# Russia launches full-scale production of new-generation warplane



## Royzee617 (Jan 14, 2008)

Russia launches full-scale production of new-generation warplane
MOSCOW. January 9. KAZINFORM. Russia has started full-scale production of the Su-34 Fullback fighter bomber at a Siberian aircraft plant, plane maker Sukhoi said on Wednesday.

A company spokesman said up to 20 fighters could now be assembled simultaneously at the Novosibirsk Aviation Production Association (NAPO), but did not specify how many would be built each year.

The $36 million Su-34 fighter-bomber is a two-seat strike aircraft equipped with twin AL-31MF afterburning turbojet engines. It is designed to deliver high-precision strikes on heavily-defended targets under any weather conditions, day or night, and fields weaponry that includes a 30mm GSh-301 cannon, up to 12 Alamo or Archer AAMs, ASMs, and bombs.

Designed by Sukhoi, the Su-34s will replace the Su-24 Fencer frontline bombers. Experts said the new bomber has the potential to become the top plane in its class for years to come.

To date only a handful of pre-production models have been built. In mid-2004 Sukhoi announced that low-rate production was commencing and that initial aircraft would reach squadron service around 2008, Kazinform cites RIA Novosti.

In March 2006, Russia's then Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov announced that the government had purchased only two Su-34s for delivery in 2006, and planned to have a complete air regiment of 24 Su-34s operational by the end of 2010. A total of 58 aircraft will be purchased by 2015 to replace some of 300 Su-24s, which are undergoing modernization to prolong their service life.

details of the plane here

_View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dfeAAGU0LAs_


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## magnocain (Jan 14, 2008)

Well... i think it is kind of ugly...you dont make a nose wider than it is tall.


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## Matt308 (Jan 14, 2008)

They've been building this for over 10 years. Tandem side-by-side seating with a toilet. As I recall, they even were planning on installing rearward firing missiles for protection.


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## Royzee617 (Jan 15, 2008)

amazing plane


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## wilbur1 (Jan 15, 2008)

That is ugly, looks like a ducks bill and head from the front


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## DBII (Jan 15, 2008)

I think it is almost ugly. From the side it looks likes a snake that has just had lunch. 

DBII


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## Matt308 (Jan 15, 2008)

That's a good description.


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## DBII (Jan 15, 2008)

sssssssssssssssss


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## SoD Stitch (Jan 15, 2008)

Matt308 said:


> They've been building this for over 10 years. Tandem side-by-side seating with a toilet. As I recall, they even were planning on installing rearward firing missiles for protection.



Yeah, they've been trying to sell it to countries like Indonesia and India for years; it's actually quite a capable aircraft with impressive range, hence the on-board head and a small bunk for the crew. It's probably equivalent to an early-model F-15E in terms of capability and sophistication.


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## Royzee617 (Jan 16, 2008)

no restroom on the Mudhen tho
like an updated 'Vaark methinks
presume it has some of the Su27's manouevres tho


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## ScOoTeR1992 (Jan 16, 2008)

i don't see whats wrong with the looks it looks like a DAMN fine plane to me


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## Adolf Galland Fighter ace (Feb 14, 2008)

Hmmmm looks a bit strange, looks like Russia is spending some major coin!


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## Evil_Merlin (Feb 15, 2008)

Looks like a platypus.


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## SeaSkua (Feb 15, 2008)

DBII said:


> I think it is almost ugly. From the side it looks likes a snake that has just had lunch.
> 
> DBII



    COOL plane though


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## Aussie1001 (Feb 15, 2008)

SoD Stitch said:


> Yeah, they've been trying to sell it to countries like Indonesia and India for years; it's actually quite a capable aircraft with impressive range, hence the on-board head and a small bunk for the crew. It's probably equivalent to an early-model F-15E in terms of capability and sophistication.



*SU 34 STATS*
Crew: Two 
Length: 23.34 m (72 ft 2 in) 
Wingspan: 14.7 m (48 ft 3 in) 
Height: 6.09 m (19 ft 5 in) 
Loaded weight: 39,000 kg (85,980 lb) 
Useful load: 8,000 kg (17,600 lb) 
Max takeoff weight: 45,100 kg (99,425 lb) 
Powerplant: 2× Lyulka AL-35F turbofans, 137.2 kN (30,845 lbf) with afterburner each 

Performance
Maximum speed:

High altitude: Mach 1.8 (1,900 km/h, 1,180 mph) 
Low altitude: Mach 1.14 (1,400 km/h, 870 mph) at sea level 
Combat radius: 1,100 km (680 mi) 
Ferry range: 4,000 km (2,490 mi) 
Service ceiling 15,000 m (49,200 ft) 
Wing loading: 629 kg/m² (129 lb/ft²) 
Thrust/weight: 0.68 

Armament
1× 30 mm GSh-30-1 (9A-4071K) cannon, 150 rounds 
2× wingtip rails for R-73 (AA-11 'Archer') air-to-air missiles 
10× wing and fuselage stations for up to 8,000 kg (17,630 lb) of ordnance, including Kh-29L/T, Kh-25MT/ML, Kh-25MP, Kh-36, Kh-38, Kh-41, Kh-59M, Kh-58, Kh-31P, Kh-35 Ural, Kh-41, Kh-65S, Kh-SD, 2 Moskit, 3 Jachont air-to-ground missiles, KAB-500L/KR or KAB-1500L guided bombs, unguided bombs, B-8 rocket pods with 20 80 mm S-8 rockets, B-13 rocket pods with 5 122 mm S-13 rockets, O-25 rocket pords with 1 340 mm S-25 rocket, fuel tanks, EW- and reconnaissance pods. 

*F15 E*

General characteristics
Crew: 2 
Length: 63.8 ft (19.4 m) 
Wingspan: 42.8 ft (13.05 m) 
Height: 18.5 ft (5.63 m) 
Wing area: 608 ft² (56.5 m²) 
Airfoil: NACA 64A006.6 root, NACA 64A203 tip 
Empty weight: 31,700 lb (14,300 kg) 
Max takeoff weight: 81,000 lb (36,700 kg) 
Powerplant: 2× Pratt Whitney F100-229 afterburning turbofans, 29,000 lbf (129 kN) each 

Performance
Maximum speed: Mach 2.5+ (1,650 mph, 2,660 km/h) 
Range: 2,400 mi (2,100 nmi, 3,900 km) 
Service ceiling 60,000 ft (18,300 m) 
Rate of climb: 50,000 ft/min (15,000 m/min) 

Armament
Guns: 1× 20 mm (0.787 in) M61 Vulcan gatling gun, 510 rounds of either M-56 or PGU-28 ammunition 
Missiles: 8×
Missiles: 8× 
AIM-7M Sparrow 
AIM-9M Sidewinder 
AIM-120 AMRAAM 
AGM-65 Maverick 
AGM-130 
AGM-84 Harpoon 
AGM-84K SLAM-ER 
AGM-154 JSOW 
AGM-158 JASSM 
Bombs:

B61 nuclear bomb 
Mark 82 bomb 
Mark 84 bomb 
CBU-87 CEM 
CBU-89 Gator 
CBU-97 SFW 
CBU-103 CEM 
CBU-104 Gator 
CBU-105 SFW 
GBU-10 Paveway II 
GBU-12 Paveway II 
GBU-15 
GBU-24 Paveway III 
GBU-27 Paveway III 
GBU-28 
GBU-31 
GBU-38 
GBU-39 Small Diameter Bomb

They are both highly dangerous i would however hesitate in pointing out a better.
note* Sources are from Wiki


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## Ramirezzz (Feb 21, 2008)

Su-34 is more bomber than a fighter, and F-15E is fighter, that can bomb. They were designed for slightly different roles. For example, Su-34 has armour protection, better low-flying capabilities and better combat range, F-15E has better air-to-air potential esspecialy after it will be refitted with AESA radar this year as it was been planned.
That's the reason nobody really wants to buy the Fullback - it's very specialized plane, designed according to the USSR cold war demands and specifications, and it's expensive too. It's good only when you have a plenty of fighters in your airforce and can afford to make very capable planes but only for a very special purpose. 
Airforces around the world with exception of the 5-6 of the biggest ones will not maintain fighters AND bombers at the same time when you have an multirole aircraft as an option. That's why some Asia countries buy Su-30MKX instead - excellent air-to -air capabilities, decent range, and sufficient air-to-ground capability as well. All in one. And it's waaay cheaper than the Fullback)).
So I would hesitate in comparing both aircrafts at all since they have slightly different roles, maybe Su-30MKX vs. F-15E would be a better option


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## The Basket (Feb 21, 2008)

Saw it at Farnborough years ago and it was plenty agile for such a big machine.

Will replace the Su-24 Fencer. But if the Russians have the cash to do that is another matter.


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## Ramirezzz (Feb 21, 2008)

The Basket said:


> Saw it at Farnborough years ago and it was plenty agile for such a big machine.
> 
> Will replace the Su-24 Fencer. But if the Russians have the cash to do that is another matter.




The funding is not a problem anymore. The problem could be production capabilities of Sukhoi - from what I've heard their plants are overloaded with current orders of the Su-30MKX.


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