Free Republic

Dear Hush-Kit, I am generally a happy man, but there is one thing in life that leaves me confused and angry: I can’t get my head around all the different Chinese Flankers (I refuse to put that word in inverted commas). Please please could you explain the differences without drowning me in details? Yours hopefully, Jeffrey Bainbridge, Luton OK Jeffrey, no problem. I will do my best. Where I fail, better informed readers will gently correct me in the comments section. So first of all we have the Shenyang J-11 The J-11 was just a Russian Su-27SK provided as a...

The imminent delivery of from Russia of two Sukhoi Su-30MK2 twin-seat versions to Vietnam will make the end of production for the “classic” version of the Flanker multirole fighter. But production of advanced “generation 4++” versions—the Su-30SM, Su-34 and Su-35—featuring markedly different airframes and more powerful engines will continue through at least 2020. Vietnam previously took delivery of 30 out of the 32 Su-30MK2s that it ordered in three batches during 2009, 2012 and 2013. Delivery of the final pair will bring its total fleet to 48, including Su-27SKs, Su-27UBKs as well as Su-30MK2s. Indonesia and Uganda were also recent...

MOSCOW, February 17. /TASS-DEFENSE/. Russia has unveiled the export version of the Sukhoi Su-30SME (NATO reporting name: Flanker-C) multipurpose fighter jet at the Singapore Airshow 2016, a source in the defense and industrial sector said. "The Su-30SME aircraft [the export version of the Su-30SM fighter jet] has been shown on the international market for the first time," the source said. "Its development aims to offer foreign customers a fighter jet equipped with a Russian-made avionics suite," the source added. Unlike the Su-30MKI fighter jet, the avionics suite mounted on the Su-30SME aircraft’s version lacks French-made components, the source said. Russian-made...

A Russia Su-27 jet fighter flew dangerously close and nearly collided with a U.S. reconnaissance aircraft this week in the latest aerial provocation by Moscow, defense officials revealed to the Washington Free Beacon. The Su-27 conducted the close-in intercept of an RC-135 reconnaissance aircraft in international airspace over the Baltic Sea on Tuesday, said officials. The incident prompted a diplomatic protest. “On the morning of April 7th, a U.S. RC-135U flying a routine route in international airspace was intercepted by a Russian Su-27 Flanker in an unsafe and unprofessional manner,” said Pentagon spokeswoman Eileen M. Lainez. “The United States is...

Three decades after it was inducted into the Russian Air Force, the Sukhoi-27 remains the ultimate jet fighter with its super-maneuverability, grace, beauty and sheer power. In 1984, after seven years of development and test flights, the Sukhoi-27 (codenamed Flanker by NATO) was inducted into the Soviet Air Force and the Soviet Air Defence Force. It was a defining moment in the history of combat aviation as the Su-27 – and its later iterations – became the jet fighter that would shift air superiority decisively away from western air forces. British fighter pilot John Farlight, who saw Victor Pugachev turn...

While much of the world’s media attention is focused on China’s indigenous fighter programs, such as the J-10, J-20 and J-21/31, Shenyang continues to develop the “Flanker” series that has been in PLAAF (People’s Liberation Army Air Force) service since 1992. The latest versions to go into production are the J-15 carrier-borne fighter, and the J-16 multirole attack aircraft. Fighter Flankers China began its association with the Sukhoi Flanker in 1992, when the country became the first outside the former Soviet states to acquire the heavy fighter. Three batches of Su-27SK single-seaters and Su-27UBK two-seaters were acquired directly from Russia,...

Death of a Soviet Aviation Legend By Dr. Richard Weitz 03/22/2011 – The famed Russian aircraft designer Mikhail Simonov died earlier this month, at the age of 81, after a long illness. His Sukhoi fighter jets represented the best of the Soviet defense industry and continue to dominate Russia’s arms sales to foreign countries. Mikhail Simonov (Credit: http://www.legacy.com/legacies/2011/obituary-photo-gallery.aspx?photo=mikhail-simonov&pid=149081887) Born in 1929 in Russia, Simonov began working as an aviation engineer in the 1950s. He joined the design bureau of the state-owned OAO Sukhoi aircraft corporation as the first deputy chief designer in 1970. During the following nine years he led...

Russia's top aircraft designer Mikhail Simonov, creator of Sukhoi fighter jets, dies at 81 By Vladimir Isachenkov (CP) MOSCOW — Mikhail Simonov, one of Russia's top aircraft designers and creator of the famous Sukhoi fighter jets, has died. He was 81. Simonov died in Moscow on Friday, said Sukhoi company's spokesman Sergei Meshcheryakov. He wouldn't specify the cause of Simonov's death, but said he died after a long illness. A former Russian air force chief lamented Simonov's death as an "irreparable loss." Simonov started working as an aviation engineer in the 1950s, and joined the Sukhoi design bureau as a...

Photo No. 1 Photo No. 2 Photo No. 3 Photo No. 4 Photo No. 5 Photo No. 6 Photo No. 7 The Via http://ChamorroBible.org/gpw/gpw-200905.htm (photos 25 and 26)   The Photographer Major Michael S. Humphreys, United States Army   The Video NORAD and Russian Air Force Participate in Air Defense Exercise  

Indonesia Plans 180 Flankers Plus F-16s Sep 30, 2010 By Bradley Perrett BEIJING — Indonesia intends to acquire 180 Sukhoi Flankers and also to buy Lockheed Martin F-16s, Defense Minister Purnomo Yusgiantoro says, setting out plans for a massive expansion of the Southeast Asian country’s air combat force. If Indonesia is serious about buying 180 Flankers, then Canberra will almost certainly fund the Royal Australian Air Force’s plan for 100 Lockheed Martin F-35s, says Andrew Davies, an analyst at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute. Until now, there was a significant chance that Australia would buy fewer F-35s. The Sukhoi fleet...

"I am a contented man. My childhood dream has been fulfilled," gushed President A P J Abdul Kalam after his 30-minute joy ride in the rear cockpit of a fighter aircraft (SU-30 MKI Flanker) on Thursday. This feat has made the President the oldest Indian to fly a fighter aircraft. As he was helped out of the aircraft by "co-pilot" Wing Commander Ajay Rathore, after it touched base at the Lohegaon Air Force station, the President's eyes gleamed with excitement. So affected was Kalam by the experience that he kept smiling with childlike glee. Clad in the flying gear of...

China’s Shenyang Aircraft Corporation created a copy of a Russian deck-based Su-33 fighter jet. The Chinese model of the aircraft was called J-15, Interfax reports with reference to the May issue of the Kanwa Asian Defence military publication. The Chinese fighter jet is based on the Soviet T10K training aircraft, which China received from Ukraine. Chinese engineers found it very difficult to solve the problem of folding wings of deck-based fighter jets. Now the problem has been solved. It is not clear yet, if the new plane has performed its first flight yet: the Chinese Air Force does not have...

Russia has grounded all of its Su-27 fighters. At least until it can be determined what caused one to crash on January 14th, 30 kilometers from its airbase at Dzemga (in the Far East). The pilot died in the crash, but the flight recorder was recovered. Last year, two Su-27s crashed. The Su-27, which entered service 25 years ago, is showing its age. It's still a first line fighter, but is fading fast. Last year, the U.S. bought two Su-27 fighters from Ukraine, to be used to help train American pilots to cope with the growing number of Su-27 and...

For the second time this year, India has grounded its Su-30 fighters because one of the aircraft crashed. This time, the grounding of the 98 Su-30s in service is expected to last only a few days. Earlier this year, in May, its Su-30 fighters were grounded for a month after one of them appeared to develop engine problems and crashed. One of the pilots survived, but the parachute of the other failed to open. Four days before the Indian Su-30 went down, a Russian Su-35 also crashed because of engine problems. The Su-35 is an advanced version of the Su-30,...

Russia has launched its Su-35 fighter-jet program. Russia's Sukhoi Co. has begun implementing a contract to deliver the Su-35 to the Russian Air Force. Under the contract signed in August 2009, the Russian Air Force, in the largest purchase in 20 years, would acquire 48 Su-35 fighters. "Long-term contracts for the fighter aircraft delivery to the Russian Air Force and foreign customers allow Sukhoi Co. to provide for a steady work load of its serial plants by combat aircraft production and shift from modernizing aircraft in the Russian Air Force inventory to manufacturing new products," Sukhoi said. In a statement...

What's wrong with IAF's Sukhoi? New Delhi December 4, 2009 Even if temporary, the grounding of Sukhoi- 30MKI fighters of the Indian Air Force ( IAF) has opened up a huge gap in the country's air defence system. Our Sukhois are currently located in the following manner - two squadrons in Pune, Maharashtra, two in Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh, and one in Tezpur, Assam. A sixth squadron was forming up in Jodhpur, Rajasthan, and it was from this squadron that the aircraft that crashed this week belonged. Each squadron has roughly 20 aircraft and the total India has is about 105...

‘Natasha’ alerted Sukhoi pilots of fire Rahul Singh, Hindustan Times The second-ever crash of a Sukhoi-30 fighter jet in Rajasthan on Monday may have been caused by engine fire, air force sources said, ruling out the possibility of human error. A female voice warning system in the twin engine Su-30 cockpit, called Natasha in the Indian Air Force, alerted the pilots about the engine fire. The air force sources said on Tuesday, “The pilots also spotted the fire and took a decision to eject. The cause of the fire will be established by a Court of Inquiry.” The plane’s flight...

Libya plans to purchase over 20 warplanes from Russia. Moscow and Tripoli are currently in talks about the package of contracts, Interfax reports. The documents can be signed at the end of 2009 or in the beginning of 2010. The deal is evaluated at $1 billion. “Libya plans to purchase 12 or 15 Su-35 multipurpose jets, four Su-30 and six Yak-130 trainer aircraft,” a source told the news agency. “Technically, many contracts have been elaborated well, and are ready to be signed. We only need to regulate financial issues,” the source said.

Libya to buy Russian fighter jets: report (AFP) – 19 hours ago MOSCOW — Libya is planning to buy more than 20 Russian fighter jets in a billion-dollar arms deal with Moscow, the Interfax news agency reported on Monday, citing a military-diplomatic source. "Libya is planning to buy 12 to 15 Su-35 multipurpose fighters, four Su-30s and six Yak-130 combat training planes from Russia," the unnamed source was quoted as saying. The contracts could be signed at the end of this year or the beginning of 2010 and would have a total value of about one billion dollars (670 million...

As one of our readers noted, DID’s articles from 2005-2007 seem to describe 2 different SU-35s. One is a mid-life modernized SU-27 Flanker, but there’s also much more re-engineered “SU-35” variant with canards, thrust vectoring, etc. has been confused with (and possibly redesignated between) the SU-37. So… what do we mean by “SU-35”? This article explains the sources of the widespread confusion regarding the SU-35’s layout and key characteristics, reviews what is now known about the platform, and tracks its development. Those developments are likely to have broad consequences. The aircraft has a home customer in the Russian Air Force,...