Russia receives a new batch of Su-30SM2 fighters
3 July, 2023 Su-30SM2 fighter from a new batch for the Russian Air Force, July 2023 The Russian Irkutsk Aviation Plant has manufactured and transferred to the Russian Ministry of Defense a batch of Su-30SM2 multi-purpose fighters. This is reported by Russian media.
The transferred aircraft are part of the third batch of fighters built by the Irkutsk Aviation Plant under a 2020 contract for the supply of 21 fighters of this type. The manufacturer does not disclose the number of aircraft in the batch. However, it probably consists of four aircraft, two of which are ready for shipment and two more are at the final stage of preparation.
Judging by the livery applied to the new sides, the Su-30SM2 fighters will be transferred to the Russian Navy aviation unit. Presumably, to the 4th Naval Attack Aviation Regiment, which is stationed in the city of Chernyakhovsk.
According to the representatives of the manufacturer, the new aircraft has better avionics. Due to it, in particular, the range of detection and recognition of air targets has increased.
Su-30SM2 fighter from a new batch for the Russian Air Force, July 2023
New high-precision weapons to defeat air, ground and surface targets at a range of several hundred kilometers, the list of which is not revealed, were also integrated into the fighters armament. Presumably, it regarded the integration of the UMPK guided bomb.
Su-30SM2
Su-30 is a fourth-generation Russian two-seat multi-role fighter, which is a further development of the Soviet Su-27 fighter.
Currently, there are about 130-140 fighters of this type in service with the Russian Federation. Su-30SM2 is the newest version of the fighter. Key units of combat aircraft, such as radar, engine, and EW system are unified with elements of the Su-35S fighter.
This made it possible to significantly increase the tactical and technical characteristics of aircraft. The gun armament of the fighter is represented by an aviation GSh-301 30mm automatic gun with an ammunition of 150 HE-frag rounds. The fighter is capable of carrying up to ten units of missile and bomb weapons on external suspension units: four under the wing hardpoints, two at the wing stations, two under the engine nacelles and two under the center plane between the engine nacelles.
The total weight of the combat payload reaches 4,000 kg.
Su-30 fighter.
Photo from open sources
The aircraft's ammunition includes R-77, R-27, R-73 medium-range guided missiles with infrared homing guidance system, as well as Kh-35 anti-ship cruise missiles.
The aircraft can also be a carrier of bombs weighing up to 500 kg, including an upgraded UMPK guided bomb.