Russia revealed what tasks the Su-30SM performs in Ukraine

MOSCOW, RUSSIA — Russian experts revealed what tasks the Su-30SM fighter performs in Ukraine. This happened after the conclusion of an exercise on the naval aviation of the Russian Baltic fleet. 10 Su-30SM fighters participated in the exercise.

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Typically, in such exercises, fighter jets intercept air targets or carry out attacks on supposed ground targets. In this case, the teaching also did not differ from the usual. But some Russian experts needed to “open the curtain” and provide more information about the role of the Su-30SM in Ukraine.

The Su-30SM carries out aerial patrols together with a twin combat aircraft. In Ukraine, it is most often a paired pair of Su-30SM and Su-35. Paired patrols conduct military operations day and night. The Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation has repeatedly published data on the successfully completed tasks of the couple. I.e. striking both air and ground targets.

The expert Mr. Roman Gusarov says that the Su-30SM is a universally adaptable machine. This type of aviation, Mr. Gurasov says in his comment, is the most in-demand in Ukraine. Mr. Gusarov also revealed that the Russian command very often uses the Su-30SM in Ukraine for reconnaissance missions. “The machine is really very suitable and flexible for performing universal combat tasks,” says the expert.

Mr. Gusarov also argued that the Su-30SM could not be used in Ukraine as a strategic bomber, although, he said, autonomous weapons could be attached to the aircraft’s wings and cargo compartment. But according to the expert, the Su-30SM is covering the bombers in Ukraine by engaging the Ukrainian attention while the high-flying bombers are carrying out bombing runs. Mr. Gusarov recalled that the Su-30SM performed the same role in Syria, which shows that the Russians rely heavily on the speed and maneuverability of the “cover” fighter.

Mr. Nikolay Bodrikhin, an aviation historian, says that the Su-30SM proved itself very solid “during the special military operation in Ukraine”. He thinks that one of the main reasons for this is that the Russian pilots have mastered the technique very well. But Mr. Bodrikhin says that “there are no real opponents for them in the air now”.

The Su-30SM fighters are designed to destroy air, surface, and ground targets, including infrastructure objects covered by air defense systems. The planes are equipped with a wide range of weapons and are very maneuverable.

As noted on the website of Rosoboronexport, the Su-30SM are capable of effectively overcoming air defense systems and has high combat power due to the large mass of the delivered combat load, which reaches 8 tons.

Very often the Su-30SM is used by the Russian Air Force to train new pilots who will later fly either the Su-30 or the Su-35. Although the Su-30 and Su-35 have quite similar designs and similarities, some things differ. Su-35 has better avionics, better radar, and better jamming systems.

In recent years, Russia has been able to upgrade fighters to the Su-30SM2 level. According to Rostec, the combat capabilities of the Su-30SM2 have been increased, which means that Russia retains the main task to be performed by the fighter – air patrol, cover, and reconnaissance.

According to the Russian company, the Su-30SM2 has an integrated improved complex of onboard radio-electronic equipment. “In particular, the range of detection and identification of air targets has increased,” says Rostec.

According to information from open sources, the aircraft is armed with a 30mm GSh-301 gun and also has 12 points of rigidity that can accommodate various missile and bomb weapons. These can be guided air-to-air and air-to-ground missiles, as well as units with unguided S-8 and S-13 missiles, as well as KAB-250, KAB-500, and KAB-1500 families of aerial bombs, and other munitions.

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