Russia unveils Su-30SME fighter export version at Singapore Airshow

Russia has unveiled the export version of the Sukhoi Su-30SME (NATO reporting name: Flanker-C) multipurpose fighter jet at the Singapore Airshow 2016, a source in the defense and industrial sector said.

"The Su-30SME aircraft [the export version of the Su-30SM fighter jet] has been shown on the international market for the first time," the source said.

"Its development aims to offer foreign customers a fighter jet equipped with a Russian-made avionics suite," the source added.

Unlike the Su-30MKI fighter jet, the avionics suite mounted on the Su-30SME aircraft’s version lacks French-made components, the source said. 

Russian-made components for the Su-30SME fighter jet’s avionics suite have allowed enhancing the aircraft’s capabilities.

According to the source, Southeast Asian, Middle East and North African countries have already shown interest in the new fighter jet.

The Su-30SM (SM standing for serial-produced, upgraded) multipurpose fighter jet is designed both to gain air supremacy and attack ground and surface targets. The fighter jet has canards and engines with a controlled thrust vector, which makes the aircraft supermaneuverable.

The Su-30SM fighter jet is equipped with the Bars multipurpose control radar.

The fighter jet’s ammunition load comprises a wide range of munitions, including air-to-air missiles and air-to-surface precision guided weapons.

The Su-30SM fighter jet can be used to train pilots for future single-seat fighter jets. The Su-30SM fighter jet has been manufactured for the Russian Air Force since 2012.

Four Su-30SM batch-produced fighters (Russian Air Force modification) were supplied for Kazakh Air Force in 2015.