The Komsomolsk-on-Amur Gagarin Aviation Plant has manufactured and handed over to the Russian Defence Ministry another batch of new Su-35S multirole fighters. The aircraft have passed a cycle of ground and flight tests and flew from the KnAAZ aerodrome to the place of duty, UAC reported.
The Su-35S is one of the main fighters in service with the Russian army. The aircraft is involved in destroying enemy aircraft, as well as for strikes with various missile and bomb weapons against military facilities, weapons depots and fuel storage facilities of the Kiev regime’s armed formations. The Su-35S is equipped with guided air-to-air and air-to-surface missiles with a long range, and the fighter also carries FAB-500 bombs with a guided planning and correction module.
Vladimir Artyakov, First Deputy Director General of Rostec State Corporation, emphasised the high flight performance parameters of the aircraft, which make it one of the leading fighters of the 4++ generation in the world. He also noted that UAC plants, including Komsomolsk-on-Amur Aviation Plant, fulfil the state defence order in strict compliance with the delivery schedule to provide the Russian Armed Forces with modern aircraft systems.
Yury Slyusar, Director General of UAC, stressed that this batch of Su-35S fighters completes the deliveries of this type of aircraft under this year’s programme. KnAAZ, like other UAC plants fulfilling the state defence order, is working in three shifts.
“Along with today’s delivery of multirole Su-35S, the Komsomolsk-on-Amur Aviation Plant is preparing to hand over another batch of fifth-generation Su-57 fighters by the end of the year,” Yury Slyusar said.
In 2023, Su-35S fighters were handed over to the Russian Air and Space Forces (VKS) on 23 June, 13 July, 28 September and 24 October. The next batch of aircraft is thus the fifth and final batch of the year. In September, UAC also handed over a batch of Su-57 fifth-generation fighters to the Defence Ministry.
The Centre for Analysis of Strategies and Technologies suggested that all the Su-35S fighters handed over during 2023 were manufactured under the fourth contract signed by UAC in 2021 to supply the Russian Defence Ministry with Su-35S aircraft. “It is possible that this contract includes 24 aircraft with delivery until 2024. Presumably, the first four fighters under this contract were delivered to the VKS in December 2022,” the CAST commented.
