Russian Defense Ministry orders 64 Su-family fighters

Ria Novosti ^ | 18/08/2009

[sukhoi-30mki]

Russian Defense Ministry orders 64 Su-family fighters

MOSCOW, August 18 (RIA Novosti) - The Russian Defense Ministry and the Sukhoi aircraft maker signed on Tuesday a contract on the delivery of 64 Su fighters to the Russian Air Force.

The contract, signed during the MAKS-2009 air show in Zhukovsky near Moscow, stipulates the delivery of 48 Su-35 by 2015, and 12 Su-27SM and four Su-30M2 multirole fighters by 2011.

The value of the contract was not disclosed, but according to open sources, the cost of a Su-35 fighter, billed as "4++ generation using fifth-generation technology," is estimated at up to $65 million.

The head of Vnesheconombank (VEB), Vladimir Dmitriyev, announced at the air show on Tuesday that the national development bank would grant Sukhoi a 3.5 billion-ruble ($109 million) loan to start mass production of Su-35 jets.

The Su-35 fighter, powered by two 117S engines with thrust vectoring, combines high maneuverability and the capability to effectively engage several air targets simultaneously using both guided and unguided missiles and weapon systems.

The aircraft also features the new Irbis-E radar with a phased antenna array, which allows the pilot to detect and track up to 30 air targets, while simultaneously engaging up to eight targets.

It is equipped with a 30-mm cannon with 150 rounds, and can carry up to eight metric tons of combat payload on 12 external mounts.

Russia's Air Force commander, Col. Gen. Alexander Zelin, said in July that up to three air regiments would be equipped with Su-35 fighters in the future.

Russia also plans to export at least 160 Su-35 fighters to several countries including India, Malaysia and Algeria.

[sukhoi-30mki]

[1rudeboy]

Family-fighters? You mean, with cupholders and that ceiling DVD player in the backseat?

[Virginia Ridgerunner]

The Sukhois are beautiful fighters, but huge, like F-14s.

[Virginia Ridgerunner]

You mean the Raptors just canceled by Congress at Obama’s behest?

[chichipow]

Didn’t Congress just cut funding to the F-22’s?

[Yo-Yo]

You mean the Raptors just canceled by Congress at Obama’s behest?

Not canceled, just capped at 187.

[KarlInOhio]

Family-fighters? You mean, with cupholders and that ceiling DVD player in the backseat?

Have you ever had a eight hour flight with a cranky weapons officer who can't keep his hands to himself? You'll be glad you had the DVD player and couple of bags full of Cheerios.

[Virginia Ridgerunner]

That won’t be enough to maintain air superiority against the Sukhoi hordes, especially with the F-22 heavy maintenance requirements.

[epow]

While Russia modernizes and builds up it's weapons inventory the Democrat Congress cut funding for the handful of F-22s the AF had on order, and according to the Heritage Foundation article HERE is seriously considering cutting orders for the F-35. All these cuts in our critically important defense expenditures are just part of the inevitable results of O's incredibly reckless spending from almost day one.

If we survive 8 years of an O administration as an independent free nation I will be the most surprised man in the US. Make no mistake, Putin's Russia is every bit as much our deadly enemy as the old USSR ever was before Ronald Reagan put it out of commission.

[Yo-Yo]

Nope, especially when you consider that out of that 187, only approximately 90 are fully capable of receiving future air-to-air and air-to-ground software and hardware updates.

The F-22 can't do what?

[A.A. Cunningham]

Speaking of chum ...

[SJSAMPLE]

Noooooooo!!!
Not again!!!

Does anybody have the confirmed narrative on this?
Should be interesting.

[gandalftb]

The Su-35 fighter, powered by two 117S engines with thrust vectoring, combines high maneuverability and the capability to effectively engage several air targets simultaneously using both guided and unguided missiles and weapon systems.

The aircraft also features the new Irbis-E radar with a phased antenna array, which allows the pilot to detect and track up to 30 air targets, while simultaneously engaging up to eight targets.

It is equipped with a 30-mm cannon with 150 rounds and can carry up to eight tons of combat payload on 12 external mounts.

[gandalftb]

Still working out the bugs.

Prototype #4, Su-35, During taxi, the pilot lost control and the plane careened off the runway.

[TalonDJ]

Nope, especially when you consider that out of that 187, only approximately 90 are fully capable of receiving future air-to-air and air-to-ground software and hardware updates.

That is not an acurate summary of the link's link. Those aircraft are not planned to get the listed upgrades but the Air Force is still looking at doing a different retrofit. The military is CONSTANTLY upgarding and tweaking things and different models often require different sorts of upgrades. Don't take that as some of the F-22s being lamed for life because it is simply not true.

[TalonDJ]

Does anybody have the confirmed narrative on this?

If they do it had better be wrong because such things are classified.

[TalonDJ]

You'll be glad you had the DVD player and couple of bags full of Cheerios.

"Moooom! He is touching my ejection handle again. Make him stop!"

[SJSAMPLE]

Maybe, maybe not.

The DOD and USAF have been releasing pre-packaged F-22 stories for several years now. Stories about how the F-22 took down F-15s and F-16s in 7:1 or greater odds.

The Navy F/A-18 pilot who got that might have an interesting story.
Or, it could be the gun cam pic of the last remaining F/A-18 from that squadron.

You never know.

[Yo-Yo]

C'mon, A.A., I already gave you a better pic to use.