Russian Aerospace Forces Receive New Su-34 And Su-35S Aircraft
The Russian Aerospace Forces have received replacements for its most modern jets for the first time this year. Russian state-owned defense conglomerate Rostec released information on the completion of the first batches of the Su-34 fighter bombers and Su-35S multirole fighter jets. Although the numbers of manufactured aircraft are not impressive the Russian United Aircraft Corporation are still be able to produce and roll out modern aircraft despite being under international sanctions on high-tech compartments and parts.
Rostec reportedly delivered only two Su-34 jets with manufacturing capabilities drastically falling since 2022. Russian aviation on the frontline between February and March 2024 saw around seven aircraft lost (with the majority of them being Su-34s). Despite losses Russian Aerospace Forces are far from depleted, Su-34s have played a critical role in Russian close air support operations, dropping tons of conventional and guided munitions on Ukrainian positions around places like Avdiivka.
Yuri Slyusar, the General Director of United Aircraft Corporation and Vice President of SoyuzMash noted:
“All UAC factories involved in the execution of state defense orders are not reducing production rates. We began delivering aircraft with the first batch of Su-34 front-line bombers as part of the current year’s production program. The Novosibirsk plant confidently copes with its tasks. Factory workers understand how important our equipment is today,”
Meanwhile, the second UAC Plant: Komsomolsk-on-Amur Aviation Plant named after. Yu.A. Gagarin, released a video from the delivery of two Su-35S multirole fighter jets to the Aerospace Forces. The Su-35S is the most modern Russian jet that is currently undertaking combat operations in Ukraine. According to Oryx, at least seven of these jets have been destroyed since 2022. Su-35S has been able to combat any Ukrainian jet due to an impressive arsenal of long-range air-to-air missiles such as R-27ET/ER, R-37 Vympel, and R-77 BVR missiles, enabling them to operate outside of the range of Ukrainian air defenses.
In total four new jets is not much in comparison to the losses sustained by the Russian Aerospace Forces this year alone. However, it has received far more aircraft than Ukraine received in the same period.
Cover photo by Anna Zvereva under CC BY-SA 2.0 License