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New Sukhoi-30SM jet fighter to be presented at MAKS air show

First Su-30SM fighter made its maiden flight in September 2012
Photo ITAR-TASS
Photo ITAR-TASS

MOSCOW, August 19 (Itar-Tass) - Aircraft corporation Irkut will present a new multi-purpose Sukhoi-30SM jet fighter at the MAKS air show to be held outside Moscow in late August.

The plane has already arrived at the site and will perform aerobatics during the show.

Su-30SM has been developed by the Sukhoi Design Bureau for the Russian Air Force and is an advanced version of the Su-30MK combat aircraft family. The Su-30MK series fighters are in service with the Algerian Air Force, Indian Air Force, Indonesian Air Force, People's Liberation Army Air Force, Royal Malaysian Air Force, Ugandan Air Force, Venezuelan Air Force and Vietnam People's Air Force.

The Su-30SM fighter is manufactured by Irkut. The first Su-30SM fighter made its maiden flight in September 2012.

The multi-purpose Su-30SM can be used in counter-air strikes, counter-land and counter-sea missions. It can conduct electronic counter-countermeasures and early warning tasks. The aircraft also acts as a command-and-control platform within a fleet of combat aircraft performing joint missions.

The Russian Defense Ministry and Irkut, a subsidiary of the United Aircraft Corporation, have signed a supply contract for 30 Su-30SM fighter aircraft. “Under the contract, Irkut Corporation will build 30 planes of this type for Russia’s Ministry of Defense by 2015,” a Defense Ministry spokesman said.

Irkut delivered the first two Su-30SM fighters to the Russian Air Force in November 2012. The first batch of aircraft is expected to be delivered by 2015.

The Su-30SM is capable of carrying an advanced weapons payload weighing up to eight tonnes. The aircraft can be armed with a machine gun, bombs, air-to-air missiles, and supersonic anti-ship and land attack missiles.