RuAviation

United Aircraft Corporation has handed over new Su-35S multirole fighters manufactured at the Komsomolsk-on-Amur Gagarin Aviation Plant to the Russian Air Force. The aircraft have passed a cycle of ground and flight tests in various operating modes and flew from the KnAAZ aerodrome to their home base, the UAC press service reported.

According to UAC CEO Yuri Slyusar, the aircraft plant has reached a rhythmic production pace under this year’s programme. “This is the second batch of combat aircraft sent to the Russian Air Force. Komsomolsk residents are fulfilling their obligations to supply new aircraft within the established deadlines and are working on the creation of new batches of Su-35 and Su-57 serial fighters,” said Yuri Slyusar.

The first batch of Su-35S fighters from this year’s deliveries was handed over to the Ministry of Defence on 12 April. The Su-35S fighter is designed to gain air supremacy, destroy ground and surface targets at any time of day and in any weather conditions at long distances from the base aerodrome. The aircraft is a transitional model to the fifth-generation aircraft systems. The powerplant based on AL-41F-1C engines with a digital control system and controlled thrust vectoring allows the aircraft’s flight and manoeuvring characteristics to be significantly improved.

“The plant has always been an example of high production standards, introducing the most advanced technologies, mastering new types of equipment, and developing competences. Today the company has a well-equipped production base, efficiently built technological processes and a high level of production culture. This allows us to create excellent aeroplanes for the Russian army, contributing to the overall victory, just as aircraft builders did during the Great Patriotic War,” added Yuri Slyusar.

In the course of the special military operation, Su-35 crews perform air patrol tasks to prevent Ukrainian aircraft from taking off from airfields. Air combat duty is carried out in order to cover the areas where Russian troops are located and to support bomber and attack aircraft in strikes against military facilities, equipment and concentrations of personnel of Ukraine’s armed formations.