Great Go Pro cam footage of Russian Air Force Sukhoi Su-30 fighter aircraft flying over the sky's of Russia. The Sukhoi Su-30 (Cyrillic: Сухой Су-30; NATO reporting name: Flanker-C) is a twin-engine, two-seat supermaneuverable fighter aircraft developed by Russia's Sukhoi Aviation Corporation. It is a multirole fighter for all-weather, air-to-air and air-to-surface deep interdiction missions. The Su-30 started out as an internal development project in the Sukhoi Su-27 family by Sukhoi. The design plan was revamped and the name was made official by the Russian Defense Ministry in 1996. Of the Flanker family, only the Su-27, Su-30, Su-34 and Su-35 have been ordered into serial production by the Defense Ministry. All the others, such as Su-37, were prototypes. The Su-30 has two distinct version branches, manufactured by competing organisations: KnAAPO and the Irkut Corporation, both of which come under the Sukhoi group's umbrella. KnAAPO manufactures the Su-30MKK and the Su-30MK2, which were designed for and sold to China, and later Indonesia, Venezuela and Vietnam. Due to KnAAPO's involvement from the early stages of developing 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 superiority and attack capabilities, generally similar to the U.S. F-15E.[6] Irkut traditionally served the Soviet Air Defense and, in the early years of Flanker development, was given the responsibility of manufacturing the Su-27UB, the two-seat trainer version. When India showed interests 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 phase-array radar. Its derivatives include the Su-30MKM, MKA and MKV for Malaysia, Algeria and Venezuela, respectively. The Russian Air force operates several Su-30s and has ordered the Su-30SM version. General characteristics Crew: 2 Length: 21.935 m (72.97 ft) Wingspan: 14.7 m (48.2 ft) Height: 6.36 m (20.85 ft) Wing area: 62.0 m2 (667 ft2) Empty weight: 17,700 kg (39,021 lb) Loaded weight: 24,900 kg (54,900 lb) with 56% fuel Max. takeoff weight: 34,500 kg (76,060 lb) Powerplant: 2 × AL-31FL low-bypass turbofans Dry thrust: 7,600 kgf (74.5 kN, 16,750 lbf) each Thrust with afterburner: 12,500 kgf (122.58 kN, 27,560 lbf) each Fuel capacity: 9,400 kg (20,724 lb) internally[63] Performance Maximum speed: Mach 2.0 (2,120 km/h, 1,320 mph) Range: 3,000 km (1,620 nmi) at altitude Service ceiling: 17,300 m (56,800 ft) Rate of climb: 230 m/s (45,275 ft/min) Wing loading: 401 kg/m2 with 56% fuel (468.3 kg/m2 with full internal fuel) (82.3 lb/ft2 with 56% fuel) Thrust/weight: With full fuel: 0.86 With 56% fuel: 1.00 Maximum g-load: +9 g Armament The Su-27PU had 8 hardpoints for its weapon load, whereas the Su-30MK's combat load is mounted on 12 hardpoints: 2 wingtip AAM launch rails, 3 pylons under each wing, 1 pylon under each engine nacelle, and 2 pylons in tandem in the "arch" between the engines. All versions can carry up to 8 tonnes of external stores. Guns: 1× GSh-30-1 gun (30 mm calibre, 150 rounds) AAMs: 6× R-27ER (AA-10C), 2× R-27ET (AA-10D), 6× R-73E (AA-11), 6× R-77 RVV-AE (AA-12) ASMs: 6× Kh-31P/A anti-radar/ship missiles, 6× Kh-29T/L laser guided missiles, 2× Kh-59ME Aerial bombs: 6× KAB 500KR, 3× KAB-1500KR, 8× FAB-500T, 28× OFAB-250-270, Nuclear bombs Design The Su-30 is a multirole fighter. It has a two seat cockpit with an airbrake behind the canopy. Flight characteristics[edit] The integrated aerodynamic configuration, combined with the thrust vectoring control ability, results in unprecedented manoeuvrability and unique takeoff and landing characteristics. Equipped with a digital fly-by-wire system, the Su-30 is able to perform some very advanced manoeuvres, including the Pugachev's Cobra and the tailslide. These manoeuvers quickly decelerate the aircraft, causing a pursuing fighter to overshoot.[9] Powerplant[edit] The aircraft's powerplant incorporates two Saturn AL-31F afterburning low-bypass turbofan engines, fed through intake ramps. Two AL-31Fs, each rated at 12,500 kgf (123 kN, 27,550 lb) of full afterburning thrust ensures Mach 2 in level flight, 1,350 km/h speed at low altitude, and a 230 m/s climbing rate. With a normal fuel reserve of 5,270 kg, the Su-30MK is capable of performing a 4.5-hour combat mission with a range of 3,000 km. An aerial refueling system increases the range to 5,200 km (3,200 mi) or flight duration up to 10 hours at cruise altitudes.[10][11] Avionics[edit] The aircraft features autopilot ability at all flight stages including low-altitude flight in terrain-following radar mode,

• published: 09 May 2015
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