The Sukhoi Su-30SM2 is essentially an upgrade of the existing Su-30SM, with updated avionics and new weapons. The Su-30SM2 appeared sometime after the original Su-30SM, which is the ultimate and best Su-30 variant ever conceived, it being itself an upgrade of the Su-30, which originally was designed as a two-seat fighter, while also having the ability to serve as a mini AWACS, vectoring its single seat Su-27 siblings. The Su-30SM is a heavily upgraded fighter built by the Irkut sub-company within the Sukhoi bureau, having experience with foreign variants such as the Su-30MKI for India, the Su-30MKA for Algeria, and the Su-30MKM for Malaysia. The other division is KnAAZ, which also builds Su-30s. The KnAAZ company builds the “basic” Su-30, which begins with the Su-30M multirole variant with upgraded avionics and weapons, but with the exception of the Su-30MKK for China(which features the square topped fins of the Su-27M for additional fuel), the external appearance is very much left alone. Irkut, on the other hand, makes the most advanced Su-30s to date; having canard foreplanes, thrust-vectoring nozzles, and even more advanced avionics. The Su-30SM, while possessing the same flight characteristics as it’s foreign cousins, has even more advanced avionics. 2012 was the year that the Russian MoD called for a “domestic” variant of the “Super-30”, when the Su-30SM was born. Several years after its release, the Su-30SM was upgraded into the Su-30SM2, with the same technology as the Su-35S, as well as adding a new weapon to its arsenal; the N-035 Irbis-E Phased Electronically Scanned Array radar, the AL-41F-1S engines, and the new Kh-59MK2 air-ground missile. In 2022, the Su-30SM2 first entered service with the Russian Navy, with plans for a total of 110 examples of the Su-30SM being upgraded for the Russian Navy and the Russian Air Force to the Su-30SM2 standard by 2027.
Performance:
Top Speed: 2,125 km/h
Max Speed at low height: 1,350 km/h
Range: 3,000 km
Combat Range: 1,500 km
Service Ceiling: 17,300m
Maximum G Load: 9
Armament:
Cannon: 1 X Gsh-30-1 Single-Barreled 30mm cannon with 150 rounds
Air-Air Missiles: R-27R, R-27ER, R-27P(EP), R-27T1(ET1), and R-77 medium-range air-air missiles. R-73 short-range air-air missiles.
Air-Ground Missiles:
Kh-29T, Kh-29L, Kh-25ML, Kh-25LD, Kh-31A, Kh-31P, S-25k, Kh-59ME, and Kh-59MK2 air-ground missiles.
Rockets: S-8, S-13, and S-25 unguided rockets.
Bombs: KAB-500KR, KAB-500OD, KAB-1500KR, and KAB-1500L guided bombs. RBK-500-SPBE-D Cluster Bombs. ZB-500PT napalm bombs. KAB-250 glide bombs.
Dimensions:
Length: 21.94m
Height: 6.375m
Wing Span: 14.70m
Wing Area: 62.m2
Weight:
Normal Take off: 24,900kg
Max Take off: 34,500kg
Internal Fuel: 9,640kg
War load: 8,000kg
Sources:
- Yes
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