New Su-30SM Fighter Makes Maiden Flight

Source RIA : The Russian Air Force’s first Su-30SM advanced fighter jet made its first flight on Friday, the manufacturer said.

“The flight lasted for two hours and went smoothly,” the Irkut corporation said.

The Su-30SM is a specialized version of the thrust-vectoring Su-30MKI for all-weather, air-to-air and air-to-surface deep interdiction missions. A further evolution of the Su-30MK line and designed for use by domestic units, the SM differs from earlier export models in having radar, communications and friend-or-foe systems and other onboard equipment, including new ejection seats "designed in accordance with the requirements of the Russian air force", Irkut says.

The Defense Ministry and Irkut signed a contract in March for delivery of 30 of the multirole fighters by 2015.