Promising aircraft: the RF Ministry of Defense will sign contracts for the supply of Su-30SM2 fighters and Yak-130 combat trainers

By the end of 2020, the Russian Ministry of Defense will sign two state contracts for the supply of Su-30SM2 and Yak-130 aircraft. This was announced during a meeting with industry representatives by the head of the defense department Sergei Shoigu.

“We have made a decision and will sign this year, in addition to the existing two state contracts worth over 100 billion rubles, according to which 21 Su-30SM2 fighters and 25 Yak-130 combat training aircraft will be built,” Sergei Shoigu said.

The head of the Russian Defense Ministry also said that next year a contract for the repair of Su-30 aircraft in the amount of 7.2 billion rubles would be signed. In addition, Shoigu recalled that as a result of modernization at the Irkutsk Aviation Plant, where the Yak-130 is produced, additional production capabilities have appeared.

At the same time, the head of the defense department appealed to the leaders of the aircraft industry with an appeal to reduce the cost of a flight hour and build work on the basis of full life cycle contracts. Shoigu stressed that his department will strictly monitor the implementation of contracts and in case of violations, tough measures will be taken, up to and including termination.

In training and in battle

The Yak-130 is a combat training aircraft developed by the Yakovlev Design Bureau, which was put into service in Russia in 2010.

With a maximum take-off weight of 10.3 tons, a length of 11.49 m and a wingspan of 9.84 m, the Yak-130 has a flight range of about 2 thousand km, the maximum height is 12.5 km. The AI-222-25 double-circuit turbojet engine provides 5 tons of thrust. The aircraft is capable of speeds up to 1050 km / h. 

• Combat training aircraft Yak-130
• © Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation

In combat conditions, the aircraft can be operated as a light attack aircraft. For combat purposes, the Yak-130 can be equipped with R-73E air-to-air missiles with infrared homing heads, various bombs with a caliber of up to 500 kg, unguided missiles S-8, S-13, S-25.

In addition, a GSh-23L automatic cannon can be installed on the vehicle. The total mass of the Yak-130's combat load can reach three tons. The aircraft is capable of destroying ground, sea and air targets in difficult weather conditions.

In 2019, the Yak-130 was demonstrated at the LIMA international aerospace and marine technology exhibition in Malaysia, the FAMEX aerospace show in Mexico, the Army military-technical forum, the International Aviation and Space Salon (MAKS) in the Moscow Region and at the Dubai Airshow 2019 international air show. ...

Military expert Yuri Knutov, in a conversation with RT, noted that the Yak-130 is mainly used in the Russian Aerospace Forces as a combat training aircraft.

“From the point of view of maneuverability and armament, this vehicle is a light attack aircraft, a fire support vehicle in combat. This aircraft is promising and is in great demand in the world market, ”the expert emphasized.

At the same time, according to the specialist, the Yak-130 is capable of training military pilots in different flight modes and the use of weapons typical for aircraft of the fourth and even fifth generations. In other words, the training capabilities of the Russian aircraft cover almost the entire sector of modern combat aviation.

Popular fighter

In turn, the Su-30SM2 is a new modification of the Su-30SM fighter developed by the Sukhoi Design Bureau. It is a generation 4 ++ heavy multirole fighter designed for air supremacy. It was created by order of the Russian Aerospace Forces based on the export version of the Su-30MKI, which was developed in the late 1990s for deliveries to India.

• Flight of a pair of Su-30SM fighters during an air defense exercise
• © Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation

The maximum take-off weight of the Su-30SM is 34.5 thousand kg with a maximum speed of 2125 km / h. The total combat load of the fighter is 8 tons; it can carry six guided missiles for air combat and air bombs weighing up to 500 kg. Also, the Su-30SM is equipped with a GSh-30-1 30-mm aircraft cannon.

“The Su-30SM has engines with variable thrust vector, the latest generation of Khibiny electronic warfare modules, which protect it from air-to-air weapons, anti-aircraft guided missiles, the Bars radar, which allows you to see various targets and, accordingly, to use various types of weapons on an aircraft, including air-to-air missiles, cruise missiles, "military expert Alexei Leonkov told RT.

A fly-by-wire control system has also been installed, which allows an aircraft with a complete set of weapons to perform aerobatics, Leonkov added. According to the specialist, this technique makes the Su-30SM a multifunctional combat unit.

“The Su-30SM2 differs from the Su-30SM in that the onboard equipment has been changed on it - now the power plant includes two AL-31FP engines with a controlled thrust vector. This significantly increased its maneuverability during air combat. This fighter has undergone changes due to combat operation in Syria, ”Leonkov said.

It should be noted that a number of foreign customers are showing interest in the Su-30SM, Su-30MKI and other modifications of this platform.

So, in January 2018, during the tour of Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu across the APR countries, an agreement was reached on the sale of six Su-30s to Myanmar.

In early 2019, the Armenian Ministry of Defense announced plans to purchase four Su-30SM fighters from Russia. In October 2019, the head of the Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation (FSMTC) Dmitry Shugaev said that the Russian Federation had delivered eight Su-30K fighters to Angola.

India is one of the main importers of this fighter - a modification of the Su-30MKI was created precisely by its order. By 2018, at least 240 Sukhoi fighters were in service with the Indian troops.

In July 2019, the deputy director of the FSMTC, Vladimir Drozhzhov, announced that India would purchase 18 more Su-30MKI fighters from Russia. In addition to these countries, various modifications of the Su-30MK and Su-30SM fighters are operated by China, Vietnam, Venezuela and Algeria.

Modifications of the Su-30 are very popular with foreign customers because of the value for money, explained Yuri Knutov.

“Indian pilots have a pretty good command of this aircraft, their technicians know how to repair these aircraft, the issues of spare parts have been worked out, due to this, the next generations of the Su-30 modification are attractive for the Indian Armed Forces. In addition, the latest conflict between India and Pakistan has demonstrated a certain dignity of Russian aircraft, which are super-maneuverable and can evade any aircraft and missiles, ”the expert emphasized.

In turn, the Su-30SM2, obtained on the basis of these aircraft, will strengthen the combat capability of the Russian Aerospace Forces and increase its defenses, Yuri Knutov believes.

“These aircraft, being in service with the Russian Aerospace Forces, will reliably ensure the security of Russian borders, despite the fact that the United States is now betting on the breakthrough of Russian air defense using aircraft with stealth technology, such as the F-35, F-22 , B-2 Spirit and F-15. Russia is taking retaliatory measures and adopting aircraft with the latest sights, extended-range missiles and super-maneuverability, ”the expert summed up.