Evolution Su-34: How did the Russian plane change during the war in Ukraine (photo)

The stated characteristics of the Su-34 indicate that the aircraft has the status of one of the most powerful front-line bombers. But during the war in Ukraine, his reputation was quite "soaked", both because of the loss of these machines, and through technical problems that led to freelance drops of aviation. The Su-34 front bomber remains a symbol of Russian military aviation.

Its speed and load capacity, as well as the ability to carry a wide range of weapons makes the aircraft a key element of air operations of the Russian Federation against Ukraine. Army Recognition was told about the changes that the changes have undergone a bomber from the beginning of a full -scale invasion of Russia. The idea of ​​creating a fighter-bomber on the basis of the Su-27 emerged in the USSR in the 1980s.

The purpose was to replace the outdated Su-24 and create a universal combat aircraft capable of striking ground, excess and air purposes in all conditions. The base was taken as a double SU-27UB, which made it possible to include in the crew the navigator-the operator of weapons. The result was a new aircraft with increased capabilities, more combat load and increased flight range. The first prototype Su-34, named T10-1, rose to the air in 1990.

It came to mass production only in the early 2000s due to considerable delay in trials and revisions. The mass production was set up at the Novosibirsk Airline, and now about 160 aircraft of this type have been manufactured in the Russian Federation. The SU-34 has been adopted by the Russian Air Force in 2014, and since then it is actively used in hostilities, including aggression against Ukraine.

The main tasks of the aircraft are air intelligence and damage to land and surface purposes with the help of both managed and unmanaged weapons. During the full-scale invasion of Russia in Ukraine, the Su-34 became the main instrument for the application of air strikes on Ukrainian military and civilian facilities. Initially, Russian planes were mainly used by FAB-250 and FAB-500 FAB-500.

However, the effectiveness of such attacks was limited due to Ukrainian air defense, which forced the Russians to revise tactics. The material states that one of the main features of the Su-34 in the Russian-Ukrainian war was the use of universal planning and correction modules (UMPC). These modules allow usual bombs, such as Fab-3000, to make high-precision shocks, significantly increasing their range and accuracy.

In this case, the Su-34 can effectively use its capabilities with minimal risks, causing strokes from a safe distance-50-60 km from the goal of the enemy's air defense. In such circumstances, they have become virtually invulnerable to Ukrainian fighters and most air defense products. At the same time, to drop the bomb from the UMPC for maximum range, the Russian aircraft should rise to a height of 10-12 thousand meters.

In 2024, the Russians use an average of 500-800 such airbombs of different calibers weekly in Ukraine. The material also states that the unique design of the Su-34 distinguishes it from other aircraft of the family "dry". Its cabin, which is a titanium armored capsule, allows the pilot and navigator to sit side by side, which improves communication during missions.

And the ability to reach a height of 15,000 meters with more than two tons of cargo once again demonstrates the status of Su-34, as a "heavy" in the sky. As for survivability, the Su-34 uses a combination of mechanical and electronic control systems, which ensures the stability of the aircraft in battle. The hybrid control system enables the aircraft to maintain performance even after damaging, ensuring safe return to the base.

In this case, the integration of modern radar systems and the modernization of real -time communication facilities allow the machine to better coordinate actions with other forces and respond quickly to a change in the situation on the battlefield. Despite the stated characteristics, the TSC of the Russian Federation, according to analysts, has lost at least 26 Su-34 and one SU-34m in battles as of the middle of 2024.

In addition, several aircraft were destroyed during Ukrainian blows to airfields in the Russian Federation. Another "nuisance" for the Su-34 reputation was freelance to discharges of aviation, which Russian pilots threw almost on the heads of their fellow citizens. In particular, in the spring of 2023, the bomber dropped two airbags from the UMPC in the densely populated area of ​​Belgorod due to a technical malfunction.