KALININGRAD, April 3. /TASS/. The crews of over 15 aircraft from a composite aviation regiment of the Baltic Fleet’s naval aviation are involved in the tactical flight drills with a live-fire exercise in Russia’s westernmost exclave of the Kaliningrad Region, the Fleet’s press office reported on Monday.
"During training sorties, the crews of Su-30SM and Su-30SM2 multirole all-weather fighters, Su-24 frontline bombers and An-26 military-transport aircraft are practicing tactical episodes of accomplishing assigned missions: providing fire support for the ground forces, destroying a notional enemy’s command posts, armor and manpower, and also conducting air reconnaissance," the press office said in a statement.
In particular, the military pilots will deliver bombing strikes against a target field and fire rockets against coastal targets at one of the training ranges in the east of the Kaliningrad Region, the press office specified.
During their sorties, the crews will launch missiles and rockets of various types, fire aircraft guns and drop bombs weighing from 100 kg to 500 kg, practice maneuvering in an aerial combat and target runs under the simulated enemy’s jamming, it said.
The Baltic Fleet’s naval pilots will accomplish combat training objectives both in the daytime and at night, the press office said.
"About 50 combat training sorties have been planned. The exercise involves a total of over 15 airplanes, and also more than 300 personnel from the aviation regiment of the Baltic Fleet’s naval aviation," it said.
As its major advantage compared to the Su-30SM, the upgraded Su-30SM2 is outfitted with completely domestic equipment. The fighter features improved performance characteristics of its optoelectronic target acquisition system, the electronic warfare system and the radar control system with an extended range of detecting air targets.
In addition, the modernized Su-30SM2 employs a larger arsenal of longer-range air-to-air and air-to-surface missiles to engage air and ground targets, including radars and naval forces.
The first batch of upgraded Su-30SM2 fighter jets arrived for the Russian Baltic Fleet in early 2022. Su-30SM fighters are also operational in the Baltic Fleet’s composite aviation regiment.