Malaysia To Receive Brand-New Russian SU-30MKM Fighters
Malaysia To Receive Brand-New Russian SU-30MKM Fighters
Quote:
Malaysia will receive the first 12 of its order of 18 Sukhoi Su-30-MKM Flanker fighters, the most advanced versions of the Su-27 warplane, before the year is out. The Su-30-MKM embodies the best achievements of the Russian aircraft industry and has the most advanced European avionics.
The Malaysian version is based on the Su-30-MKI, earmarked for India, but features different equipment and an electric remote control system.
Unlike the Indian version, the Su-30-MKM features a laser warning system and missile detectors. Two Russian-made active jamming systems are located inside wing-tip containers, and the fighter also has passive jamming systems featuring dipole reflectors and 98 decoys against heat-seeking missiles in the tail section.
The Malaysian version has more Russian-made components than the Su-30-MKI because Indian and Israeli systems have been removed from it. However, the Su-30-MKM features additional French-made systems.
Russia's Bars (Snow Leopard) phased-array radar can simultaneously track at least 15 aerial targets and directs fire against four of them at a time. Moreover, it can also effectively detect ground targets.
The Su-30-MKM features the same guided weapons as the Su-30-MKI.
Malaysia has become the second country to purchase these supersonic, super-agility fighters with vectored-thrust engines. The capabilities of this version may well exceed those of the Su-30 aircraft supplied to India.
Dato' Sri Aziran bin Ariffin, commander-in-chief of the Royal Malaysian Air Force, said the Su-30-MKM was now the best fourth-generation multi-role fighter in the world.
Yury Zaitsev is an academic adviser at the Russian Academy of Engineering Sciences.
Between the possible 250 Iran/Syria Su-30 order, China's orders, Venezuela, and a number of other orders that are in place, Russia sure is chruning out tons of fighter aircraft! :eek:
