The Soviet-era, all-weather, supersonic fighter jet was designed to serve the Soviet Air Forces.
Algeria’s procurement of Russian Su-34 fighter jets appears to be making progress. According to reports, production of the Sukhoi fighter jets intended for Algiers is already underway. Last month, Military Watch Magazine confirmed new footage that depicted a small batch of Su-34 strike fighters being prepared in export configuration. Analysts suspect that this batch of aircraft is intended for Algeria and is expected to replace the nation’s older Su-24M strike fighters. Algerian officials originally contracted Russia for 14 Su-34s back in 2019. Additionally, Algeria plans to procure Su-47s and Su-35s as part of the deal. Notably, Algeria is the first export client state for the Su-34M.
Designated by NATO as the “Fullback,” the Russian Su-34 was conceptualized during the Cold War. The Soviet-era, all-weather, supersonic fighter jet was designed to serve the Soviet Air Forces. Following the collapse of the USSR, however, the platform did not make its official debut until 2014 when it reached operational capacity with the Russian Air Force. The Fullback is largely based on its Su-27 “Flanker” predecessor. However, the newer jet series represents the largest fighter class in production across the globe today. The Su-34 is roughly 50 percent heavier than its Flanker predecessor. Widely recognized for its platypus nose and side-by-side cockpit, the Russian platform is quite distinct. A pair of Saturn AN-31FM1 engines powers the fighter, enabling it to reach speeds in excess of Mach 1.8 (times the speed of sound). The Fullback’s large radome notably features the SH141 radar system, which allows the jet to fly in some missions unescorted.
The Fullback is perhaps best known for its armament power. Armed with a 30mm GSh-301 gun and 180 rounds of ammunition, the platform continues to serve the Russian Air Force as one of its more lethal fighters. As detailed by Airforce Technology, the Fullback also sports 10 hardpoints for weapon payloads and can carry a vast array of missiles, including anti-ship, air-to-air, air-to-surface, and anti-radiation. Additionally, the Su-34 can sport both guided and unguided bombs. “The R-73, Nato codename AA-11 Archer, short-range, air-to-air missile is supplied by the Vympel State Engineering Design Bureau, Moscow. The R-73 is an all-aspect missile capable of engaging targets in tail-chase or head-on mode. The missile has cooled infrared homing.”
While the Kremlin often asserts that its Fullback contingent is top-tier, the Su-34 platform has not performed up to expectations in the ongoing Ukraine war. In total, Moscow has lost at least 31 of its Su-34 fighters. Moscow’s continued reliance on this platform to perform offensive aerial missions over Ukraine is also problematic. As explained in Forbes, “Overuse of these aircraft is also costing Russia as the war drags on. In a protracted war, where one force tries to exhaust the other, it’s the total longevity of the military force that matters, and that’s where the [Russian air force] finds itself now.”
Regardless of the Su-34’s shortcomings, Algeria will surely benefit from the arrival of these fighters.
About the Author: Maya Carlin
Maya Carlin, National Security Writer with The National Interest, is an analyst with the Center for Security Policy and a former Anna Sobol Levy Fellow at IDC Herzliya in Israel. She has bylines in many publications, including The National Interest, The Jerusalem Post, and The Times of Israel. You can follow her on Twitter: @MayaCarlin.
Image: Viacheslav Lopatin / Shutterstock.com
