Russian Air Force Appendix 2

The Current State of the Russian Air Force APPENDIX 2

Su-27 FLANKER (60, 81)

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In 1969 the Sukhoi Design Bureau (OKB) won the competition over the development of an interceptor with long operation range. The objective was to exceed the performance rates of Western aircraft and the aircraft was supposed to replace several fighter types in service use.

Penetration tactics based on low-altitude flying had an important effect on the design of the first prototype, T101. Lookdown - shootdown interception capability was deemed necessary against both aircraft targets and cruise missiles at long ranges.

On May 20, 1977 Vladimir Ilyushin made the first flight with the Su-27 at Zhukovsky. However, it soon became clear that the aircraft did not perform as well as its foreign counterparts in terms of operation range and maneuverability. Also drag figures, vibration, engine performance and fuel consumption caused problems. The second prototype T-102 was built in 1978, but it was destroyed on its second flight and the pilot was killed. The cause was shortcomings in the control system.

The same year Sukhoi built a third and a fourth prototype T-10-3 and T-10-4. They received new AL-31F engines, but the stability problems continued. Five new prototypes were built for expanded test flight program T-10-5, -6, -9, -10, -11. The seventh and the eight versions were kept on the drawing board waiting for possible changes. During the next four years the Su-27 underwent extensive redesign program under Mikhail Simonov's supervision, which resulted in the T-10S, developed from the T-10-7.

The T-10S was lost in an accident on September 3, 1981. The second T-10S came from the production line with designation T-10-12 and with new airframe structure. That prototype was lost too, on December 23, 1981. The plane broke down in a high-speed test and the pilot was killed. The T-10-8 prototype was assembled in 1982 to be used in strength tests. Thus the total number of aircraft in the test program rose to 14.

The T-10S prototype evolved into the production version Su-27P during the year 1985, when it was introduced to service. Sukhoi manufactured about 200 such planes for the Air Defense Force.

The aircraft has been equipped with two AL-31F engines, with thrust of 12,500 kp with afterburner and 7,600 kp with the basic engine. The normal take-off weight is 22,000 kg.

The radar is coherent RLPK27 pulse-doppler radar, which is able to track 10 targets and engage 2 targets simultaneously. Geophysica NPO optical-electronic system supplements the radar. The system's laser rangefinder has 8 km range and the IR finder's detection range extends to as far as 50 km, depending on the IR contrast. The electro-optical system can be connected to the pilot's helmet sight.

As compared to the MiG-29, the benefits of the Su-27 in terms of operation range and useful load were evident. Thus the Frontal Aviation soon directed its interest to the new aircraft and had ordered about 150 examples by the beginning of the 1990s.

The development of the aircraft carrier version Su-27K started in 1982 from the T-10-3 model. In 1983 it was equipped with an arrester hook, and arrester wire trials began at Saki, on the Crimea. A new aircraft, the T-10-25, was equipped for structural and avionics trials of aircraft carrier take-off and landing technique in 1984 and 1985. The first aircraft carrier prototype T-10K-1 was completed in 1987 and it made its first flight on August 17, 1987. The second aircraft carrier prototype was finished the next year. The first actual carrier landings were not made before in autumn 1989.

The Su-27K, later known as the Su-33, won its competitor MiG-29K, and about 60 Su-33s were manufactured at Komsomolsk-na-Amur plant for two aircraft carrier flying regiments. The aircraft carrier versions featured retractable in-flight refueling probe, folding wing tips and rudders as well as improved control system. The Su-33 is also capable of flight refueling from its auxiliary tanks inside the fuselage.

The double-seat training version Su-27UB, T-10U-1 was completed in 1985 and entered service the next year. Its normal take-off weight is 24,000 kg and the maximum is 33,500 kg.

The tandem double-seat version Su-30K is an attack aircraft modification of the Su-27UB trainer. It comprises flight refueling probe, option to use auxiliary tanks and improved ECM equipment. The export versions have additional designations MK or MKI. The laser-optical system incorporates the FLIR function and it can be used in conjunction with the helmet sight. The ECM equipment includes laser illumination warning receiver, active jammer as well as chaff and flare dispensers.

According to the chief designer of the Su-30MK, Aleksi Knyshev, the aircraft is capable of fulfilling all the tactical missions of the Su-24 Fencer and the Su-27 Flanker, but it has double their operation range. The normal take-off weight is 24,800 kg and the maximum is 30,450 kg.

According to certain reports, the Su-30 was in service with the Russian Air Force already in 1993 and in series production at Irkutsk plant. Sukhoi has offered the Su-30 MK version to the Russian Air Force as double-seat command and target indication aircraft to replace the MiG-31s, which have serious maintenance problems. It has also been marketed in single-seat version as replacement for the Su-24 Fencer attack aircraft, and the Tu-22 Blinder and Tu-22M Backfire bombers, and as a cheaper alternative for the T-60S bomber currently under development.

In 1988 Sukhoi started to use the T-10-24 version based on the T-10S prototype for development of digital fly-by-wire control system and leading edge wing. Improvements in processor and display systems were part of the process, and lead to the Su-27M prototype, which, on the other hand, served as the basis for the Su-35 model. The additional modifications in the Su-35 included flight refueling probe and more powerful AL-31FM engines, which have the maximum thrust of 12,800 kp with afterburner. The maximum take-off weight is 34,000 kg and the maximum weapons load 8,000 kg.

The Su-27IB, T-10V-1, represents the third branch of T-10S prototype development. It was designed to be a side by side double-seat aircraft carrier trainer, but pretty soon it was seen as replacement for the Su-24 Fencer. Development lead to designation Su-34, which pretty soon was changed to specialized attack and combat area interdiction aircraft Su-32 FN. It made its first flight on December 28, 1994.

The development suffered from lack of appropriations. However, for instance the Russian Air Force's decision to reduce MiG-29 numbers and the cutbacks in the naval aviation equipment provided Sukhoi continuously with enough budget funding to keep the Su-32FN program alive. The order of 12 aircraft is estimated to keep the production line going till the year 1999.

The normal take-off weight of the Su-32FN, which has grown quite a bit from the basic Flanker, is 42,000 kg and the maximum is 44,360 kg. The Su-32FN is specialized in attack missions in which naval operation capability plays an important role. Among its self-defense arsenal it has for instance the backward-firing R-73 IR missile, which is supported by a small radar placed inside a projection in the aft.

The Su-32FN has 12 weapon pylons and the weapons load is 8,000 kg. The operation range is approximately 4,000 km. The flight deck with side by side seating is quite roomy and it has its own dining area and toilet facilities. The 'Sea Snake' avionics are meant for search and interception of surface vessels, mine detection, surveillance and anti-submarine operations. The radar has been designed to detect surface vessels and submarine wakes from 150-km range at high altitudes. The system is also capable of detecting air targets. The GLOSNOSS/GPS navigation system is equipped with two-way data link. The computer system consists of ARGON digital processors.

In the tunnel between the two engines underbelly there are two tandem pylon structures for big anti-shipping missiles. As typical weapon options have been mentioned, for instance, the AS-13/18 Kingbolt cruise missiles, AS-14 Kedge radar homing missiles, AS-17 Krypton, Kh-35 anti-shipping missiles and Kh-41 Mosk long-range anti-shipping missiles.

The prototype designation of the latest Su-37 version is T-10M-11, and it made its first flight on August 2, 1996. The less than six-month test flight program with the only prototype concentrated on aerodynamic features and fly-by-wire control system. The aircraft has AL-37FU engines with adjustable jet nozzle. The thrust is 14,500 kp with afterburner. Thrust vectoring was tested for the first time on the sixth test flight. The program suffered from financing problems, but the sale of a batch of license-manufactured Su-27s to China provided the means to finance the program.

The aircraft has a new electronically scanning N-011M radar and laser-inertia/GPS positioning system.

The thrust can be vectored ±15 degrees to any direction at the speed of 30 degrees per second, and the engines are connected to the digital control system. The lever is placed on the right side panel and the throttle on pilot's left is fixed. Thrust is controlled with a thumb-switch resembling an airbrake switch. For afterburning the pilot has to push the afterburner switches at the same time as he adjusts the thrust with the thumb-switch.

The normal take-off weight of the Su-37 is 25,670 kg and the maximum 34,000 kg. The maximum weapons load is 8,000 kg and the normal load is 1,400 kg.

Su-27SM (SMK) is an upgraded modification version of the basic fighter. Internal fuel has been increased from 9,400 kg to 9,965 kg and while the basic version didn`t have any auxiliary tanks the modification brings the possibility to carry 3,100 kg external fuel. Maximum ranges are 3 790 km (internal fuel) and 4 390 km (auxiliary tanks) when the basic version had 3 720 km. Combat radius at height is increased from 1 090 km to 1 250 km and at sea level from 420 km to 660 km.

The radar is upgraded N001 and the number of hard points has been increased from 10 to 12. When the basic version had R-27, R-27E and R-73 air-to-air missiles the SM has these and R-77, and while the basic version had no air-to-ground missiles the SM has Kh-31P, Kh-25MPU, Kh-29T, Kh-59M and KAB-500Kr.

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Russian Air Force, Appendix 2

Su-27 FLANKER (60, 81)