Russian Su-33 Fighters Deployed To Defend Kola Arctic Service

The Russian Su-33 Northern Fleet Navy aircraft have been deployed to guard the air borders of the Kola area of the Arctic region.

The aircraft is a naval fighter jet based on the Su-27.

"Pilots of the shipborne fighter aviation regiment of the Northern Fleet have begun service guarding the air borders of the Kola Arctic region using the deck-based Su-33 fighter jet, the naval equivalent of the multi-role Su-27 fighter jet," a spokesman for the Northern Fleet said on Monday.

Even though the navy flankers had been employed in defense of Northern Fleet warship units on campaigns, in between campaigns, the Su-33 aircraft will be employed in the air defense of the Kola area of the Russian Arctic.

The Su-33, a single-seat ship-based fighter, is designed to defend naval ships from aerial threats; the aircraft were brought into service on board the heavy aircraft-carrying cruiser Admiral Kuznetsov.

The fighter jet also has a reinforced undercarriage and folding wings for landing on navy aircraft carriers, and is equipped with probe-and-drogue refuelling capabilities.