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Aviation History
2003
2003 - 1293.PDF
r Directory: military aircraft Mission Powerplant Max power (shp) /thrust dry/wet (lb) Wing span (m) Wing area (m2) Length (m) OEW (kg) MTOW (kg) Max load (kg) Range (km) Endurance (h) Hard points Cruise (kt) Ceiling (ft) Crew/passengers Internal fuel (kg) Fuel, opt ext (litre) Air refuel? Comments Tu-22M3 Backfire C Bomber 2 x Kuznetsov NK25 Tu-95MS Bear H Bomber 4 x Kuznetsov NK12MP Tu-160 Blackjack Bomber 4 x Samara NK321 Yes Yes 12,000kg weapons carried externally Yes Weapons load carried internally/extermally navigation waypoints, target co-ordinates and other mission data into the weapons system. Other improvements include a pod-mounted FLIR and a new active jammer. The latter is housed in two pods and is believed to be based on the Su-27's Sorbtsiya system. The FLIR pro vides night targeting for laser-guided air-to-sur- faces missiles and the updated Su-22M4 will be compatible with the KAB-500KR and KAB-500L television and laser-guided bombs. Integration with the MBDA Magic-2 air-to-air missiles will be offered in place of the Vympel R-60 (AA-8 Aphid). Lahav's upgrade has been selected by Poland and includes an Elta SAR, colour MFDs, a wide- angle HUD and a new mission computer. Su-24 Fencer Russia is progressing with a modest upgrade for the two-seat, swing-wing Su-24M. A HUD will be installed in the side-by-side cockpit and a new central computer and GPS navigation system will be incorporated. Tests of an upgraded Su-24M started at the Akhtubinsk test centre, as well as at the centre for combat training at Lipetsk in 1999. The upgrades would be applica ble to the Su-24MR reconnaissance version and the handful of Su-24MP EW platforms. Su-25/Su-39 Frogfoot The latest version of the Su-25, the Su-25TM (Su-39) now under development, is an all- weather version of the Su-2ST. Several prototype Su-25TMs have been completed. These are believed to be modified Su-25Ts, 12 of which were built. One Su-25TM is being used for Kopyo-25 radar trials at the Ahktubinsk test centre and later aircraft will carry the radar in a modified nose and will be designated Su-25SM. The cock pit has been updated with MFDs, while FLIR and ECM pods will improve the aircraft's opera tional capabilities. The series upgrades are likely to concentrate on the navigation and weapons system on single-seaters and limit radar integra tion to the twin-seat Su-25UBM. In mid-2002, the Russian air force started a 12-month trials programme of the upgraded Su-25SM after a year-long manufacturer's test programme. The Su-2SSM has a Pantera GPS satellite navigation-based weapons system and is compatible with laser- and TV-guided muni tions. Unlike standard Su-25s, the upgraded air craft is equipped with a forward-looking infrared (FLIR) system and can operate at night. Only two Su-25SMs have been built, although the air force's maintenance centre in Kubinka is scheduled to upgrade three Su-25 single-seaters in 2003 as well as modifying an lission Powerplant Max power (shp)/ thrust dry/wet (lb) Wing span (m) Wing area lm2' Length (rrV OEW (kg) MTOW (kg) Max load (kg Range (km) Endurance Hardpoints Cruise (kt) Mmo Ceiling (ft) Crew/passengers Internal fuel(kg) Fuel, opt ext (litre) Air refuel? JH-7 Bomber 2 x XAC WS9 12,550/20,520 12.8 M1.7 52,000 2 Su-25UB twin-seat into an Su-25UBM. The Su-25SM fills some of the capability gap created by a lack of funds to procure sufficient Su-25Ts, only one of which is in Russian air force service. In 2000, UUAPO of Ulan-Ude produced two Sukhoi Su-25TMs, while six operational Su-25s were upgraded to Su-25TM standard by the Russian air force. It is expected that all Russian air force Su-25s will be upgraded once funding becomes available. During the Soviet era the Su-25 factory was in Georgia. Now know as Tbilisi Aircraft Manufacturing (TAM), it has developed an Su-25 upgrade with Israel's Elbit Systems which made its first flight on 18 April 2001. Dubbed Scorpion, the upgraded Su-25 has been modified with Elbit avionics including two 150 x 200mm LCD cockpit displays, a HUD and the Israeli company's Weapon Delivery and Navigation System. Elbit says the latter is com patible with Eastern and Western weapons and navigation/targeting pods. Su-27 Flanker The Su-27 remains the mainstay of the Russian aircraft industry and has been exported to China and other countries. Two batches amounting to 50 Su-27s have been delivered to China and licence production has started as the J-ll. The Russian navy's carrier air-capability arm is equipped with Su-27Ks (Su-33), with movable foreplanes, folding wing and tailplane, strengthened landing gear and an arrestor hook. These aircraft provide the Kuznetsov aircraft carrier with air defence, although, without radar modifications, they cannot be used in the mar itime-strike role. Su-27SK/SMK export deriva tives have an air-to-ground capability. Su-27Us are tandem trainers. Russia intends to modernise its fleet of Su-27s, starting with the Su-27UB two-seat com bat trainers, followed by the single-seaters. The first two flights of a modified Su-27 sin gle-seater were on 27 December 2002. The fighter has been equipped with a glass cockpit similar to the front cockpit of China's Su-30MKK multirole fighter and an upgraded weapons control system enabling use of PGMs. The Russian air force chose the Su-30MKK as the basis for the Su-27 upgrade in September 2002, overturning a previous selection of Russian Avionics' Su-30KN package as the basis for single- and twin-seat Su- 27/30 upgrades. However, Russian Avionics parent NPO Irkut continues to work on its contract to upgrade 30 Su-27UB and Su-30 twin- seaters into Su-27UBM/Su- 30KNs. Uncertainty remains over the Su-30KN Stage II/III Y-7H-500 Transport 2 x Dongan WJ5E 3,050 29.2 74.98 24.31 15,773 24,000 5,500 2,150 5h 23min ., 26,900 3/39 5,500 www.flightinternational.com FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL 27 MAY - 2 JUNE 2003 67
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