Russian Air Force receives first advanced bombers - Su 34 Fullback (see pictures)

RIA Novosti ^ | 15/ 12/ 2006

[operation clinton cleanup]

Looks like it is a "rearward" looking radar... I guess that is like a long range rear veiw mirror.

Above – Vews of the Su-32FN in flight – note the enlarged tailboom housing a rearward looking radar

[Trueblackman]

I am incline to agree a bit, but it more than likely has a dual role as well.

[Tom Bombadil]

Notice the external stores.... Larger radar cross-section.

It does look like a nice target for an air superiority fighter like the F22.

[Mr Rogers]

Ahh...a slow speed, fixed wing F-111. Impressive. 1970s speed, 1990 avionics - practically a wonder jet.

[Little_shoe]

like the paint job.

[Tom Bombadil]

The intake placement behind the canards reminds me of the big problems they had designing an intake aft of the the leading edge of the wings on the F-111.

I wonder if the thing is speed limited because of engine flameout problems caused by intake placement and pressure waves.

[Tom Bombadil]

slow speed, fixed wing F-111

That was my impression.

[Tom Bombadil]

Notice the straight through from intake through engine airflow. No serpentine intake to mask the compressor face from giving a healthy radar return.

This thing looks like a sitting duck and is never going to be able to take on a low-observable configuration.

[texas booster]

Bunkbed? So the pilot and copilot can sleep at the same time?

Better than sleeping together. They are Russian pilots so you never know.

However there is this:

and a massage function in the K-36 ejector seats

Maybe to relax them as they float to earth? Certainly designed for long flight times.

[ME-262]

They could also possibly deploy a parachute from the tail of the plane to recover from a spin or slow down upon landing on a short runway. Spinchutes are fairly common on flight test aircraft.

[RunningWolf]

I know but it looks like it has some stealth potential.

Clean it up, angle the tail planes, do something with the intakes, apply ram and it might be getting there. Maybe not as stealthy as the F22, but then does everything need to be?

Or they could use the basic planform and go from there.

[middie]

That's the NATO name not what the Russians call it

[Trueblackman]

Now I can say I am only one of a few on the planet that had the chance to direct this monster. Back in 1999, the AN-225 flew into Pax River after bad weather socked in Halifax and there was a ramp freeze at Andwers AFB, Air Force One was coming, so they landed at Pax and believe me , seeing this thing drop out the sky is amazing. I had to stand in the back of one of our Follow Me Trucks and direct because the flight deck sits so high, there was not a taxiway to she could go down and I came to find out that her nose gear and first set of four rear wheels can nearly turn 250 degrees, we stuck her on Runway 14/32 for the weekend(it was a Friday), the aircrew came off, gave use a tour of their fine aircraft. Well the XO was also on hand and the crew kept wanting to go to DC and have a good time. The XO looks at me and ask "Martin aren't you from DC?" Well yeah sir, he said "Well I am putting them in your capable hands, show them a good time and keep them out of trouble!" Well I have to admit I was a bit opposed, I mean come on grew up fearing Russians(Soviets),now I am ordered to pal around with them, well Doom on me I have to admit. We had blast these guys (16 of them)had money burn(they were contract to transport an oversize power generator out west, well paid in US Dollars) and were heading to Halifax for their next assignment, we spend most of the time T.A.D.(Traveling Around Drunk)in rented Cads, hitting Goodguys, National Airport Duty Free for Malboros(Duty Free lost money on these guys)and Pentagon City Mall, these guys love their Lee Pants. They departed on Sunday and it turns out that their Captain was a former Soviet Air Force Colonel, who ended up exchange his hats with the XO's and my pockets were heavier by 500 bucks and two cartons of smokes, after the Cossack hit the air, the XO and I stood side by side and he asked "Martin, you have anything to report, I replied no sir nothing you needed to know, XO goes "or is that nothing I want to know?" No not really sir, I am here and none of them are in jail was my final reply, XO goes "Hmmm that is a good thing I guess," as we both chuckled, who said capitalism isn't a great thing?!

[Trueblackman]

I think it is more of a basic platform and the later models may go stealth.

[middie]

Unless it is very carefully engineered at the plate joints and bolts and handles, it will emit a significant radar signature. The aircraft built for the Russians by the Czechs were excllent. The locally produced aircraft are fast and apparently have evolved to a heads-up-display (HUD) but I'd bet a dollar to a cake donut that engine and airframe high maintenance demands that have been a historic feature of Russian military aircraft remains today. They've always suffered from a low AG(aircraft generation) rate with a concominant low mission capable rate. Their re-supply/depot system and availability of spares along with limited basic flight training hours and operational unit training hours, if still an issue, will continue to affect standardization, readiness, sustainability and crew proficiency.

The former Soviet Union forces with which I was familiar consistently suffered from poor (or non-existent) air-ground coordination, close air support for ground and tank forces and I doubt the concept of ''jointness'' for multi-force operations has ever been successful among their ground, naval, special ops and air components.

We'll know (actually, the intelligence and operational guys will know) a great deal more about the above after we've monitored a couple of their exercises with the new flying machines.

[middie]

Great story!!!

[kronos77]

Firefox!
God that was a movie:)

[MARKUSPRIME]

This thing has zero stealth. It is based off the SU-27 airframe and is also big and heavy(will not be agile even with canards). I prefer our package of B1-B lancers(which the russians also ripped off)and the B-2 spirit for large scale bombing. This thing can not stand up to our legacy fighters in air to air engagments not to mention the F-22 and F-35 would destroy these things wholesale. This is a jack of all trades and a master of none. It will probably fill a certain roll but its deadmeat if it ever comes up against an air dominance fighter.

[johnny7]

It looks pretty sleek and fancy...

Stealth(y)...

[kronos77]

All they are saying is that they installed new radar. Jet also have modern data-link, using informations from other planes, ground controla and satelite observation.

I would like to buy few squadrons...