It is therefore the perfect opportunity to quickly review the recent Sukhoi Su-35S news.
Russian Air Force (VKS)
It took almost a year to see them arrive but finally they are there: the first 6 Sukhoï Su-35S of the 2017 vintage came out of the KnAAZ factory (Komsomolsk-na-Amur) to take the path of their new assignment: the 159 IAP of Besovets in Karelia.
These 6 new Su-35S join the 10 Su-35s (B / n: "50-59 Red") already in staffing within this unit and delivered at the end of 2016. With this delivery, the 159 IAP now has a full squadron of Su-35S, the balance being the premises of a hypothetical second squadron that should be completed in future deliveries.
However, it should be kept in mind that the first 4 aircraft delivered to 159 IAP (B / N "50-53 Red") are currently based in Khmeymim, Syria; therefore, there are only 6 Su-35s available on this basis at this time.
The 2017 delivery program for the Su-35S is based on the factory release of 20 aircraft including 10 for China and 10 for Russia. This first delivery therefore indicates that there are still 4 aircraft to be delivered for the VKS, the balance being Su-35 (without suffix) for China.
Although China is extremely silent with regard to the Su-35s at its disposal, it turns out that this customer has expressed the need to have the devices available quickly; this implies to settle the order in a short time. Thus, after the 4 aircraft delivered in 2016, there will be 10 delivered in 2017 and the last 10 delivered (total order of 24 Su-35) to be honored in 2018. There is no option under the initial contract and no information filters on any additional order
Missile Kh-35U
The Izvestia newspaper announces it on October 23: the Kh-35U air-to-sea missile joins the Su-35S endowment. It was the use of the Su-35S in Syria that prompted the Russian Air Force to integrate this missile into the aircraft's hulls.
The Su-35S did not have to undergo any structural modifications except to carry the Kh-35U, the adaptations being limited to changes in the software of the firing system of the aircraft.
Subsonic missile whose development, supervised by Zvezda, began in 1983 and ended in 2003: the Kh-35's main mission is to attack ships of all types up to a tonnage of 5,000 tons. Can be used by various types of vectors (ships, coastal batteries, ASW aircraft, tactical bombers, helicopters, etc ...) Kh-35 is in service in Russia, India and Vietnam.
The Kh-35U variant of the basic Kh-35 is also capable of hitting ground targets. Its integration into the Su-35S therefore confirms the evolution of the aircraft from a platform specialized in air superiority to a more versatile platform that can also deal with land and sea targets. Feedback from the Syrian engagement had already indicated that changes would be made to the Su-34 and Su-35S, so it seems that a first step in these changes has just been made.
Indonesia
Anyone who follows the blog and / or Twitter account knows that the order of Su-35S by Indonesia has become a kind of soap opera particularly entertaining with multiple twists (number of devices, date of signature, etc ...); the latter much amusing your humble servant.
Admittedly, any important (and less important) order of military equipment always goes through several phases of negotiations, discussions, procrastination and questioning: still is that such long negotiations for a number of devices that regularly questioned is a feat almost worthy of Indian negotiating methods ...
The Rostec holding has recently announced that Indonesia is still considering the acquisition of 11 Su-35s (confirming that the number of aircraft seems well fixed) to replace the F-5 survivors, with a signature of the contract planned in November 2017. This announcement of the date is obviously to take with the usual reserves given the number of ads already made but never materialized in this folder
That being said, a signature at the end of the year would be most relevant: indeed, as indicated above, the contract with China expires at the end of 2018, so there will be available production capacity which will be released at KnAAZ from the year 2019. Even if other potential customers still seem interested in the Su-35 (Algeria in particular), it would be useful for Indonesia not to hang out especially when knows that they have already "missed" a turn in production capacity due to the lengthening of the time needed to reach a decision.
So we will have the opportunity to come back - maybe? - shortly on this question.
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