Sukhoi Su-27

Su-27

The Su-27 Flanker is a Soviet/Russian single-seat fighter aircraft made by Sukhoi. It first flew on 20 May 1977, and was introduced on 23 August 1990.^[1] It was first made by the Soviet Union as a fighter, but now it is in the Russian Air Force. It can hold up to 10 guided Air-to-Air medium-range R-27E or short-range R-73 or unguided Air-to-Ground missiles, unguided bombs, and a GSh-301 30mm cannon with 150 bullets.^[1][2][3][4] It has two AL-31F turbofan engines, a multi-purpose onboard search and track radar, an optical infrared search and track station with a laser rangefinder linked to pilot's helmet-mounted target designator and with a wide-angle HUD.^[5]

The Su-27 was made to pair with the MiG-29 Fulcrum, but in the Eritrean-Ethiopian War, Ethiopian Su-27s shot down 5 Eritrean MiG-29s.^[6] It was also supposed to fight American fighters like the F-15 Eagle and F-16 Fighting Falcon. There are the prototype versions T10 Flanker-A and T10S, the version S Flanker-B for the Russian Air Force, the interceptor version P Flanker-B without Air-to-Ground weapons for the Russian Air Force, the two-seat trainer version UB Flanker-C for the Russian Air Force, the export versions SK and UBK, the upgraded export versions SKM and UBM.^[1][7] There are fighters similar to the Su-27, like the Su-33 Flanker-D and the Su-30 Flanker-C .

The Su-27 is still in service with the Russian Air Force and others. Russian Air Force has hundreds of aircraft. Half the fleet -about 100 fighters- has been modernized in the SM version from 2004 to 2012.^{[8][9][10][11]} The SM version has improved avionics, guided Air-to-Ground missiles and guided bombs and a “glass” cockpit.^[12] Russian Air Force received 12 newly built modernized SM3 aircraft in 2011.^[13]

Related pages

• MiG-29 Fulcrum
• F-16 Fighting Falcon
• F-15 Eagle
• F/A-18 Hornet
• F-14 Tomcat

References

1. "Sukhoi Company (JSC) - Airplanes - Military Aircraft - Su-27SÊ - Historical background". Archived from the original on 2013-07-19. Retrieved 2013-07-05.
2. "Su-27 | Planes and Flight". Archived from the original on 2007-12-21. Retrieved 2007-12-08.
3. "Sukhoi Su-27 (Flanker) Air Superiority / Ground Attack / Multirole Fighter - Soviet Union". www.militaryfactory.com.
4. "Sukhoi Company (JSC) - Airplanes - Military Aircraft - Su-27SÊ - Armaments". Archived from the original on 2013-07-22. Retrieved 2013-07-05.
5. http://www.sukhoi.org/eng/planes/military/su27sk/history/ Archived 2013-07-19 at the Wayback Machine http://www.sukhoi.org/eng/planes/military/su27sk/lth/ Archived 2011-07-16 at the Wayback Machine
6. "Acig.org". www.acig.org.
7. "Sukhoi Company (JSC) - Airplanes - Military Aircraft". Archived from the original on 2008-06-12. Retrieved 2013-07-05.
8. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2016-03-05. Retrieved 2013-07-07.
9. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2016-03-05. Retrieved 2013-07-07.
10. "Cengage Learning". www.cengage.com.
11. "ЦАМТО / Новости / Авиапарк Су-27 ВВС РФ модернизирован более чем на 50%, до конца года ожидается поступление первых шести серийных Су-35". www.armstrade.org.
12. "Sukhoi Company (JSC) - News - News". Archived from the original on 2012-11-16. Retrieved 2013-07-07.
13. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2016-03-05. Retrieved 2013-07-07.