MOSCOW — The Russian air force is expanding its Sukhoi-35S fleet with a 60 billion ruble ($800 million) order for 50 more of the twin-engine fighters.
The contract was signed last August, a representative of Sukhoi parent company United Aircraft Corporation (UAC) tells Aviation Week. An industry source tells the Vedomosti daily that the delay in finalizing the order was due to a lack of clarity in Russia’s 2016 federal budget, which was only signed by Russian President Vladimir Putin in mid-December.
The UAC representative says the fighters will be delivered at a pace of 10 aircraft annually starting this year.
The single-seat Su-35 is the latest development of the Su-27 Flanker family. Compared to previous Flanker modifications, it features the more powerful NPO Saturn AL-41F-1S (also known as 117S) engines with thrust vector control and completely new digital onboard equipment, including new Tikhomirov NIIP Irbis phased antenna array radar. The fighter can carry up to 8,000 kg (17,600 lb.) of munitions on 12 hardpoints.
The Russian air force placed its first order for 48 Su-35S variants in 2009. The first aircraft were inducted into service two years later, and the last aircraft from that order were rolled out last year. The Russian Defense Ministry reported it will make a ferry flight from the Komsomolsk-on-Amur assembly facility, in the Khabarovsk region, to a regular unit in Primorye, in Russia’s Far East, this week.
The Su-35 is seen now by the Russian military as a stopgap for the Sukhoi T-50 fifth-generation fighter. Significant deliveries of the latter aircraft, which is being tested now, are likely to be postponed beyond 2020 due to economic difficulties in Russia.
Another customer for this type is China. Beijing signed a contract for 24 Su-35 fighters worth $2 billion last year, after many years of negotiations.