Su-30SM Flanker-C

בשרת

The Su-30SM entered Russian service in 2012 as the domestic version of the multirole Flanker family that Sukhoi had been exporting to India and Malaysia. It combines three things the original Su-27 did not have: canard foreplanes ahead of the wing, thrust vectoring nozzles, and a second crew member who runs sensors and weapons while the pilot flies. Endurance runs to several hours, extendable further with refuelling. On MCS the SM is a heavyweight that behaves like a much smaller aircraft in a close fight. The canards and nozzles together let it hold a nose position that should not be possible at that weight, and the two seat workload split shows when there is a lot happening at once. The cost is a huge radar signature and an airframe that is easy to see coming. Recommended for aggressive pilots who want to brawl in something large.