The IRKUT Corporation is deeply involved in development of upgrades programmes for the fourth generation operational fighters. Implementation of in-depth upgrade of the Su-30K long-range fighter-interceptor jointly with Sukhoi Design Bureau and Russia's Air Force resulted in development of Su-30KN multirole combat aircraft, which was certified in 2002.

The Su-30KN is capable of accomplishing a wide variety of combat missions at significant distances from the home base, in any weather conditions and severe jamming environment, both by day and night.

Upgrade concept

The Su-30KN features enhanced combat effectiveness due to additional equipment, such as navigation system compatible with GLONASS and NAVSTAR systems, and additional computers. Besides, the low/medium/high-resolution mapping capabilities are introduced into the on-board radar, and two MFI-55 multifunctional color displays (instead of line-of-sight indicators) are installed to the cockpit, to ensure tactical information presentation on the surface radar map. The upgrade can be performed at the Customer's site at minimal expenses.

Combat Employment

Fully suited for operations in adverse weather conditions and severe jamming environment, both by day and night, the Su-30KN aircraft is capable of performing:

• offensive/defensive counterair tasks to attain and maintain air superiority while engaging aerial targets at short/long distances in free aerospace and against surface background;
• a variety of counterland combat tasks including high-precision strikes against high-priority targets at tactical and operational depth, suppression of hostile air defence with anti-radiation missiles, and close air support of friendly units with guided/unguided air-to-ground weaponry;
• countersea tasks to engage and defeat separate ships and ship groupings beyond the reach of their anti-aircraft means.

Combat Effectiveness Enhanced

The Su-30KN features enhanced combat effectiveness due to:

• high flight performance and maneuverability inherited from the base platform;
• expanded info capabilities of upgraded avionics suite;
• ability to employ a wide set of air-to-surface and air-to-air high-precision weapon;
• ability to interact with other similar aircraft while carrying out missions in group;
• data exchange capability with ground command posts and ground/shipborne/seashore missile strike means.

The aircraft is able to perform covert "radar-silenced" approach and automatic location of the target, thus dramatically improving combat mission success probability.

Weaponry Suite

To perform counter-air/land/sea tasks, the multirole Su-30KN is able to employ:

Built-in gun	GSh-301 with 150 rounds
Air-to-air missiles, pcs
R-27R1 (ER1) with semi-active radar homing head	up to 6
R-27T1 (ET1) with IR homing head	up to 2
R-73E with IR homing head	up to 6
RVV-AE with active radar homing head	up to 6
Air-to-surface missiles, pcs
Kh-31P with passive radar homing head	up to 4
Kh-31A with active radar homing head	up to 4
Kh-29T (TE) with TV homing head	up to 4
Kh-59ME with TV homing head	up to 2
Guided aerial bombs, pcs
KAB 500KR (OD) with TV homing head	4
KAB-1500KR with TV homing head	2
Rocket projectiles, pcs
S-8KOM-type in B-8M1 launching pods	up to 20x4
S-13-type in B-13L launching pods	up to 5x4
S-25OFM-type	up to 4
Aerial bombs, kg, pcs
50	up to 32
100	up to 38
250	up to 28
500	up to 8
Bomb clusters, pcs
RBK-500 with PBE-D	up to 6

Basic Characteristics

Take-off weight (normal / maximum), kg	24,780 / 30,450
Fuel reserve (normal / maximum), kg	5,270 / 9,400
Maximum landing weight, kg	21,000
Maximum flight range with internal fuel reserve, km	3,000
Maximum flight range with one in-flight refuelling, km	5,200
Service ceiling, m	16,700
Load factor limit, g	8
Dimensions, m
length	21.9
wing span	14.7
height	6.4

Contact Information

Mr. Yury Malov, Head of Department
phone / fax: +7 (495) 777-2101
e-mail: niokr@irkut.com
address: Building 1, 68, Leningradsky prospekt, Moscow, Russia, 125315