Russia just received a new batch of Su-34 fighter jets - here's what they can do
Russia plans to maintain a fleet of 92 Fullbacks until 2020.
Russia has used Syria to test and showcase its weaponry but has sold the Fullback to only one country, Algeria.
Source: The National Interest
While Russia likes to tout how many terrorists it kills in air strikes, their figures are often exaggerated and fail to mention civilian casualties.
By March 2016, after just six months of military operations in Syria, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that Russian airstrikes had killed about 5,800 civilians.
Russia first deployed four Su-34s to Syria in September 2015, and Moscow is now believed to have six in the war-torn country.
Source: The National Interest, The Drive
The graphic below gives a very thorough breakdown of the Flanker's capabilities, including which ordnance it carries and where it hangs on the wings.
The Fullback can also be armed with rockets as well as guided and unguided bombs, like the RBK-500 and SPBE-D cluster bombs.
The video below shows the Flanker dropping KAB-500 bombs in Syria in 2015:
Source: The National Interest
It carries a variety of air-to-air and air-to-ground missiles. It is believed to be able to hit air targets 75 miles away and ground targets 60 miles away.
It carries short-range R-73 and long-range radar-guided R-77 air-to-air missiles. It also carries Kh-59ME, Kh-31A, Kh-31P, Kh-29T, Kh-29L, and S-25LD air-to-ground missiles.
The Su-34 cockpit displays show flight parameters, tactical data, and operational status.
Source: airforce-technology.com
It has a maximum speed of about 1,181 mph and a maximum range of about 2,485 miles. It can also reach an altitude of about 10.5 miles.
Source: The Aviationist
Here's a shot of both afterburners in action.
It runs on two Saturn AL-31F turbofan engines, each capable of about 27,500 pounds of thrust.
Source: The National Interest
It's normal takeoff weight is 39 tons, and its maximum takeoff weight is 44.4 tons.
Source: The Aviationist
The Su-34 Fullback, which made its maiden flight in 1990, was built to replace the Su-24.
It was also modeled off the Su-27 Flanker, as were the Su-30, Su-33, and Su-35.
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