Russian AF to Receive Upgrade Su-30SM Jet with Engine from Su-35 Fighter

The Russian Air Force will receive a batch of Su-30SM fighter jets upgraded with AL-41F-1S turbojet engine in 2021 taken from the current top line fighter, the Su-35.

The upgraded aircraft will arrive for the air regiment stationed in the Tver Region in west Russia in 2021, the press office of Russia’s Western Military District reported on Monday as reported by TASS.

"The fighter regiment of the Western Military District will get a batch of Su-30SM fighters under the state defense procurement plan with the upgraded engine. The first batch is planned for delivery in 2021. The new fighters are set to be outfitted with the latest AL-41F-1S engines," TASS said quoting the press office.

Current generation Su-30SM and their variants such as the SU-30MKI (India), Su-30MKM (Malaysia) are equipped with the AL-31F engine or its variants which provide a maximum thrust of 12,500 kgf. In comparison, the AL-41F-1S provides 14000 kgf of thrust allowing the aircraft to go faster or carry more weapons.

“The Su-30SM is being upgraded by the Irkut Aircraft Corporation and the Sukhoi Design Bureau on the assignment of Russia’s Defense Ministry in association with leading Russian defense enterprises. The upgrade will boost the fighter’s combat capabilities: it will increase the range of detecting and identifying air targets and furnish the plane with new precision weapons to hit air, ground and sea targets at a range of several hundred kilometers,” the TASS report said

The AL-41F-1S ( also known as article 117S) aircraft engine is a modular two-shaft turbofan engine with thrust vector control and integrated digital control. The engine is installed on Su-35-type aircraft.

The 117S engine conforms to its predecessors, the AL-31F and AL-31FP engines. This makes it possible to use the 117S engine for upgrading the entire fleet of previously built Su-27-/Su-30-type aircraft, with minor engine nacelle and equipment modifications.

Engine performance enhancement has been achieved through the use of a new low-pressure compressor with increased air flow and efficiency and a new turbine with an improved blade cooling system, A Rosoboronexport brochure about the AL-41F-1S engine said.

Along with the engine, the Su-30 is also planned to be fitted with a new phased array radar and new weapons.