The new Kh-35U anti-ship missile
and the Kh-38M new-generation air-
to-ground missile were launched by
Su-34s for the first time during 2010. On
February 11, 2016, the Russian Ministry
of Defense released a video of a Su-34
taking off for a mission over Syria with
new Kh-35U missiles under its wing. It is
not known which targets were engaged,
and the mission was more likely ademonstration. Another photograph
shows a Su-34 with a 1,500kg
KAB-1500LG laser-guided bomb, which
also entered production only recently.
After a series of trials on a Su-34, the
extended-range Kh-31PM entered series
production in April 2012. Meanwhile, the
active-radar R-77-1 (AA-12 ‘Adder’) BVR
missile has been added to the air-to-
air armory.Ramping up
In 2005, the Russian Ministry of Defense
signed a first contract for 18 Su-34s to be
delivered by 2008. However, these plans
failed completely and after delivery of
just five aircraft later used for tests, the
contract was canceled. On November
10, 2008, the MoD contracted 32 Su-34s,
the first aircraft intended for operational
units. This order was increased on
February 25, 2012, adding another 92
Su-34s to be completed by 2020.
Su-34s have been delivered to
operational units since 2010, replacing
Su-24Ms. At first, between December
2010 and October 2013, the 47th
Composite Aviation Regiment at
Voronezh received two 12-aircraft
squadrons of Su-34s (in 2014, the unit
moved to Buturlinovka due to runway
repairs in Voronezh; the work is set to be
finished during 2018).
Beginning on November 18, 2013, the
next aircraft to be delivered went to the
559th Bomber Aviation Regiment at
Morozovsk near the Ukrainian border.
The unit now has its full complement of
three Su-34 squadrons.
Su-34s arrived with the type’s third
operational unit on May 31, 2016,
this being the 277th Bomber Aviation
Regiment at Khurba near Komsomolsk-This shot illustrates some of the weapons that
are available to the Su-34 — a Kh-29T, KAB-250LG
(red and yellow) and Kh-31P, plus a pair of B-8
pods for 80mm rockets. Piotr ButowskiThis Su-34 is
on finals with a
Kh-59M on the
centerline and
Kh-31s under
the intakes, plus
R-37s under the
wing and R-73s
on the wingtips.
Piotr ButowskiFORCE REPORT // RUSSIAN TACTICAL BOMBERS
34 September 2018 //^ http://www.combataircraft.net
32-35 Russian Strikers Pt2 C.indd 34 18/07/2018 15:44