Sukhoi Su-34

Su-34 / Su-32
A Russian Aerospace Forces Su-34 performing at the 2015 MAKS air show
General information
TypeFighter-bomber / strike fighter
National originUSSR/Russia
ManufacturerSukhoi, Novosibirsk Aircraft Production Association (NAPO)
StatusIn service
Primary userRussian Aerospace Forces
Number built>163 (7 test and 156 serial aircraft in early 2024)[1][2][3]
History
Manufactured2006–present[4][5]
Introduction date20 March 2014[6]
First flight13 April 1990; 34 years ago (1990-04-13)
Developed fromSukhoi Su-27

The Sukhoi Su-34 (Russian: Сухой Су-34; NATO reporting name: Fullback)[7] is a Soviet-origin Russian twin-engine, twin-seat, all-weather supersonic medium-range fighter-bomber/strike aircraft.[8][9][10][11] It first flew in 1990, intended for the Soviet Air Forces, and it entered service in 2014 with the Russian Air Force.[12]

Based on the Sukhoi Su-27 Flanker air superiority fighter, the Su-34 has an armoured cockpit with side-by-side seating for its two pilots.[13] The Su-34 was designed primarily for tactical deployment against ground and naval targets (tactical bombing/attack/interdiction roles, including against small and mobile targets) on solo and group missions in daytime and at night, under favourable and adverse weather conditions and in a hostile environment with counter-fire and electronic warfare (EW) counter-measures deployed, as well as for aerial reconnaissance.[8][14] The Su-34 is planned to eventually replace the Su-24 tactical strike fighter and the Tu-22M long-distance bomber.[13]

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference bmpdDec2022 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ "ВКС России получили новые фронтовые бомбардировщики Су-34М". 1 June 2023. Archived from the original on 4 June 2023. Retrieved 4 June 2023.
  3. ^ "ВКС России получили вторую в 2024 году партию фронтовых бомбардировщиков Су-34". bmpd (in Russian). 18 June 2024. Retrieved 20 June 2024.
  4. ^ "Su-34 in the sky". Sukhoi. 2 October 2006. Archived from the original on 29 September 2011. Retrieved 9 January 2011.
  5. ^ "Russian Air Force receives 4 new Su-34 fighter-bombers". Sukhoi. 24 December 2010. Archived from the original on 29 September 2011. Retrieved 9 January 2011.
  6. ^ "Su-34 frontline bomber was put into service by Russian air forces". Russian Aviation. 20 March 2014. Archived from the original on 24 October 2014. Retrieved 14 November 2014.
  7. ^ "NATO tracks large-scale Russian air activity in Europe". NATO. 29 October 2014. Archived from the original on 10 September 2015. Retrieved 24 November 2015.
  8. ^ a b "Su-32". Sukhoi. Archived from the original on 30 June 2011. Retrieved 4 July 2011.
  9. ^ Kopp, Carlo (January 2007). "Sukhoi Su-34 Fullback; Russia's New Heavy Strike Fighter". Air Power Australia: 1. Archived from the original on 17 March 2015. Retrieved 12 December 2018.
  10. ^ "Russia's SU-32/34 Long-Range Strike Fighters". Defense Industry Daily. 11 June 2014. Archived from the original on 18 January 2015. Retrieved 18 January 2015.
  11. ^ "SU-34 Fullback Supersonic Strike Fighter". Defense Update. 27 October 2006. Archived from the original on 18 January 2015. Retrieved 18 January 2015.
  12. ^ "Outlook 2010: Reorganization Nears Completion, But Russian Industry Still Has Far To Go". Aviation Week & Space Technology. Vol. 172, no. 4. 25 January 2010. Archived from the original on 14 October 2017. Retrieved 24 November 2015.
  13. ^ a b Litovkin, Nikolai (6 June 2017). "Russia's 'Duckbill': Su-34 combines features of both bomber and fighter". rbth.com. Archived from the original on 14 October 2017.
  14. ^ Kedrov, Ilya (25 April 2014). "Национальная оборона / Вооружения / Су-34 официально встал в строй ВВС РФ" [National defence/Armaments/Su-34 officially stood up operational Russian Air Force]. oborona.ru (in Russian). Archived from the original on 28 March 2015. Retrieved 7 April 2015.