Kazakhstan expects to receive four Su-30SM multirole fighters from Russia in 2022, as announced by Russia’s Federal Service Director for Military-Technical Cooperation, Dmitry Shugayev.
According to the defense director, the contract details are still being worked out. However, Russia is expected to deliver the Su-30SM fighters in addition to the 20 units that they have delivered so far. The deliveries of this model began in 2015, with units coming from the Irkutsk Aviation Enterprise.
Initial discussions surrounding the Su-30SM purchase began in 2017 when Kazakhstan expressed interest in the fighter jet as part of its military modernization.
The Su-30SM Fighter Jet
The Su-30SM fighter is a multi-role fighter aircraft made by JSC Sukhoi Design Bureau, with Russia as its principal customer. Other countries that use the aircraft include Algeria, Armenia, India, Malaysia, Venezuela, and Vietnam.
The fighter is capable of carrying a payload of up to 8 tons (7,257 kg). It can be armed with a variety of weapons including machine guns, missiles, and bombs.
The Su-30SM is powered by two AL-31FP by-pass reheated turbojet engines producing speeds of up to Mach 2. The fighter can endure a flight of up to 3,000 km (1,864 mi) without refueling.
