Aerospace

Russia orders 30 more Su-30SM fighters

Russia has ordered 30 more Sukhoi Su-30SM 'Flanker' multirole fighter aircraft, the country's Ministry of Defence (MoD) announced on 3 April.

The new order means the Su-30SM will be the most numerous fighter type in Russian service.

According to the MoD the aircraft are expected to be delivered to the Russian Aerospace Forces (VKS) before the end of 2018.

Based on the export-standard Su-30MK, the Su-30SM replaces the French and Israeli electronics found on the MK for Russian ones but otherwise retains the same airframe with canards and AL-37FP thrust-vectoring engines. As with the Su-30MK, the Su-30SM is built in Irkutsk by the Irkutsk Aviation Plant.

According to the MoD, the contract was signed by Deputy Defence Minister Yuri Borisov and Oleg Demchenko, the president or Irkut Corporation (the parent of Irkutsk Aviation Plant).