Russian air force to get 30 new fighter jets
Iran Press TV
Sat Oct 12, 2013 2:10PM GMT
The Russian Defense Ministry has announced that the country's major aircraft manufacturer, Sukhoi Company, will deliver a total of 30 twin-seat Sukhoi Su-34 (Fullback) fighter bombers to the Russian Air Force by the end of 2014.
"The current [2013] year plan on the delivery of 14 [Su-34] aircraft under the state defense order will be fulfilled, and the plant has promised to deliver another 16 fighter bombers next year," the ministry said in a statement on Friday.
On Thursday, Russian Deputy Defense Minister Yuri Borisov visited the Komsomolsk-on-Amur Aircraft Production Association -- a giant plant in Russia manufacturing warplanes and part of the Sukhoi Company.
He examined the facilities of the plant, which builds Sukhoi Su-27 (Flanker), Sukhoi Su-30 (Flanker-C), Sukhoi Su-35 as well as Sukhoi PAK FA fighter aircraft, and repairs and modernizes Sukhoi Su-33 (Flanker-D) all-weather carrier-based fighter jet.
The Sukhoi Su-34 is intended to replace the ageing twin-engined two-seater fighter jet Sukhoi Su-24 (Fencer), which was developed during the Soviet Union and is in service with the Russian Air Force and Navy.
The Sukhoi Su-34, a two-seat derivative of the Sukhoi Su-27 air defence fighter, can carry a payload of up to 8,000 kilograms of ordnance, intended to include the latest Russian precision-guided weapons, over 4,000 kilometers (2,485 miles).
The Russian Air Force is due to get a total of 124 Su-34 fighter jets by 2020 under two contracts with the Sukhoi Company.
According to official data, 29 Su-34 fighter aircraft have been delivered to the Russian military so far.
MP/SS
|
NEWSLETTER
|
| Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list |
|
|
|
