Russian military receives new Su-34 fighter-bombers

The Russian military has received a new batch of Su-34 front-line bombers.

According to Russian mass media, it may consist of four units. It was officially announced on November 16.

The fighter-bomber were produced at the Chkalov Novosibirsk Aircraft Production Association, which belongs to the UAC United Aircraft Construction by order of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation.

The Russian manufacturer emphasizes that the front-line bombers have passed ground and flight tests and have already flown to their duty station.

“The upgraded Su-34 has expanded combat capabilities that allow the use of promising aviation means of defeat, which will allow to increase the range of defeat of ground and surface targets, to expand the conditions and accuracy of bombardment,” the UAC said in a statement.

The transferred bombers were probably included in the third batch of upgraded Su-34M, which were ordered by the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation in 2020.

On October 17, 2022, a Russian Su-34 bomber crashed near a nine-story building in the Russian city of Yeysk. In total, since February 2022, according to the Oryx portal, the Russians confirmed the loss of more than 10 Su-34 front-line bombers.

Russian industry has produced, according to open sources, about 150 units of such bombers, including seven experimental and pre-production aircraft.

The Su-34 is a Soviet/Russian all-weather, twin-seat fighter-bomber.

Aircraft is designed to carry out precise missile and bomb strikes on enemy ground targets in operational and tactical depth, as well as for fighting air targets.

The aircraft was created as a replacement for the Su-24 fighter jet used in armed conflicts in recent years. The development of the aircraft codenamed Т-10В was launched on June 19, 1986. The base of the project of a successful Su-27 fighter jet was considered a basis for the development of the new aircraft.

The first flight of the newly produced Su-34, built as part of the state order by the Russian Aerospace Forces, took place on October 12, 2006.

On March 20, 2014, the Su-34 was adopted by the Aerospace Forces of the Russian Federation.