Su-30SM2s are destined for Baltic duties
Su-30SM2s in production, pictured in 2020. (Photo: Russian MoD)
Two dozen Su-30SM2 fighters will be delivered to the Russian Navy by late 2022, mainly to the Kaliningrad Oblast where they will replace ageing Su-27s.
A Russian MoD official has confirmed to Shephard that two dozen Su-30SM2 fighters for naval aviation will be delivered by the end of 2022, primarily to the Baltic Fleet.
Plans to procure Su-30SM2s and other fixed-wing aircraft were announced in August 2020 by Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu during a visit to the Irkutsk Aviation Plant. He calculated the total cost of acquiring 21 Su-30SM2 fighters and 25 Yak-130 trainer aircraft at more than RUB100 billion ($1.33 billion).
It is unknown when the three extra Su-30SM2s were added to the original requirement.
Compared to the baseline Su-30 with its AL-31F turbofan engine,
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