Summary: The Russian Aerospace Forces utilize the Sukhoi Su-33, a standout multi-role, single-seat fighter jet designed for carrier operations, known for its agility and speed. Powered by two Saturn AL-31K engines, it reaches Mach 2 with a range of nearly 2,000 miles, and can refuel midair. Originating from the Su-27, the Su-33 features structural enhancements for carrier use, including folding wings and increased lift. It's equipped with a robust arsenal, including air-to-air missiles and a 30mm cannon. Despite its capabilities, the Su-33 operates in a limited capacity due to Russia's lack of a powerful carrier fleet, relying on the troubled Admiral Kuznetsov.
The Russian Aerospace Forces fields a credible fleet of combat aircraft. While the war in Ukraine has exposed the weaknesses of Russian air power and the flawed training of Russian pilots, those pilots and the airframes that carry them are certainly capable.
Of the several types of fighter jet the Russian Aerospace Forces fly, the Sukhoi Su-33 stands out.
A single-seat, multi-role fighter jet, the Su-33, NATO reporting name Flanker D, was designed as a naval interceptor for carrier operations.
The Su-33 is agile and fast. Its two Saturn AL-31K engines can produce a combined 60,000 lbs of thrust that yield a maximum speed around Mach 2 (1,500 miles per hour). The aircraft can operate at altitudes over 55,000 feet and has an outstanding operational range of close 2,000 miles. (The combat radius, or its actual fighting range, would be smaller.) As a naval interceptor, the fighter jet can also refuel midair, boosting its operational range.
The Su-33 Flanker D was based on the Su-27 Flanker, with structural changes that make it suited for carrier operations. As such, the Su-33 Flanker D has a stronger airframe and undercarriage, folding wings, stabilators, canards, and larger wings for increased lift.
But where the Su-33 Flanker D shines is in its weapon capabilities.
With 12 external hardpoints, the fighter jet can carry up to 14,000 lbs of munitions, including R-73 heat-seeking air-to-air missiles and R-27 radar-homing air-to-air missiles, as well as cruise missiles, glide bombs, rockets, and conventional bombs.
As a naval interceptor, the fighter can carry a wide variety of anti-ship missiles, such as AS-17 Krypton and Moskit ASM-MSS munitions.
When the action gets up-close and personal, the Su-33 Flanker can prevail with 150 rounds fired from its powerful 30mm Gryazev-Shipunov GSh-30-1 cannon.
The Su-33 inspired the Chinese military to build its Shenyang J-15 fighter jet, which shares capabilities with the Russian-made Flanker D.
Right now, the Russian Navy sports only one carrier, the Admiral Kuznetsov. Even that vessel is actually a mix of an aircraft carrier and guided-missile cruiser. It can carry up to twenty-four Su-33 and MiG-29K fighter jets, but the Admiral Kuznetsov is a troubled warship. It has been undergoing repairs for the past seven years, and it is not certain whether the ship will sail again operationally. The Su-33 Flanker D is thus a carrier-based fighter without an aircraft carrier.
Stavros Atlamazoglou is a seasoned defense and national security journalist specializing in special operations. A Hellenic Army veteran (national service with the 575th Marine Battalion and Army HQ), he holds a BA from the Johns Hopkins University, an MA from the Johns Hopkins’ School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS), and is pursuing a J.D. at Boston College Law School. His work has been featured in Business Insider, Sandboxx, and SOFREP.
Sukhoi Su-33: Russia's Carrier Fighter Jet Without an Aircraft Carrier
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18.03.2024
Summary: The Russian Aerospace Forces utilize the Sukhoi Su-33, a standout multi-role, single-seat fighter jet designed for carrier operations, known for its agility and speed. Powered by two Saturn AL-31K engines, it reaches Mach 2 with a range of nearly 2,000 miles, and can refuel midair. Originating from the Su-27, the Su-33 features structural enhancements for carrier use, including folding wings and increased lift. It's equipped with a robust arsenal, including air-to-air missiles and a 30mm cannon. Despite its capabilities, the Su-33 operates in a limited capacity due to Russia's lack of a powerful carrier fleet, relying on the troubled Admiral Kuznetsov.
The Russian Aerospace Forces fields a credible fleet of combat aircraft. While the war in Ukraine has exposed the weaknesses of Russian air power and the flawed training of Russian pilots, those pilots and the airframes that carry them are certainly........
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