Russia's UAC delivers new batch of Su-34 fighter-bombers to Defense Ministry

The United Aircraft Corporation (UAC), a subsidiary of state tech corporation Rostec, has delivered a new batch of Su-34 fighter-bombers to the Russian Defense Ministry under the state defense procurement program. The aircraft completed all required ground and flight factory tests before being sent to permanent duty locations with Russian Aerospace Forces crews.

The Su-34, known by NATO as "Fullback," is a twin-seat fighter-bomber designed to strike ground, surface, and air targets, as well as infrastructure facilities protected by air defense systems. According to a Su-34 crew commander cited by Rostec, the aircraft can conduct non-stop flights lasting up to 10 hours without crew fatigue, owing to large internal fuel tank capacity and fuel-efficient engines. The aircraft features composite construction, a flattened nose design for reduced radar visibility, a pressurized cockpit allowing pilots to operate without oxygen masks up to 10 kilometers altitude, and a 17-millimeter titanium alloy armor shell protecting crew members. It can operate in difficult weather conditions and under active air defense countermeasures, and is capable of taking off and landing from unprepared airfields.

Rostec stated that new batches of Su-34 aircraft are already in production. UAC Chief Executive Vadim Badekha emphasized that the corporation is "maintaining a high pace of production of combat aircraft" while fulfilling obligations to the Russian Defense Ministry, with employees continuously refining production processes. According to Rostec, the Su-34 is "the undisputed best seller in the world of combat aviation" and continues to be improved based on combat experience to enable crews to carry out assigned missions more effectively.

The sources indicate the aircraft are actively used in military operations, though specific operational details and the precise number of aircraft in this delivery batch were not disclosed in the announcements.