greater distance.

The Su-30SM2 was equipped with a multichannel communication and data transmission system, originally developed for the fifth generation of Russian fighters. It allows you to exchange information in real time with other air vehicles, helicopters and ground control points, issue and receive target designation, and serve as an element of modern automated tactical control systems.

The modernization made it possible to expand the range of high-precision missiles that can be used from aircraft, including heavy anti-ship ammunition. Work on import substitution of many foreign avionics parts was carried out on the fighter. The capabilities of onboard electronic warfare systems have been increased, which protect the aircraft from being hit by missiles.

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franco wrote:Baltic stronghold: the newest Su-30SM2 will be sent near Kaliningrad

Not so long ago, the head of the Baltic Fleet's naval aviation, Colonel Andrei Kosterin, announced that four new aircraft would be added to its fleet this year, without specifying their types. According to him, in addition to them, one military transport An-140 and three helicopters will arrive there.

It seems clear that the 4 Su-30SM2 will complete the squad of the 4th Mixed Regiment, which has only received 8 so far.
What is not clear in the writing of the news is whether the Su-30SM2 are aircraft built in 2021 or are retrofits of previous aircraft, given that the 114 received until 2018 will be modernized until 2027-28, in the same way as the Su-34NVO , Especially considering that Millerovo will receive Su-35 and Su-30 could be left over for modernization.

As for the An-140 and the helicopters, it is clear that they are devices transferred from other units or from the reserve.
The semi-Ukrainian An-140 is no longer manufactured, there are 4 in the navy (2 in the Pacific Fleet and 2 in Ostafyevo) and 5 with no known assignment that could be transferred to the navy.
The helicopters will be modernized Ka-27M or Ka-29 taken from the reserve.

Major upgrade: the Ministry of Defense began updating the Su-30SM

The Ministry of Defense has begun modernizing the Su-30SM to the Su-30SM2 "Super-Sukhoi" version. Now it is the most numerous type of modern fighters in the Aerospace Forces (VKS) and naval aviation. Work under the project will begin in December this year. And already at the end of the next one, the first fighter, upgraded to the CM2 version, must pass all tests. With the upgrade, the vehicles will receive new engines, radars and "smart" weapons. In parallel, a contract for the production of new combat vehicles of this type is being fulfilled - at the end of the year, a massive arrival of new aviation equipment is expected in the troops. Experts note that the process will not be limited to improvement.
More planes

According to the schedule approved by the military department (at the disposal of Izvestia), work on "experimental overhaul of the Su-30SM aircraft of the Russian Ministry of Defense with the simultaneous modernization of the Su-30SM2 as a technical person" will begin in December 2021.

According to Izvestia sources in the ministry, it is planned to upgrade the first batch of Su-30SM to an updated version and complete their tests by the end of next year. At the same time, as the interlocutors of the publication noted, the military department does not rely only on fighters that will undergo an upgrade - new Su-30SM2 will be purchased at the same time.

As Izvestia previously reported, a large-scale contract for the upgrade of combatant Su-30SM to the CM2 version is estimated at seven billion rubles. The exact number of aircraft to be updated has not yet been officially announced.

Last year, the Ministry of Defense signed an agreement for the production of 21 new Su-30SM2 fighters with a total value of several tens of billions of rubles. These aircraft will go into service with the naval aviation.

“The Su-30SM was created from a well-developed export version supplied to India,” a military expert told Izvestia.

Vladislav Shurygin. - Some of the foreign equipment remained on it, which became sanctioned. Therefore, already in 2015, work began on deep modernization, combined with import substitution. The updated aircraft will come close to the capabilities of the fifth generation.

Upgraded look

The upgraded version of the Su-30SM will not only have improved combat characteristics, but will also be unified with the Su-35. As a result, the maintenance of a large fleet of both types of modern aerospace forces will be simplified. This is especially important in relation to engines - the most expensive aircraft components.

The Su-30SM2 will receive the AL-41F-1S aircraft engine, which is also used on the Su-35S. Compared to the current power plant, its thrust will increase by more than 16%, up to 14,500 kgf. In addition, it has twice the resource: the overhaul interval has reached 4 thousand hours. Improvements and plasma ignition have made the engine more fuel efficient, resulting in longer flight times.

Since the adoption of the basic version of the Su-30SM, a large number of modern aviation weapons have been developed and put into service. Changes in onboard electronics and software will allow the use of new missiles and bombs designed to arm the Su-35 and the fifth-generation stealth fighter Su-57.

Other improvements include a new radar, unified with the Su-35. It will allow the aircraft to detect ground and air targets from a greater distance, including stealthy ones. This is necessary in order to use the latest long-range missiles and feel confident in aerial combat with any enemy.

They will receive the Su-30SM2 and the latest multi-channel integrated communication, data exchange, navigation and identification system (OSNOD). This has already been installed on the fifth generation fighters. It allows aircraft and drones to communicate with each other, maintain high-speed contact with ground control points, and integrate into modern automated control loops.

Most numerous

The Su-30SM for the Russian Air Force was created on the basis of the export version of the Su-30MKI, developed for India. The two-seater crew of the aircraft allows better use of modern guided weapons. The navigator-operator can focus on finding and engaging ground and surface targets.

Differences from the export version were introduced into the radar, communication systems and state recognition. The set of available weapons and even the ejection seat have changed. The software has also been improved.

The first contract for the supply of super-maneuverable Su-30SM to the Russian Ministry of Defense was signed in March 2012. The Irkut Corporation undertook to build and transfer 30 aircraft to the department. Already in December of the same year, the first pair of newly built fighters flew from the factory airfield in the Far East to the State Flight Test Center in Akhtubinsk and began testing. Serial deliveries began in 2013. Subsequently, additional contracts were concluded for several dozen more units.

By the time the contract was signed, the newest Su-35 and Su-57 were still being tested. As a result, the SM for several years became the most advanced serial fighter in the arsenal of the Russian Air Force. Now there are regiments with Su-30SM in the Western, Southern and Eastern military districts. Their total number in service is about 130 pieces.

In naval aviation, these aircraft initially entered not in fighter, but in assault aviation regiments. Naval pilots regularly practice not only air combat, but also strikes against land and sea targets. Their missile armament in the exercises was tested by shooting at real combat target ships.

The Su-30SM has also become the de facto standard for arming Russia's closest allies. The planes were acquired by Kazakhstan and Belarus, and Armenia received the squadron.

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So basically Su-30SM is becoming two seat version of Su-35

Like I said Su-35 will no longer be purchased once Su-57 starts coming but it won't matter because Su-30SM will be practically the same thing as Su-35 anyway

PapaDragon wrote:
So basically Su-30SM is becoming two seat version of Su-35

Like I said Su-35 will no longer be purchased once Su-57 starts coming but it won't matter because Su-30SM will be practically the same thing as Su-35 anyway

Neither will su-30 be. They are already working on two seats su-57.

Is it me or does it sound like work has been pushed back. Yet, work to "begin" only in December 2021 (testing to be completed in one year!?) and first "batch" by end of 2022. Article is confusing, but from what was previously known work would've already begun. I'm assuming "work" beginning December '21 till '22 will really be testing the upgraded installations, equipment and air-frames. Anyway, can't wait to see them rolling out.

Isos wrote:

PapaDragon wrote:
So basically Su-30SM is becoming two seat version of Su-35

Like I said Su-35 will no longer be purchased once Su-57 starts coming but it won't matter because Su-30SM will be practically the same thing as Su-35 anyway

Neither will su-30 be. They are already working on two seats su-57.

Twin seat Su-57 is to be drone control aircraft not Su-30 replacement

All 5-gen airforce is pricy

Su-30 will be there as number filler for decades to come

The modernization made it possible to expand the range of high-precision missiles that can be used from aircraft, including heavy anti-ship ammunition

That is interesting... heavy would be Zircon or Onyx or X-32...

The Su-33s were shown with Moskit mounted between the engine naccelles, but AFAIK it never flew with that 4.5 ton missile...

So basically Su-30SM is becoming two seat version of Su-35

Like I said Su-35 will no longer be purchased once Su-57 starts coming but it won't matter because Su-30SM will be practically the same thing as Su-35 anyway

That is a huge leap... more like they are taking two big Flankers... a single seat and a twin seat model and making all the stuff inside them the same from radar to engines... there are plenty of roles where a second seat is not needed nor wanted, so the Su-35 would remain useful as it is slightly lighter and therefore should have slightly better performance (acceleration, flight range, top speed).

Su-30 will be there as number filler for decades to come

Su-30s are already in service and paid for, this upgrade means they can share a spare parts pool with other Flanker units and don't need their own special set of manuals and tools and equipment for odd radar and odd engines.

GarryB wrote:

That is a huge leap... more like they are taking two big Flankers... a single seat and a twin seat model and making all the stuff inside them the same from radar to engines... there are plenty of roles where a second seat is not needed nor wanted, so the Su-35 would remain useful as it is slightly lighter and therefore should have slightly better performance (acceleration, flight range, top speed)

When modernization of combat aviation was planned, three types aircraft were needed:

-a Flanker for the VKS
-a "double" flanker for the VKS
-a naval assault two seats plane (it was speculated with a naval version of the Su-34, but this plane is too heavy for this task, taking into account that in the past the USSR Navy had the Su-24 and other planes like Su-17 and yak-38)

The Su-30SM 10MK5 was chosen as it was, a decade ago, given the deterioration of the MiG-29 fleet, and was put into those regiments. However, it does not seem to make much sense to keep Su-35 and Su-30 regiments in the same military district.

Actually the Su-30 was chosen as a naval assault aircraft in need of modernization and unification with the Su-35 to act as a "double".
then, only 2 types of aircraft are needed instead 3

What we will see in this decade is the transfer, after modernization to SM2,  of the Su-30SM regiments to the Navy, and instead the VKS will have only Su-35 regiments
Starting Millerovo , that will receive Su-35 , and probably will transfer some of its Su-30SM to the Navy after modernization  (it remains to be known what will happen in Yerevan)



there was a disagreement with the number of Flankers needed requiring 4 regiments of Su-30SM in the Navy, plus the 3 Su-30SM regiments of the VKS, in addition to 7 or 8 regiments of Su-35 to include Kaliningrad and perhaps Severomorsk or other place in the North

14 Flanker regiments were too many and would need more than 220 aircraft of each type, all bearing in mind that the maximum number of Su-27 regiments that Russia had after repatriating the Soviet Su-27 aircraft from the Warsaw Pact countries was only 11, including an entire training regiment at Savasleyka


So the numbers do add up since then there will be only 4 Su-30SM2 regiments in the Navy and 6 Su-35 + Su-30SM2 regiments in the VKS, totaling 10 Flanker regiments as in the mid 90's

the remainder up to the 14 regiments required as a minimum would be at least 4 regiments of Su-57
and also the 6 regiments of MiG-31 (or their replacement of 5th generation) will complete 20 air defense regiments.

the rest of the regiments would be new light fighters of 5ºG  for the aircraft carriers or more restricted frontline areas such as Kaliningrad, Crimea, Severomorsk area, or Sakhalin / Kuril , all of this in the responsability area of the Navy districts



Then the Su-30SM purchases would be completed soon, since for 4 regiments (96) plus double for 6 regiments (36) in addition to Kubika, Lipetsk and Ahktubinsk (20)
Then a total of 152 are needed, so 40 aircraft will be necesary, of those that have already been purchased 20 (21 taking into account that one of Millerovo was lost)

In any case, it was said that the armament plan until 2027 expected about 60 Su-30SM
Then, perhaps if Armenia is included, that figure will come out, but it is not clear if the Armenian president in salary of Soros of will authorize the reinforcement of the Yeravan base, despite his grueling defeat at Nagorno Karabakh

PapaDragon wrote:
So basically Su-30SM is becoming two seat version of Su-35

Like I said Su-35 will no longer be purchased once Su-57 starts coming but it won't matter because Su-30SM will be practically the same thing as Su-35 anyway

by no means
as many Flankers will be purchased as necessary to complete the Flanker regiments planned from the beginning
The Su-57s are an expansion of the aircraft fleet, new regiments will be opened for them

the original plan was for 5 regiments of Su-35 in the VVS, which were the ones that remained in 2009 after the cuts.
For this reason, 20 Su-30M2 were purchased, starting deliveries in 2009, to equip them with "doubles" (5x4).
Later VVS changed its mind and preferred to incorporate the more capable Su-30SM and with great possibility of modernization.
Then the Su-30M2 will go to training units

With the events in Crimea, another Flanker regiment was expanded, with which there will be 6 and the Su-35s will be bought in parallel to the Su-57 until the acquisition program is completed.

Interesting reading, thanks for sharing.

The KH-32 is huge! Perhaps a typo from a journo?

Haven't seen weights for the Kh-32 but is it based on the Kh-22M which is a smidgen under 6 tons... 5.7-5.8 tons or so, and I would not expect the Kh-32 to be lighter... the electronics will be smaller and lighter but the missile is the same size so I would expect any extra capacity would be filled with extra fuel.

It would certainly need to be a centreline carried weapon... I wonder if a special double pylon combining the two centreline pylons could be used to spread it.

The mount shown on the Su-33 in the 1990s airshows had a fairly hefty structure that included parts that prevented the missile hitting the engine nacelles as it was released but AFAIK it was never actually taken any further than a mockup being shown under the aircraft at airshows.

The Moskit was only 4.5 tons too so the Kh-32 would be a least an extra ton... I suspect it never went anywhere because the Su-33 would likely not get airborne from the Kuznetsov with it and any amount of fuel.

As per the Belarus-Russia thread, some articles regarding SU-30SMs being deployed to Belarus

https://www.aerotime.aero/28862-russian-su-30-fighter-jets-based-in-belarus

https://tass.com/defense/1335413

https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/blogs/ukrainealert/putin-militarizes-belarus/

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-09-12/lukashenko-wants-putin-to-send-s-400-missile-defense-and-jets

https://www.reuters.com/world/russia-moves-sukhoi-su-30-fighter-jets-belarus-patrol-borders-minsk-says-2021-09-08/

First Su-30SM2?

Where’s the pic from, Akhtubinsk? Or Irkutsk?

Finty wrote:Where’s the pic from, Akhtubinsk? Or Irkutsk?

It's from Irkutsk. Someone commented that it's not an SM2 but I think it probably is? We'll see.

Mir wrote:

Finty wrote:Where’s the pic from, Akhtubinsk? Or Irkutsk?

It's from Irkutsk. Someone commented that it's not an SM2 but I think it probably is? We'll see.

It could be the factory prototype of the Su-30SME, the contract is still in force

AMCXXL wrote:
It could be the factory prototype of the Su-30SME, the contract is still in force

It is possible but the first one of six ordered for their Myanmar Air Force was already rolled out back in April 2019. It's still a mystery but we will soon know for sure.

Naturally it's a factory prototype - it goes without saying. The question is - is it a SM2 or even an SME?
If it's an SME it would actually be a demonstrator which is a little different from a prototype. I'll put my money on an SM2 prototype.
Myanmar also has the production version already so no need for a prototype.

Why the big bold typeface?