Russians armed its Su-30 fighter jets with long-range missiles

Footage of a Su-30 fighter jet of the Russian Navy’s naval aviation, which is equipped with a R-37M long-range missile, is being shared online.

Russian media have released the video.

It captures the takeoff of a Su-30SM2 fighter jet with three R-37M long-range missiles.

The aircraft is a part of the Russian Naval Aviation. This may indicate that their modernization to the level of the 2021 program, which expanded the range of weapons, has already begun.

It is reported that these fighter jets are stationed at Saky Air Base in the territory of temporarily occupied Crimea.

The availability of aircraft with this type of weaponry should theoretically provide the enemy with better capabilities to shoot down Ukrainian Storm Shadow/SCALP-EG cruise missiles.

In addition, unlike MiG-31 interceptors, Su-30 fighters are more common in the Russian Air Force and naval aviation, which, together with the integration of long-range missiles, could expand the ability to intercept air targets.

The R-37M missile has a maximum declared range of 300 km and a built-in radio adjustment system.

When Su-30SM2 aircraft use these missiles, the aircraft doesn’t need to continue to provide correction with its own radar after launch. These tasks can be performed by the modernized A-50U.

The use of this type of missile is not currently limited to MiG-31 interceptors but is integrated into Su-35S and Su-30SM2 fighter jets.

Militarnyi previously reported that in early May 2024, the Russian Aerospace Forces received another batch of new Su-35S fighters.

The aircraft were transferred at the factory airfield in Komsomolsk-on-Amur, which is part of the United Aircraft Corporation.