Kazakhstan to Receive New Batch of Su-30SM Fighter Jets From Russia

Kazspecexport and Russian state-run Irkut Corporation signed a contract to supply a new batch of Su-30SM to Kazakhstan during the KADEX 2018 exhibition in Astana.

The modern Russian fighters will join the fleet of another Su-30SM, which since 2015 have been armed by the Air Defense Force of Kazakhstan, United Aircraft Corporation said in a statement Thursday.

The additional fighters are probably part of the options set out in the original 12 aircraft deal signed in August 2017. Kazakhstan has eight Su-30SMs in its inventory as of now. It is expected to receive 44 aircraft by 2020.

The Kazakhstan Armed Forces bought its first batch of Su-30SMs in 2015. The next batch of modern multi-functional fighter jets of 4++ generation was delivered to Kazakhstan on January 17, this year.

The SU-30SM airframe is made of titanium and aluminium alloys based on the Indian Air Force’ Su-30MKI developed jointly by Irkut and Sukhoi Design Bureau. The fuselage head has a cockpit, radar sections and avionics bay and is powered by two AL-31FP by-pass turbojet engines.

Currently, there are Su-27, MiG-29, Su-25, MiG-27 and MiG-31 fighter jets with Kazakhstan Air Defense Forces.