Breaking Down All Fourteen Batches of Fighter Jets Delivered to Russian Forces in 2024: Su-57, Su-35, Su-34 and Su-30SM2 Fleets Growing

<p >The year 2024 saw Russia’s combat aviation industry continue to produce both fighters and helicopters for domestic use and for export, while providing repairs, modernisation and refurbishment for existing fleets. Operating under wartime conditions from 2022, Russian industry has seen domestic demand rise as the Russian Air Force seeks both to replenish losses suffered in Ukraine and to expand its existing fleet. The anticipated end to production of the Su-30SM and Su-35 fighters around 2030 is though to have further fuelled calls to increase supplies of these two classes aircraft to allow production lines to transition to other more modern fighter classes in future. Russia currently operates four separate fighter production facilities building new fighter aircraft, two of which produce two separate fighter classes in parallel. Only three of these facilities, however, have seen orders placed by the Russian Defence Ministry for new fighters, with the fourth, the Sokol Aviation Plant, producing MiG-29M and MiG-35 fighters for export while refurbishing and modernising MiG-31BM interceptors and <a href=" target="_blank">MiG-31I strike fighters </a>for domestic use. A breakdown of the fourteen batches of fighters confirmed to have been delivered to the Russian Armed Forces in 2024, including the factories at which they were produced, is provided below. </p><p ><img src=" title="Russian Air Force Su-57"></p><p >Su-57 Fifth Generation Fighter: Three Batches</p><p >Russian state sources have reported the delivery of three batches of Su-57 fifth generation fighters in 2024, including one on <a href=" 12</a>, one on <a href=" 11</a>, and a third on <a href=" 23</a>. The size of the batches remains unknown, and it is highly uncertain whether Russian industry met its highly ambitious target of a <a href=" percent surge </a>in the production of Su-57s in 2024 to produce 20 fighters – up from <a href=" fighters</a> in 2023. The<a href=" Aviation Plant</a> in the Russian Far East in August saw <a href=" facilities opened</a> to facilitate expanded production of the Su-57, although with the final number of fighters delivered not having been confirmed by Russian state sources, there is a significant possibility that production fell short.  </p><p >On November 13, Rosoboronexport CEO Alexander Mikheyev revealed that a contract for the export of the Su-57 had <a href=" been signed</a>, with this and anticipated further foreign demand raising the possibility that a growing portion of productive capacity with be allocated to exports in the coming years. Due to the Su-57’s operations in the Ukrainian theatre from early 2022, its degree of high intensity combat testing remains wholly without equal for a fighter of its generation. Operations have included <a href=" defence suppression</a>, <a href=" to air combat</a>, and <a href=" in </a>heavily defended enemy airspace, as well as a range of <a href=" strike missions</a>. It has been speculated that a second production line for the fighters could be opened in future, possibly at the Irkutsk Aircraft Plant which currently produces Su-30SM/SM2 fighters. </p><p ><img src=" title="Su-35 Production at the Komsomolsk on Amur Aircraft Plant "></p><p >Su-35 Air Superiority Fighter: Four Batches</p><p >Four batches of Su-35 fighters are reported to have been delivered to the Russian Air Force in 2024, including on April 12, May 8, September 12, and November 11. The fighters are produced at the Komsomolsk-on-Amur Aviation Plant alongside the Su-57, and have continued to play a central role in the Russian air campaign in Ukraine in roles ranging from <a href=" target="_blank">air-to-air combat </a>to <a href=" defence suppression</a>. A number of sources have reported that orders have been given since the outbreak of full scale hostilities in Ukraine to accelerate production of the Su-35, which if confirmed is expected to serve three purposes. These include replenishing losses, converting more Cold War era units from fighters such as the Su-27, and forming more new aviation units to expand the fleet. </p><p >The Su-35’s operational costs are notably lower than its Cold War era predecessor the Su-27, while production costs are also estimated at only around $17 million depending on exchange rates. With the fighter combining one of the longest ranges, highest manoeuvrability levels, and largest sensor suites with relatively modest costs, this makes it highly attractive for large scale procurement. Russian acquisitions of Su-35s may be reduced in the near future as the Iranian Air Force is expected to <a href=" receiving Su-35s</a> in 2025, and potentially placing followup orders in the aftermath, while Indonesian officials have stated that an acquisition of the aircraft is <a href=" under consideration</a>. The possibility of <a href=" Korean acquisitions</a> of the Su-35 was also raised with growing frequency in 2024, with American state sources confirming that <a href=" target="_blank">transfers of some fighter aircraft </a>are expected. </p><p ><img src=" title="Su-34 Strike Fighter with Rocket Pods"></p><p >Su-34 Strike Fighter: Six Batches</p><p >The Su-34 strike fighter has been procured on a much larger scale by the Russian Air Force than any other post-Cold War era fighter class, and has played a disproportionate role in combat in Ukraine and accordingly suffered particularly high losses. Six batches of the fighters were reported to have been delivered to the Russian Air Force in 2024, namely on <a href=" 5</a>, <a href=" 17</a>, <a href=" 2</a>, <a href=" 9</a>, <a href=" 25 </a>and <a href=" 23</a>. Although the Su-34 was already being procured on a larger scale than other Russian fighters, in October 2023 the Defence Ministry gave directives to expand production. When giving orders to increase production in 2023, then Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu <a href=" the Su-34’s role in the Russian Air Force: “This warplane is the main workhorse, they have four, five sorties every day,” stressing the “need to step up, hurry up” with production. Su-34s produced in 2024 have all been enhanced Su-34M variants, the first orders for which were <a href=" in 2020</a>.</p><p >Produced at the Chkalov Aircraft Factory in Novosibirsk, Siberia, using parts with supply chains across much of the country, the Su-34 has continued to be widely relied on for both nuclear deterrence and for tactical strike missions across all theatres from the <a href=" East</a> to the <a href=" the Western Pacific. The fighters’ operations gained growing prominence as they were from August frequently filmed launched <a href=" bombardment </a>of Ukrainian and allied Western forces in the Russian Kursk region. Their particularly high weapons carrying capacities allow them to deploy new FAB-3000 3000 kilogram glide bombs, as well as multiple combinations of lighter ordinance including <a href=" with thermobaric warheads</a>.</p><p ><img src=" title="Russian Navy Su-30SM2 Fighter"></p><p >Su-30SM2 Multirole Fighter: One Batch</p><p >One batch of Su-30SM2 fighters was delivered to the Russian Air Force on <a href=" >August 10, 2024</a>. The Su-30SM has been procured as a less specialised and much lower cost counterpart to the Su-35 that benefits from a similarly long range, powerful radar, and high weapons carrying capacity. Produced at the Irkutsk Aircraft Plant, the large majority of production of Su-30s has been funded by export demand, with the closely related Su-30MKI having seen over 270 ordered by India alone, while the Su-30MKA variant has seen over 70 ordered by Algeria. The Su-30SM/SM2 has played an important role in the Russian-Ukrainian War, although it lacks the advanced electronic warfare capabilities of the Su-34 or Su-35, the high weapons carrying capacity of the former, or the triple radars of the latter. </p><p >The Su-30SM2 variant which first <a href=" >entered service in 2022</a> improved on the SM variant with the integration of the Su-35’s AL-41F1S engines, which significantly improve its flight performance and range while also providing significantly lower maintenance needs and a longer service life. The Su-30SM saw a new order <a href=" target="_blank">placed by Kazakhstan</a> in 2023, while Belarus is still awaiting delivery of eight fighters scheduled to arrive in 2025. These may be some of the last foreign orders for the class as foreign clients are increasingly drawn to the more capable Su-57. The Irkutsk Aircraft Plant is expected to be occupied with the modernisation of close to 100 Su-30SM fighters to the Su-30SM2 standard, although the facility’s future beyond this remains uncertain. </p>

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