Russia Orders Additional Su-30SM Fighters From Irkut

The Russian Ministry of Defense has signed a new contract with Irkut corporation for the supply of 30 additional Su-30SM fighter aircraft for its Air Force.

“The contract was signed by Deputy Defense Minister Yuri Borisov and President of Irkut corportation Oleg Demchenko,” Russian MoD said in a statement Monday.

As per the contract, Irkut will have to supply 30 additional Su-30SM multi-purpose fighter jets before the end of 2018. The deal is part of the state arms procurement program 2016-2018.

Russia recently unveiled new Su-30SME aircraft will be equipped with a Russian-made avionics suite unlike the previous versions containing foreign components at Singaporean Airshow in February this year.

The Su-30SM (SM standing for serial-produced, upgraded) multipurpose fighter jet is designed both to gain air supremacy and attack ground and surface targets, and has been manufactured for the Russian Air Force since 2012.