Su-30 for Russian Air Force #2

Holy f Garry do you speak Vietnamese or was that image translate???

I speak only English sadly, that image was posted on this forum during the olympics and was already partially translated to english... I believe it was originally posted on a Vietnamese website.

The Su-30 and Su-34 are different enough for both of them to be good planes in their own right, but the Su-34 clearly makes more sense for deepstrike for the Air Force, while the Su-30 is popular with the Navy, but was also used by the PVO when it was a thing as an interceptor fighter.

. and that actually closes the discussion, if the Russians are satisfied with Su-35 performance or not, considering a real war experience.

Very true, if there was something wrong they would perform a massive improvement of the Su-35 before updating Su-30s to that level if they weren't happy with it.

@AMCXXL

Thanks for posting that. Comments like upgrades adding Su-35 equipment into the Su-30 might be correct, but not particularly helpful in distinguishing an upgraded plane from a standard plane... your posts means we can spot the upgraded planes ourselves.... thanks again.

these are the first Su-30SM (Su-30SM2) aircraft built by IAP under the contract for the supply of 21 fighters of this type for the Russian Naval Aviation , concluded by the Russian Ministry of Defense with the KLA on August 25, 2020. The delivery of these aircraft marked the resumption of deliveries of Su-30SM family fighters for the Russian Armed Forces, which had been suspended since 2018.

Judging by the order of the tail numbers (78-81), the four Su-30SM2 fighters delivered by IAP under the state defense order of 2021 are designed to complete the rearmament of the 1st squadron based at the Chernyakhovsk airfield in the Kaliningrad region of the 4th Guards Naval Assault Aviation Regiment of the 34th mixed aviation division Aviation of the Baltic Fleet. Earlier in 2016-2018, the 1st squadron of this regiment (formerly the 72nd air base) was supplied witheight Su-30SM aircraft with blue tail numbers from "70" to "77". The main part of the regiment is still equipped with Su-24M and Su-24MR aircraft.

In total, under previous contracts from 2012 to 2018, the Russian Ministry of Defense received 116 Su-30SM fighters, of which 22 were delivered to the Naval Aviation of the Russian Navy. In addition to eight Su-30SM fighters, which are in service with the 4th Guards Naval Assault Aviation Regiment of the 34th Composite Aviation Division of the Baltic Fleet Aviation, another 12 aircraft of this type (blue tail numbers from "35" to "43", "45", "47" and "48") in 2014-2016 entered the 43rd separate naval assault aviation regiment of the Black Sea Fleet in Saki (Crimea), and two more with blue tail numbers "22" and "23".

https://bmpd.livejournal.com/4471112.html

I must admit I can't remember their payloads right now but I have wondered before why they bothered developing the SU-34 when, from an economies of scale view it might have made more sense to develop the SU-30 as the interdictor to replace the SU-24. After all, they have a ground attack capability.

They probably considered doing that but side by side seating was chosen because as a strike aircraft being able to get out of your seat and relieve yourself, and perhaps get a hot drink or light meal, but mostly the communication possible in a side by side seating arrangement was considered worth it.

The Su-34 design started as a replacement for the Su-24... as shown by its designation, and was intended to be a deep strike aircraft that reduced costs by not being a totally new design.

The Su-30 was actually just an Su-27UB that was intended for roles where two crew are more use than a single seater.

The original user of the Su-30 within the Russian AF was the PVO or air defence forces, who used it as a long range but slower MiG-31 with its big radar and ample weapons capacity... the MiG-31 rips out and tries to take down the bombers and attack aircraft at max distance while the Su-30 comes in behind looking for already launched standoff weapons and any enemy fighters.

The multirole versions of the Su-30 were for export... the Su-30MKI and Su-30MKK were for India and China respectively and were not really used by Russia, so for much of its career it has been a very basic simple two seat Su-27, but of course over time it got updates and upgrades and now it is being turned into a two seat Su-35 which should give it quite decent capability in both the air to air and air to ground role.

I suspect flying at very low altitude and at high speed the Su-34 would be rather better and able to carry a heavier payload further, but the Su-30 is certainly not a bad aircraft and will be faster than Su-34 at altitude and able to operate at higher altitude and also likely with better acceleration too, but both are able to perform fighter interceptor type functions.

Tolmachevo airport, Novosibirsk

Arrival of four Su-30SM2 fighters at the airfield of naval aviation of the Baltic Fleet