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2015-04-17

Stunning HD video: flying the Russian Su-34 Fullback bomber

Forwarded message - From: Louis Nève

 Stunning HD video: flying the Russian Su-34 Fullback bomber
The following series of videos is pretty impressive: with English subtitles, the footage brings you inside the cockpit of a Russian Su-34 Fullback bomber during a training sortie. Filmed with cameras installed inside the cockpit and attached to the fuselage, the 4-part documentary includes a sort of dogfight with a Su-27: to be honest, the lighter and more maneuverable 'Flanker' does not seem to react too much to the attacking Su-34; it's a sacrificial victim rather than a real opponent.
Nevertheless, the clips are interesting and provide some interesting details about the Russian attack aircraft that is becoming a frequent visitor of the Baltic region.
Here below is the first clip. Followed by the links to the remaining ones.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=btxsJlm8cFg

SU34 bomber vs SU27 fighter DOGFIGHT (part 2 of 4) ENGLISH SUBTITLES

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BZWLef0hbZg

SU34 bomber vs SU27 fighter DOGFIGHT (part 3 of 4) ENGLISH SUBTITLES

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TAfwKBee2EU

SU34 bomber vs SU27 fighter DOGFIGHT (part 4 of 4) ENGLISH SUBTITLES

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yCVXMVrVxxo

 

The SU-32MF/-34 "Fullback" fighter-bomber

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VbtmdeWqWTQ#t=18

The SU-34 is also referred to as the "SU-32″ by Sukhoi, and Sukhoi's web site has long used the 2 designations interchangeably. Other sources use SU-32 to refer to a dedicated naval strike variant, but recent company references seem to be distinguishing SU-32s by reserving that designation for exports. DID will be using "SU-34″ throughout, until and unless clear differences emerge. The SU-34's key characteristics reportedly include:
  • Side-by-side cockpit configuration of 2 K-36DM ejector seats, with a small aisle in between, and even a toilet of sorts for long missions. The ejector seats can be activated at any speed and altitude, even when the plane is on the ground.
  • A 17mm armored cockpit, like the SU-25 Frogfoot ground-attack jet.
  • 45.1 tonne maximum takeoff weight.
  • 8 tonne ordnance load. - Air Force Technology adds that this is distributed on 10 hardpoints, which can accommodate precision-guided weapons, as well as R-73/AA-11 Archer and R-77/AA-12 'AMRAAMSKI' missiles. An internal 30mm GSh-301 gun with 180 rounds out its weapon array.
  • AL-31FM1 turbofan engines built by the Moscow-based Salyut Company generate a thrust of up to 13.5 metric tons (over 29,000 pounds) and have a 1,000-hour service life in between repairs. Subsequent reports indicate that more powerful AL-41 engines may be fitted in future.
  • Maximum speed stated as Mach 1.8 at altitude. Believed to be supersonic capable at sea level, but that's often an academic statistic – most planes can't sustain it without emptying their fuel tanks.
  • 3,000 km range with standard drop tanks, extensible to "over 4,000 km" with the help of additional drop tanks. This makes deployment to locations like Tajikistan much easier, because intermediate airfields in Russia can easily be closed by bad weather. The SU-34 can also refuel in mid-air. Note, however, that typical "ground hugging" attack flight profiles will shorten their range considerably – Air Force Technology lists it as just 600 km on internal fuel, or 1,150 km with external fuel tanks.
  • Can fly in TERCOM (Terrain Contour Matching) mode for low-level flight, and relies on software to execute a number of other difficult maneuvers. The front horizontal empennage behind the cockpit is designed to help it handle the air pockets found in high speed flight at low altitudes.
  • Leninets B004 phased array multimode X-band radar, which interleaves terrain-following radar and other modes. The US B-1B's stealth bomber's AN/APQ-164 phased array radar uses a similar approach, and the Leninets radar's performance is claimed to be of 200-250 km against large surface targets, with ground mapping capability to 75-150 km, and GMTI(Ground Moving Target Indicator) moving target tracking to 30 km. Detection performance against fighter sized aerial targets is claimed to be 90 km. Those are reasonable figures, but the AESA radars on modern American fighters will outclass it.