Alexander Mladenov reviews the status of the Su-34 Fullback, the enhancement plans for the type and its controversial operations in the ongoing war in Ukraine.
The Sukhoi heavyweight is known as the primary tactical strike jet of the Russian Aerospace Forces (RuASF), bearing the brunt of the bombing and missile strike missions in Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine. The four Su-34-equipped regiments are in high demand to provide much-needed strike capability, engaging a wide variety of, but most of the operations are generally described as being of insignificant overall effect, while the fleet has suffered painful losses.
The Su-34 Fullback is a deeply reworked Su-27 two-seater derivative designed as the principle all-weather tactical bomber of the Russian air arm. Its uneasy story dates back to the Soviet-era requirement to field a Su-24/24M replacement in the strike, reconnaissance and electronic warfare (EW) roles, but it took 25 years for the new type to be commissioned in regular service.
The duck-nosed bomber made its maiden flight in1990 and then entered into a notably slow development and testing phase, while the first production-standard Fullbacks were taken on strength in 2006, and the formal commissioning as a…
