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Russia’s Su-30MK maker boasts order portfolio for 300 fighters Russia’s Irkut corporation said on Tuesday it had secured orders for at least 300 Su-30MK fighters and that it had already delivered over half of them. Orders have been placed by India, Algeria and Malaysia, Irkut’s marketing director Andrei Alyoshin said at the Dubai Airshow 2011. Over 200 of the aircraft have already been delivered to customers, Irkut said. The Su-30MK Flanker is a multirole twin-engine, two-seater for all-weather, air-to-air and air-to-surface deep interdiction missions. Su-family fighters constitute the bulk of Russia's arms exports.

At 35,000 Feet, a Russian Image Problem By ANDREW E. KRAMER MOSCOW — Airlines are a cautious lot, slow to trust a new airplane maker with multibillion-dollar orders and passenger lives. It took Embraer, a Brazilian maker of regional jets, two decades to become a major supplier to the industry. So Sukhoi, a Russian company best known for making supersonic fighter jets, did not exactly get off to an auspicious start. When it delivered one of the first of its highly promoted new 100-seat Superjets to Aeroflot in June, a piece of safety equipment immediately broke down, prompting Sukhoi to...

New stealth fighter to top the bill at Moscow Air Show A new generation prototype fighter is set to make its first public appearance at the Moscow Air Show this week. The Sukhoi T-50 will be the jewel in the Russian Air Force’s crown. The service has relied on the Mikoyan MiG-29 and Sukhoi Su-27 family of combat aircraft as the core of its fighter force since the mid-1980s, but these aircraft are seen as approaching obsolescence. The T-50 is Russia’s first new major combat aircraft design to fly since the end of Soviet Union. When an operational fighter based...

Irkut to supply 40 Su-30 fighters to Russian Air Force Su-30 © RIA Novosti. Maya Mashatina Russia's Irkut aircraft holding is in talks with the Defense Ministry on the delivery of up to 40 Sukhoi Su-30 multirole fighters to the Russian Air Force, the company said on Monday. "We will sign a contract with the Defense Ministry next year," Irkut President Alexei Fyodorov said. The contract stipulates the initial delivery of 28 fighter jets and the supply of an additional 12 aircraft as an option. The Su-30 Flanker-C is a twin-engine, two-seat multirole fighter for all-weather, air-to-air and air-to-surface missions....

Advanced Russian jet fighter enters production May 3, 2011, 13:10 GMT Moscow - The first production version of a fighter jet that promises to fill a critical gap in Russia's air defences has carried out a successful flight, the Interfax news agency reported Tuesday. The Sukhoi-35S fighter completed a one-hour test flight Monday above the eastern city of Komsomolsk-Na-Amure without incident, a Sukhoi spokesmen said in a report by Interfax. The Kremlin ordered 48 of the aircraft in 2009 as part of a 2.5- billion-dollar deal. The flight marked the first time Russia's current top-line fighter was built start-to-finish in...

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...

The Russian-Indian joint development of a fifth generation fighter jet will cost some $6 billion, Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd. (HAL) Financial director D. Shivamurti said Russia and India signed in December last year a contract to jointly develop a design for a new 5G multirole fighter. Russia's Sukhoi holding and India's Hindustan Aeronautics Limited agreed in early 2010 to jointly develop a fifth-generation fighter jet based on the T-50 design. "A detailed design phase, including the cost of the project, is likely to cost more than $6 billion," Shivamurti said. "The work between us and them [India and Russia] will be...

Development and production of perspective multi-role fighter is the largest joint project of Russian-Indian military-technical cooperation. In December 2010 during the visit of Russian President Dmitry Medvedev to India, the Rosoboronexport, the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited and the Sukhoi Company signed a contract to develop a preliminary design project of the new aircraft. This is the first of a series of documents governing the obligations of the parties at different stages of the program. The PMF project includes the design and development of a next-generation fighter, which will have such advanced features as stealth, supersonic cruise speed, high maneuverability, highly integrated...

Indian defence minister AK Antony has re-affirmed his nation's commitment to the fifth-generation fighter aircraft (FGFA) being jointly developed by Hindustan Aeronautics and Russia's Sukhoi, while also voicing his optimism about one of its other key military aviation programmes. "The difficulties in joining this programme are over," he says of the first project. "We've signed a deal with the Russians, and we will see the FGFA inducted by 2017." Russia's developmental PAK FA fighter had its maiden flight in early 2010, and late last year it agreed with India to cooperate on a combined project. New Delhi will send engineers...

The advanced Russian passenger jet linier Sukhoi Superjet-100 has arrived in India for an airshow, the Aviation Holding Sukhoi’s press service told Itar-Tass on Tuesday. The air liner will take part in the show’s flying program. Visitors and specialists will have an opportunity to see it on the ground, too. The aircraft was successfully demonstrated at three world airshows - Le Bourget (Paris), MAKS (Russia) and Farnborough (UK). “Demonstration flights in Bangalore will show the world aviation community once again that the Russian plane meets all standards of the world market, and customers will see for themselves the ability of...

For the second time in a year, Azerbaijan lost an Su-25 ground attack aircraft to an accident. Poor maintenance is believed the main reason for both losses, and that is a result of military budget cuts, and corruption (stealing some of the money allocated for maintenance.) Azerbaijan has about 30 Su-25s, but because of the maintenance problems, only about a dozen are fit for duty at any time. Last year, five used Su-25s were bought from Belarus. Despite these losses, the Su-25 is still a popular aircraft. When well maintained, the Su-25 is very effective. Over a thousand have been...

Yang di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin was Monday flown on a Sukhoi SU-30MKM fighter jet in conjunction with his visit at the air force base here. The aircraft, piloted by Squadron Commanding Officer II Lt-Col Mohd Asghar Khan Gauriman Khan, flew in a supersonic speed over Langkawi, Kedah and Penang and landed back 45 minutes later. It was accompanied by another fighter jet, the FA/18D Hornet. Royal Malaysian Air Force commander Gen Tan Sri Rodzali Daud told reporters Tuanku Mizan was happy and thrilled by the experience. Earlier, Tuanku Mizan arrived at the base and greeted by Yang Dipertua...

The Interstate Aviation Committee Committee (IAC) will issue a type certificate for the Sukhoi SuperJet-100 plane on February 3. The IAC Aviation Register has also decided to issue a certificate of civil aircraft designer to Sukhoi Civil Aircraft Company. The company said “the type certificate will allow commercial operation of the plane and confirm its conformity with the rules and regulations of the Interstate Aviation Committee.” The new plane will replace Tu-134 jets. The first SSJ-100 should be handed over to Armavia in early 2011. Currently, orders for 170 new planes have been confirmed. Aeroflot plans to receive the first...

A Su-25 Frogfoot close air support aircraft crashed on Thursday in the Kurdamir district of Azerbaijan, local media reported. The Trend news agency cited Azeri Defense Ministry's spokesman Eldar Sabiroglu as saying that the crew ejected from the plane and survived the crash without injury. An investigation into the cause of the incident has been launched, the spokesman said. The Azeri Air Force has about a dozen Soviet-era Su-25s, which are poorly maintained due to budget constraints. A previous Azeri Su-25 crash in March 2010 killed the pilot.

Russia to offer fifth-generation prototype fighter to Brazil? Su-35 fighter © RIA Novosti. Anton Denisov The global arms trade runs to billions of dollars, but few such deals attract as much media attention as Brazil's recent tender, for the purchase of 36 combat aircraft which includes an agreement on production of another 84 planes under license. Media interest in the tender grew after Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff, who was inaugurated on January 1, 2011, annulled the results of the previous tender. A modest beginning The core of the Brazilian Air Force consists of obsolete U.S. F-5 fighters made in the...

Russian Air Force to receive up to 100 Sukhoi fighter jets by 2015 The Russian Air Force will receive up to 100 Sukhoi fighter jets by 2015, the Defense Ministry spokesman said on Sunday. Three state contracts with the Sukhoi design bureau on the supply of the jets have been already signed, Vladimir Drik said. Fifty advanced Su-35 Flanker-E multirole fighters, billed as "4++ generation using fifth-generation technology," more than ten advanced Su-27SM Flanker multirole jets and five Su-30M2 Flanker-C multirole fighters are among the aircraft to be supplied. The Russian Air Force will also receive twenty-five new Su-34 Fullback...

Russian Air Force receives new Su-34 fighter-bombers Su-34 © RIA Novosti. Igor Rumyancev Russia's Air Force received four new Su-34 Fullback fighter-bombers on Tuesday as part of its current modernization program, an Air Force spokesman said. Russia started full-scale production of Su-34s in 2008 at a Novosibirsk-based aircraft-manufacturing plant, a subsidiary of the Sukhoi Aircraft Holding. A total of 70 aircraft will be delivered by 2015 to replace outdated Su-24 Fencer fighter- bombers, which are currently undergoing modernization to prolong their service life. Designed by Sukhoi, the $36-million Su-34 fighter-bomber is a two-seat strike aircraft fitted with twin AL-31MF afterburning...

Russia and India signed a contract on Tuesday to jointly develop a design for a new fifth-generation multirole fighter. The document was signed between Russia's state arms exporter Rosoboronexport and India's Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) during Russian President Dmitry Medvedev's current visit to India. Russia's Sukhoi holding and India's Hindustan Aeronautics Limited agreed in early 2010 to jointly develop a fifth-generation fighter jet based on the T-50 design.

The Russian-Indian second prototype T-50 fighter aircraft will take to the skies in early 2011, United Aircraft Corporation (UAC) President Alexei Fyodorov said on Monday. "We have put the deadline forward to the start of 2011," he said. "It is important for us that the second prototype is a development of the first, not simply a repeat," he added. Work is underway on the third prototype, incorporating even more advanced systems, he said. Russia's Sukhoi holding and India's Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) agreed in early 2010 to jointly develop a fifth-generation fighter jet based on the T-50 design. They later...

Russia and India have agreed the estimated cost of a design contract for their joint fifth-generation fighter project at $295 million, Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) Chairman Ashok Nayak said in an interview with RIA Novosti. "The cost of preliminary design is estimated at $295 million. The work is expected to be complete within 18 months," Nayak said. Russia's Sukhoi holding and India's Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) agreed in early 2010 to jointly develop a fifth-generation fighter jet based on the prototype T-50 design. India confirmed that it had finalized a draft contract at a meeting with Russia in early October....

Italy is ready to buy a significant number of Russian-made Sukhoi Superjet 100 medium-haul airliners, Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said on Monday. "This is our first civil aircraft... which corresponds with the most recent civil aviation requirements, and our Italian partners are now ready to buy them in quite large numbers," Putin said during a United Russia party congress in the Far Eastern city of Khabarovsk. Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, accompanied by Putin and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, inspected a Superjet aircraft in Sochi last Friday. The plane arrived in the southern Russian city on a test flight...

The Government of India entered into an agreement with the Russian Government for the development and production of a Fifth Generation Fighter Aircraft on October 18, 2007 for cooperation in the Joint Development and Certification of Prospective Multi-Role Fighter Aircraft. The agreement envisages joint production, joint marketing to third countries, sales, after sale support and disposal of aircraft after completion of their life-cycle. Subsequent to this Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) has signed a Confidentiality agreement on July 11, 2008, a General Contract on December 22, 2008 and a Memorandum on March 10, 2010. The estimated expenditure which is likely to...

Sukhoi Civil Aircraft Company won a $300 million order from Orient Thai for 12 of Russia’s first major passenger planes since the collapse of the Soviet Union, Itar-Tass reported, citing the Thailand-based airline. Sukhoi agreed to deliver 12 of the mid-range Sukhoi Superjet 100 airliners before 2014, the news service reported from Bangkok. Orient Thai plans to use the aircraft on domestic flights, gradually replacing its current fleet, the report said, citing Orient Thai chairman Kajit Habanananda. The airline may hire Sukhoi to maintain the fleet, he said. Delivery of the first two planes is planned for November next year,...

Russia's Sukhoi design bureau will start testing another T-50 PAK FA fifth generation fighter jet until the end of the year. Mikhail Pogosyan, the head of the bureau, told reporters on November 22 that the first plane, which is currently being tested, had performed 40 flights. The official described the tests of the new plane as successful and fast.

Powerful Su-25 strike aircraft to stage triumphant comeback? RIA Novosti military commentator Ilya Kramnik The Ulan-Ude Aviation Plant (UUAZ) in Eastern Siberia could resume production of Sukhoi Su-25 Frogfoot strike aircraft on orders from the Russian Defense Ministry and the United Aircraft Building Corporation. How likely is the country's Defense Ministry to purchase them? What are their strengths and where could they be used? That's what this article considers. A real order or wishful thinking? It was in Ulan-Ude on November 23 that the CEO of the United Industrial Corporation Oboronprom, Andrei Reus, first raised the possibility that the plant...

Sukhoi plans to hand over a new batch of Su-34 fighters to the Russian air force by year-end. The aircraft are currently undergoing flight testing at the Novosibirsk NAPO assembly facility, company officials say. Although they would not specify the total number, four aircraft are believed to be involved. This will be the first batch to be handed over since the contract signing in 2008, which calls for the delivery of 32 fighter bombers through 2013. The air force already operates five Su-34 strike aircraft from the preproduction batch. During the Vostok 2010 military exercise last July, these aircraft flew...

generation fighter design contract in December, Deputy Prime Minister Sergei Ivanov said on Thursday. Russia's Sukhoi holding and India's Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) agreed in early 2010 to jointly develop a fifth-generation fighter jet. India confirmed that it had finalized a draft contract at a meeting with Russia in early October. "If all procedures are completed by the time of our president's visit [to India] in December, the contract will be ready for signing," Ivanov said. The new aircraft will be based on Russia's T-50 prototype fifth-generation fighter, which has already made several test flights, and is expected to enter...

From 16 to 21 November 2010 the Rosoboronexport State Corporation will take part in the eighth International Aviation & Aerospace Exhibition Airshow China 2010. The Corporation regards the exhibition as a step towards strengthening military-technical cooperation with China. This year about 40 models of armaments and military equipment for the Air Force and Air Defense and 10 civilian and dual-use products are on display at its stand. China remains one of the most important Russian partners, despite some decrease in China’s share of Russian exports. Active cooperation in the field of aircraft and air defense equipment is going on. "We...

Sukhoi Company conducted flight tests of serial Su-34 fighter bombers at the Chkalov Aviation Production Association (NAPO) flight testing station in Novosibirsk. Serial production of the Su-34 has been set up at the NAPO plant, which is a part of the Sukhoi holding company. The Russian Air Force already has in service several Su-34s. Another consignment of such planes is due by the end of the year. In 2008 a state contract was signed with the government to supply the Russian Defense Ministry with Su-34 serial-production aircraft. The Su-34 can effectively attack land-based, sea- and airborne targets by day and...

Russia started the first day at an arms show in Jakarta with a contract on the delivery of munitions for Sukhoi-family fighters to Indonesia, worth $54 million, a senior defense official said on Wednesday. The Indo Defense 2010 Expo & Forum opened on November 10 in Jakarta to host over 400 exhibitors from 38 countries until November 13. Nine Russian defense companies are exhibiting various types of sophisticated weaponry at the biennial arms fair. "Russia's [arms exporter] Rosoboronexport signed a contract on the delivery of munitions for Su-family fighters in service with the Indonesian armed forces," said Mikhail Pukhov, deputy...

First commercial Sukhoi Superjet 100 (SSJ100) SN 95007 designed for Armenian Armavia airlines made its maiden flight, Sukhoi Civil Aircraft company said. "During the flight, a crew carried out functional test of aircraft systems and equipment, engine, confirmed flight characteristics of the aircraft in an operational range," the company said adding that the aircraft is expected to arrive in Moscow soon, where in accordance with aviation regulations, its performance on typical routes will be tested. The Superjet 100 is a family of medium-haul passenger aircraft developed by Sukhoi in cooperation with U.S. and European aviation corporations, including Boeing, Snecma, Thales,...

Russia is planning to sign in December an agreement with India on the preliminary design of a joint fifth-generation fighter aircraft, a senior Russian aircraft industry official said on Wednesday. Russian Sukhoi holding and Indian Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) agreed in early 2010 to jointly develop a fifth-generation fighter jet, tentatively dubbed PAK FA. "An agreement with India on the pre-design of the PAK FA will be signed in December," said Alexei Fyodorov, head of Russia's United Aircraft Corporation. The sides agreed to develop both a single-seat and a two-seat version of the aircraft by 2016, focusing on the single-seat...

HAL has big designs for fifth gen fighter Madhumathi D.S. Bangalore, Oct. 18 When the country's fifth generation fighter aircraft (FGFA) project — one that will give India the smartest and most lethal class of fighters in this part of the world — takes off as expected in the coming months, it would be the biggest ever design and development venture to be taken up by defence enterprise Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd. HAL would be joining Russia's Sukhoi Corporation to co-design, co-develop, and manufacture 200-250 FGFA; each separately for its respective air force. Joint development and production by HAL for the...

Russian-designed Sukhoi fighters (Su-30MKI) with the Indian Air Force (IAF) will soon have in their cockpit an indigenous multi-functional display system manufactured by Samtel in a joint venture with defence behemoth Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL), a senior executive said Wednesday. "The first home-grown multi-functional display (MFD) system will be fitted in the cockpit of a Sukhoi for a roll-out Friday," Samtel-HAL Display Systems Ltd Executive Director Puneet Kaura told reporters on the margins of a defence conference here. The display systems are being manufactured under a limited series production by the joint venture in collaboration with scientists and engineers of...

The Polish defense ministry is evaluating upgrades to its Su-22 and MiG-29 force to sustain its fighter inventory even as it looks to field a new trainer that also would take on light fighter roles. Decisions on the Su-22 are most acute, since the first of the aircraft will reach the end of its service life in 2014. The near-term plan is to add 200 flight hours, or two years of operational life. This would allow delaying a decision on what to do next until 2016, says Tadeusz Pieciukiewicz, a ministry representative. The question then becomes whether to pursue a...

Sukhoi says it will deliver the first Su-35S multirole fighter to the Russian air force by the end of the year. Last year the Russian military ordered a batch of 48 fighters with the deliveries to be completed by 2015. On Oct. 11, Sukhoi reported that the first production Su-35S is already in final assembly at the KnAAPO facility in Komsomolsk-on-Amur, with preparations underway for flight testing. The single-seat Su-35S is a mid-life upgrade of the Su-27 Flanker. It combines the proven Flanker airframe with more powerful 117S engines equipped with thrust vector control. The electronics also have been overhauled...

India chooses Russian prototype for its fifth generation aircraft Fifth generation T-50 fighter © RIA Novosti. Alexei Druzhinin The joint development of a fifth generation fighter aircraft has moved to the fore of Russian-Indian cooperation. The issue was discussed during Russian Defense Minister Anatoly Serdyukov's recent visit to India. But an important question remains: Which fifth generation fighter are we taking about? The first prototype of the T-50 aircraft built under the PAK FA project is already flying in Russia. Fifth generation fighters are increasingly becoming a symbol proving that a country has an independent aviation industry, capable of developing...

Russian Air Force to receive first Su-35 by yearend - Sukhoi SU-35 © RIA Novosti. Anton Denisov The Russian Defense Ministry will receive its first Su-35 fighter plane by the end of the year, Russia's Sukhoi Aircraft Design Bureau said on Monday. The first modernized Su-35 was presented at the 2007 MAKS air show outside Moscow. The Russian Defense Ministry signed a deal with Sukhoi on the purchase of 48 modernized Su-35 jets in 2009. Sukhoi is also holding talks with customers in South-East Asia, the Middle East and South America on Su-35 sales. The Su-35 Flanker-E, a modification of...

India is planning to buy up to 300 co-produced fifth-generation fighters and 45 utility transports from Russia, the Indian defense minister said on Thursday. "Over the next decade, Russian-Indian military cooperation will focus on two projects: a utility transport and a fifth-generation fighter," said Russian Defense Minister Anatoly Serdyukov, who is on a two-day visit to India. The jointly-produced fifth generation fighter will not be a copy of the existing Sukhoi T-50 prototype ordered for the Russian Air Force, but will be a separate creation, a high-profile source in the Russian delegation in New Delhi said. The countries are planning...

Russian Sukhoi T-50 PAK-FA, which flew for the first time this January at the Komsomolsk-on-Amur facility in Siberia, will be built to IAF's specifications. These stealth fighters will be ready to combat a joint air war with Pakistan and China. It's already being touted as far superior to the American F/A-22 `Raptor'', the world's only operational fifth-generation fighter aircraft (FGFA) as of now. IAF's FGFA will be a "swing-role fighter, with very advanced avionics, stealth to increase survivability, enhanced lethality, 360 degree situational awareness, smart weapons, data-links, high-end mission computers'''' and the like. Along with 126 medium multi-role combat aircraft,...

The Sukhoi Company has completed factory flight tests of the first of four Su-30M2 multi-role strike fighter aircraft for the Russian Air Force. The long-range combat aircraft underwent the tests at the flight test station of the Komsomolsk-on-Amur aircraft production association named after Yuri Gagarin (KnAAPO), Sukhoi said. Presently, the aircraft is being readied for certification test, it said. The Russian Defence Ministry had awarded a contract to Sukhoi to supply four Su-30M2 fighters during the international aerospace show MAKS-2009. The Su-30M2 is a long-range strike aircraft based on the Su-30 fighter design optimised for precision strikes on ground and...

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...

Iceland set to embrace war-game fliers By Andrew Ward in Stockholm Gudmundur Petursson worked for years as a contractor for the US military at Keflavik airbase on the Reykjanes peninsula, south-west Iceland. Now, he is waiting for a green light from the Icelandic government to start building a 15,000 sq metre hangar for a fleet of Russian-made fighter jets. Mr Petursson, chief executive of FM Service, an Icelandic facility management company, is a cheerleader for plans by a private military training company to base up to 33 Sukhoi “flanker” jets at Keflavik for use by air forces worldwide as mock...

Aviation has rebounded from the economic crisis and the proof is in the US$ 47bn of orders signed at last week's biannual Farnborough International Airshow. While the 2008 Farnborough air show held before the start of the global economic recession saw a total of $89 billion worth of deals signed, aviation and aerospace executives were pleased with the resounding rebound. Of the total sales at the 2010 show over 20% - about US$ 10bn were inked by Russian companies and the biggest smiles were around the Sukhoi stand as its Civil Aircraft division proved the international appeal of the Sukhoi...

Iranian Army Equips Sukhoi-24 with Night Operation Systems TEHRAN (FNA)- The Iranian Army has equipped its fleet of Sukhoi SU-24s with newly developed night operations systems enabling the fighter jets to accomplish missions at nights, a senior Iranian Army Air Force commander announced on Monday. "Sukhoi fighter jet has been optimized by the Army Air Force experts and now has the capability to hit and destroy targets with high precision in absolute darkness," Air Force Lieutenant Commander for Operations Seyed Mohammad Alavi told FNA. These navigation and night flight systems have been mounted on all Sukhoi-24 fighter jets and they...

Russia Gets Su-35S by Year-end, Libya to Follow Jul 22, 2010 By Maxim Pyadushkin, Michael A. Taverna mike_taverna@aviationweek.com The Russian air force will take delivery of its first Su-35S fighter by the end of 2010, with a Libyan deal for the aircraft also anticipated to be concluded in the same time-frame Sukhoi CEO Mikhail Pogosyan, speaking at the Farnborough International Airshow, confirms that the air force would begin to receive the latest upgrade of the Su-27 Flanker before the year is out. The Su-35S, sometime also known as the Su-27M2, matches the Flanker airframe with more powerful 117S engines, thrust...

The Russian Air Force’s in-service Su-34s designed by the Sukhoi Company have proved their superior operational capabilities and flight performance in the East-2010 military exercises held in July. In performance of the operational mission a non-stop flight was carried out from the European part of Russia to the Far East with in-flight refueling and subsequent attack as per task assigned. Soon it is planned to increase the operational capability of the aircraft by adding new aerial munitions, announced the Director General of Sukhoi Mikhail Pogosyan today at the press conference at the Farnborough International Airshow-2010. The Su-34 frontline bomber will...

Russia's fifth-generation fighters for export will be cheaper than their foreign analogues, the general director of the aviation companies Sukhoi and MiG said on Tuesday. "The price of the fifth-generation export variant is an issue for discussion and negotiation. But I can say that we believe its main advantage will be a competitive price margin," Mikhail Pogosyan said, adding that the aircraft would be significantly more expensive than Russia's fourth-generation fighter model. He said that the new-generation fighter will be presented at the 2011 MAKS air show outside Moscow. Next year you will be able to see how the fifth-generation...

Russia's Sukhoi Civil Aircraft and Indonesia's regional carrier Kartika Airlines on Monday inked a $951 contract for the delivery of 30 Sukhoi Superjet 100s. The contract is a solid order for 30 airplanes to be shipped between 2012 and 2015. Superjet-100 is a family of medium-haul passenger aircraft developed by Sukhoi in cooperation with U.S. and European aviation corporations, including Boeing, Snecma, Thales, Messier Dowty, Liebherr Aerospace and Honeywell.