Sukhoi Su-30
| Su-30 | |
|---|---|
| A Russian Air Force Su-30SM "Flanker-H" | |
| General information | |
| Type | Multirole air superiority fighter |
| National origin | Soviet Union Russia |
| Designer | Sukhoi |
| Built by | KnAAPO Irkut Corporation Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (built by HAL in India under license) |
| Status | In service |
| Primary users | Russian Aerospace Forces |
| Number built | >630 |
| History | |
| Manufactured | 1992–present |
| Introduction date | 1992 (Su-30) 2013 (Su-30SM) |
| First flight | 31 December 1989 |
| Developed from | Sukhoi Su-27 |
| Variants | Sukhoi Su-30MKI Sukhoi Su-30MKK Sukhoi Su-30MKM Sukhoi Su-30MKA |
The Sukhoi Su-30 (Russian: Сухой Су-30; NATO reporting name: Flanker-C/G/H) is a twin-engine, two-seat supermaneuverable fighter aircraft developed in the Soviet Union in the 1980s by Russia's Sukhoi Aviation Corporation. It is a multirole fighter for all-weather, air-to-air interdiction missions. The Russian Aerospace Forces (VKS) were reported to have 130 Su-30SMs in operation as of 2024.
The Su-30 started as an internal development project in the Sukhoi Su-27 family by Sukhoi. From the Su-27UB two-seat trainer, the Su-27PU heavy interceptor was developed. The design plan was revamped and the Su-27PU was renamed to Su-30 by the Russian Defense Ministry in 1996. Of the Flanker family, the Su-27, Su-30, Su-33, Su-34 and Su-35 have been ordered into limited or serial production by the Russian Defense Ministry. Later, different export requirements split the Su-30 into two distinct version branches, manufactured by competing organizations: KnAAPO and the Irkut Corporation, both of which come under the Sukhoi aerospace group's umbrella.
KnAAPO manufactures the Su-30MKK and the Su-30MK2, which were designed for and sold to China, and later Indonesia, Uganda, Venezuela, and Vietnam. Due to KnAAPO's involvement from the early stages of developing the Su-35, these are basically a two-seat version of the mid-1990s Su-35. The Chinese chose an older but lighter radar so the canards could be omitted in return for increased payload. It is a fighter with both air supremacy and attack capabilities, generally similar to the U.S. F-15E Strike Eagle.
Irkut traditionally served the Soviet Air Defense and, in the early years of Flanker development, was responsible for manufacturing the Su-27UB, the two-seat trainer version. When India showed an interest in the Su-30, Irkut offered the multirole Su-30MKI, which originated as the Su-27UB modified with avionics appropriate for fighters. Along with its ground-attack capabilities, the series adds features for the air-superiority role, such as canards, thrust-vectoring, and a long-range phased-array radar. Its derivatives include the Su-30MKM, MKA, and SM for Malaysia, Algeria, and Russia respectively. The VKS operates several Su-30s and has ordered the Su-30SM variant as well.