Sukhoi Su-34
Encyclopedia
The Sukhoi Su-34 (export designation: Su-32, NATO reporting name
NATO reporting name
NATO reporting names are classified code names for military equipment of the Eastern Bloc...

: Fullback) is a Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...

n twin-seat fighter-bomber. It is intended to replace the Sukhoi Su-24
Sukhoi Su-24
The Sukhoi Su-24 is a supersonic, all-weather attack aircraft developed in the Soviet Union. This variable-sweep wing, twin-engined two-seater carried the USSR's first integrated digital navigation/attack system...

.

Beginnings and testing

The Su-34 had a somewhat muddied and protracted beginning. In the mid-1980s, Sukhoi began developing a new multi-role tactical aircraft to replace the swing-wing Su-24
Sukhoi Su-24
The Sukhoi Su-24 is a supersonic, all-weather attack aircraft developed in the Soviet Union. This variable-sweep wing, twin-engined two-seater carried the USSR's first integrated digital navigation/attack system...

, which would incorporate a host of somewhat conflicting requirements. The bureau thus selected the Su-27, which excelled in maneuverability and range, and could carry a large payload, as the basis for the new fighter. More specifically, the aircraft was developed from the naval trainer derivative of the Sukhoi Su-27K
Sukhoi Su-33
The Sukhoi Su-33 is an all-weather carrier-based air defence fighter designed by Sukhoi and manufactured by KnAAPO. It is a derivative of the Su-27 "Flanker" and was initially known as the Su-27K. The aircraft was first used in operations in 1995, aboard the carrier Admiral Kuznetsov...

, the "T10KM-2". Known internally as "T-10V", the development was shelved towards the end of the 1980s due to the construction suspension of aircraft carriers; this was the result of the massive political upheaval in the Soviet Union experienced and the subsequent disintegration
Dissolution of the Soviet Union
The dissolution of the Soviet Union was the disintegration of the federal political structures and central government of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , resulting in the independence of all fifteen republics of the Soviet Union between March 11, 1990 and December 25, 1991...

.

In August 1990, however, a photograph taken by a TASS
Telegraph Agency of the Soviet Union
The Telegraph Agency of the Soviet Union , was the central agency for collection and distribution of internal and international news for all Soviet newspapers, radio and television stations...

 officer showed an aircraft making a dummy approach towards Tbilisi. The aircraft, subsequently and erroneously labelled Su-27KU by Western intelligence, made its maiden flight
Maiden flight
The maiden flight of an aircraft is the first occasion on which an aircraft leaves the ground of its own accord. This is similar to a ship's maiden voyage....

 on 13 August 1990 with Anatoliy Ivanov at the controls. Converted from an Su-27UB with the new distinctive nose, while retaining the main undercarriage of previous Su-27s, it was actually a prototype for the Su-27IB (Istrebitel Bombardirovshchik, or "fighter bomber"). It was developed in parallel with the two-seat naval trainer, the Su-27KUB, although, contrary to earlier reports, the two aircraft are not directly related. Flight tests continued throughout 1990 and into 1991.

In 1992, the Su-27IB was displayed to the public at the MosAeroshow
MAKS Airshow
MAKS is an International Air Show held near Moscow, Russia on Zhukovskiy LII air field. The first show, Mosaeroshow-92, was held in 1992. Since 1993, it was renamed to its current name and is held on odd years .MAKS is an important event in Russian business...

 (since renamed "MAKS Airshow"), where it demonstrated aerial refuelling with an Il-78, and performed an aerobatic display. The aircraft was officially unveiled on 13 February 1992 at Machulishi
Machulishi
Machulishi is a municipality and urban-type settlement in Belarus, located in the Minsk Region. It is part of the Minsk Raion and its population, as of 2010, was of 7,300.-History:The town was first mentioned in 1590...

, where Russian President Boris Yeltsin
Boris Yeltsin
Boris Nikolayevich Yeltsin was the first President of the Russian Federation, serving from 1991 to 1999.Originally a supporter of Mikhail Gorbachev, Yeltsin emerged under the perestroika reforms as one of Gorbachev's most powerful political opponents. On 29 May 1990 he was elected the chairman of...

 and the CIS
CIS
CIS usually refers to the Commonwealth of Independent States, a modern political entity consisting of eleven former Soviet Union republics.The acronym CIS may also refer to:-Organizations:...

 leaders were holding a summit. The following year the Su-27IB was again displayed at the MAKS Airshow
MAKS Airshow
MAKS is an International Air Show held near Moscow, Russia on Zhukovskiy LII air field. The first show, Mosaeroshow-92, was held in 1992. Since 1993, it was renamed to its current name and is held on odd years .MAKS is an important event in Russian business...

.

The next prototype, and first pre-production aircraft, T10V-2, first flew on 18 December 1993 at the controls of Igor Votintsev and Yevgeniy Revoonov. Built at the Novosibirsk, where Su-24s were constructed, this aircraft was visibly different from the original prototype; it had a modified vertical stabilizer
Vertical stabilizer
The vertical stabilizers, vertical stabilisers, or fins, of aircraft, missiles or bombs are typically found on the aft end of the fuselage or body, and are intended to reduce aerodynamic side slip. It is analogical to a skeg on boats and ships.On aircraft, vertical stabilizers generally point upwards...

s, twin tandem main undercarriage
Undercarriage
The undercarriage or landing gear in aviation, is the structure that supports an aircraft on the ground and allows it to taxi, takeoff and land...

 and a longer "sting", which houses a rearward-facing warning radar. The first aircraft built to production standard made its first flight on 28 December 1994. It was fitted with a fire-control system
Fire-control system
A fire-control system is a number of components working together, usually a gun data computer, a director, and radar, which is designed to assist a weapon system in hitting its target. It performs the same task as a human gunner firing a weapon, but attempts to do so faster and more...

, at the heart of which was the Leninets OKB-designed B004 radar. It was different enough from the earlier versions that it was re-designated the "Su-34". However, at the 1995 Paris Air Show
Paris Air Show
The Paris Air Show is the world's oldest and largest air show. Established in 1909, it is currently held every odd year at Le Bourget Airport in north Paris, France...

, the Su-34 was allocated the "Su-32FN" designation, signalling the aircraft's potential role as a shore-based naval aircraft. Sukhoi also promoted the Su-34 as the "Su-32MF" (MnogoFunksionalniy, "multi-function").

Production

Initially only a handful of pre-production models were built. Then in mid-2004 Sukhoi announced that low-rate production was commencing and that initial aircraft would reach squadron service around 2008. Nevertheless, upgrade programs continue for surviving Russian Sukhoi Su-24, as the Su-34 may not enter widespread service for some years to come.

In March 2006, Russia's Minister of Defence Sergei Ivanov
Sergei Ivanov
Sergei Borisovich Ivanov is a Russian senior official and statesman. He was Minister of Defence from March 2001 to February 2007, Deputy Prime Minister from November 2005 to February 2007, and the First Deputy Prime Minister from February 2007 to May 2008...

 announced that the government had purchased only two Su-34s for delivery in 2006, and planned to have a complete air regiment of 44 Su-34s operational by the end of 2010. A total of 200 aircraft were to be purchased by 2015 to replace some 300 Russian Su-24s, which are going through modernisation upgrades to prolong their service life. Ivanov claimed that because the aircraft is "many times more effective on all critical parameters" the Russian Air Force will need far fewer of these newer bombers than the old Su-24 it replaces. The Su-34 will also replace Tupolev Tu-22M
Tupolev Tu-22M
The Tupolev Tu-22M is a supersonic, swing-wing, long-range strategic and maritime strike bomber developed by the Soviet Union. Significant numbers remain in service with the Russian Air Force....

s.

In December 2006, Ivanov revealed that approximately 200 Su-34s were expected be in service by 2020. This was confirmed by Air Force chief Vladimir Mikhaylov on 6 March 2007. Two Su-34s were delivered on 4 January 2007, and six more have been delivered by the end of that year. On 9 January 2008, Sukhoi reported that the Su-34 has begun full-rate production. At this time Russia planned to have 24 Su-34s operational by late 2010. In June 2009, Sukhoi was awarded a five-year contract for Su-34 production.

The Russian Air Force plans to receive 70 Su-34s by 2015. It received another four Su-34s on 28 December 2010. A Russian military source announced in September 2011 that Air Force had finished pre-deployment tests of Su-34. The model will receive approval for further testing by Air Force bomber units. The Russian Air Force intends to procure 120 Su-34s from 2011 to 2020.

Design

The aircraft shares most of its wing structure, tail, and engine nacelles with the Su-27/Su-30
Sukhoi Su-30
The Sukhoi Su-30 is a twin-engine, two-seat military aircraft developed by Russia's Sukhoi Aviation Corporation. It is a multirole fighter for all-weather, air-to-air and air-to-surface deep interdiction missions.The Su-30 started out as an internal development project in the Sukhoi Su-27 family...

, with canard
Canard (aeronautics)
In aeronautics, canard is an airframe configuration of fixed-wing aircraft in which the forward surface is smaller than the rearward, the former being known as the "canard", while the latter is the main wing...

s like the Su-30MKI/Su-33
Sukhoi Su-33
The Sukhoi Su-33 is an all-weather carrier-based air defence fighter designed by Sukhoi and manufactured by KnAAPO. It is a derivative of the Su-27 "Flanker" and was initially known as the Su-27K. The aircraft was first used in operations in 1995, aboard the carrier Admiral Kuznetsov...

/Su-27M/35
Sukhoi Su-35
The Sukhoi Su-35 is a single-seat, twin-engined supermaneuverability multirole fighter. It is a derivative of the Su-27 'Flanker', and was initially known as the Su-27M. More than a dozen of these were built with some used by the Russian Knights aerobatic demonstration team...

 to increase static instability (higher manoeuvrability) and to reduce trim drag
Drag (physics)
In fluid dynamics, drag refers to forces which act on a solid object in the direction of the relative fluid flow velocity...

. The aircraft has an entirely new nose and forward fuselage with a cockpit providing side-by-side seating for a crew of two. The Su-34 is powered by the AL-31FM1, the same engines as the Su-27SM, but its maximum speed is smaller at Mach
Mach number
Mach number is the speed of an object moving through air, or any other fluid substance, divided by the speed of sound as it is in that substance for its particular physical conditions, including those of temperature and pressure...

 1.8+.

The Su-34 has a three surface planform
Planform
In aviation, a planform is the shape and layout of a fixed-wing aircraft's fuselage and wing. Of all the myriad planforms used, they can typically be grouped into those used for low-speed flight, found on general aviation aircraft, and those used for high-speed flight, found on many military...

, with a conventional horizontal tail at the rear and a pair of canard foreplanes in front of the wings for extra lift and more manoeuvring power. At the 1999 Paris Air show the aircraft was nicknamed the Platypus due to the unusual shape of the nose.

The Su-34 has 12 pylons for up to 8,000 kilograms (17,635 lb) of ordnance, intended to include the latest Russian precision-guided weapons. It retains the Su-27/Su-30's 30 mm GSh-30-1 cannon. The Su-34 ordnance load includes subsonic and supersonic homing missiles and glider bombs, can destroy hardened and well-camouflaged targets at a range of up to 250 km.

The Su-34's most distinctive feature is the unusually large flight deck. Much of the design work went into crew comfort. The two crew members sit side by side in a large cabin, with the pilot-commander to the left and navigator/operator of weapons to the right in NPP Zvezda
NPP Zvezda
Research & Development Production Enterprise Zvezda, or R&D PE Zvezda is a Russian manufacturer of life-support systems for high-altitude flight and human spaceflight. Its products include space suits, ejector seats, aircraft escape slides, lifejackets and fire extinguishers...

 K-36dm ejection seats. An advantage of the side by side cockpit is that duplicate instruments are not required for each pilot. As long missions require comfort, it has pressurisation that it allows to operate up to 10000 metres (32,808.4 ft) without oxygen masks, which are available for emergencies and combat situations. The crew members have room to stand and move about the cabin during long missions. The space between the seats allows them to lie down in the corridor, if necessary. A small toilet and a galley are located behind the crew seats.

Operational history

The Su-34's long range was shown in a July 2010 exercise when Su-34s and Su-24Ms were moved from Russian bases in Europe to one on the Pacific coast, 6,000 kilometres away, which requires in-flight refuelling. The Su-24Ms were refuelled three times, while the Su-34 was refuelled twice.

Commander of the Air Forces Colonel General Aleksandr Zelin stated that a government order for deployment of the Su-34s is expected next year.

Operators

Russian Air Force
Russian Air Force
The Russian Air Force is the air force of Russian Military. It is currently under the command of Colonel General Aleksandr Zelin. The Russian Navy has its own air arm, the Russian Naval Aviation, which is the former Soviet Aviatsiya Voyenno Morskogo Flota , or AV-MF).The Air Force was formed from...

 – 14, excluding prototypes. According to the Sukhoi plane history, and news releases, eight development batch planes (still designated Su-32) were produced by 2004. In 2006, production of the final version of the plane began under the new designation of Su-34. In 2008 a contract for 32 planes by 2013 was signed. Six planes from this contract were delivered as of December 2010

Specifications (Su-34)

See also

External links

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