Replenishing the Strike Fighter Fleet: Russian Air Force Receives New Batch of Su-34s

<p >The United Aircraft Corporation owned by the Russian government has delivered a new batch of Su-34 fighters to the Defence Ministry, following prior deliveries reported in <a href="https://militarywatchmagazine.com/article/ruaf-new-batch-su34-glide-bomb" >April</a> and <a href="https://militarywatchmagazine.com/article/russian-su34-batch-production-surge" >June</a>. This follows the Defence Ministry of directives given in October 2023 to expand Su-34production, in parallel to increases in production of the <a href="https://militarywatchmagazine.com/article/nine-weapons-russia-s-new-su-57-fighter-carries-in-its-internal-missile-bays-from-dogfighting-missiles-to-guided-bombs" >Su-57 fifth generation fighter</a>. While producing new fighters to fulfil outstanding orders, the Chkalov Aircraft Factory in Novosibirsk, Siberia, is also responsible for modernising existing Su-34s in the fleet. When giving orders to increase production in 2023, then Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu <a href="https://militarywatchmagazine.com/article/su34m-strike-fighters-batches-capabilities" >observed</a> regarding the Su-34’s role in the Russian Air Force: “This warplane is the main workhorse, they have four, five sorties every day,” stressing the “need to step up, hurry up” with production. Su-34s have been procured in much larger numbers by the Russian Air Force than any other post Cold War fighter class, with expansion of production making a production run of close to 250 fighters or more appear highly likely. The first Su-34s entered service in 2014, the same year as the <a href="https://militarywatchmagazine.com/article/su35-dud-ten-years-expect" target="_blank">Su-35 air superiority fighter</a>.</p><p ><img src="https://militarywatchmagazine.com/m/articles/2024/09/04/article_66d7afe43051d6_44492861.JPG" title="Su-34 Fighters From September 2024 Delivery Batch"></p><p >The Su-34 continues to be widely relied on for both nuclear deterrence and for tactical strike missions across all theatres from <a href="https://militarywatchmagazine.com/article/russia-enclave-airstrikes-100-jihadists" >Syria</a> to the <a href="https://militarywatchmagazine.com/article/russia-to-deploy-new-su-34-strike-fighter-unit-to-arctic-amid-tensions-with-america" >Arctic</a> to the Western Pacific, but has played a particularly central role in the Russian-Ukrainian War where the effectiveness of its glide bomb strikes have been widely highlighted with much concern by Western sources. The aircraft have been seen employing ODAB-500 500 kilogram glide bombs with thermobaric warheads in the Ukrainian theatre, which are <a href="https://militarywatchmagazine.com/article/footage-su34s-thermobaric-ukrainian-vacuum" >well optimised</a> for neutralising well fortified enemy positions. Multiple Ukrainian personnel in January 2024 informed the New York Times that new <a href="https://militarywatchmagazine.com/article/gates-hell-bunker-busting-glide-bombs" >Russian strikes </a>using glide bombs imposed “additional devastating power,” and with 500kg of explosives could thus obliterate their underground bunkers. One serviceman compared the impact of Russian glide bomb strikes to “hell’s gates,” stressing that the Russian Air Force “would send them two by two by two, eight in an hour… It sounds like a jet coming down on you.” </p>

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