Su-30M (MK-export version) is a standard Su-30 with the air-to-ground missiles which can carry twice the armament (8 tons) compared to the baseline Su-27. The Su-30 'export variant' of the formidable Su-27 'Flanker', can carry the latest Russian air-to-air missiles, including the medium-range R-27 family, the short-range R-73 and the new medium-range R-77 'AMRAAM-ski'. The Sukhoi-30K has a range in excess of 3,000km, which means it can easily patrol offshore installations without requiring aerial refuelling.
Derived from the famous Sukhoi aircraft family - Su-27UBK, Su-30K, Su-35, Su-37 - the Su-30MK epitomises a "universal air warrior", capable of accomplishing a wide variety of combat missions at significant distances from the home base, in any weather conditions and severe jamming environment, both by day and night.
This multirole aircraft is adequately fitted for the entire spectrum of tactical and operational combat employment scenarios, varying from counterair tasks (i.e. gaining air superiority, air defence, air patrol and escort) to counterland and countersea ones (suppression of hostile air defence, air interdiction and close air support). Additionally, the Su-30MK can perform ECCM and early warning tasks, as well as exercise command-and-control over a group of aerial combat assets performing joint mission. Due to duplicated flight control system, it can be also employed for realistic flight and combat training.
The Su-30MK aerodynamic configuration is an unstable-in-longitude triplane. To increase lifting effectiveness and enhance manoeuvrability of the aircraft, the canards are installed. They are deflected automatically to ensure flight at high angle-of-attack.
The integrated aerodynamic configuration, combined with the thrust vectoring control capability, results in unprecedented manoeuvrability and unique take-off and landing characteristics. Equipped with a digital "fly-by-wire" system, Su-30MK is capable of performing a number of feat manoeuvres to counter missile threats and to dominate in dogfight. They include well-known "cobra" and "bell", as well as new ones, which cannot be performed by any other aircraft. The while performing a "somersault" manoeuvre, the aircraft makes 360-deg turn in pitch plane without any loss of altitude. In "controlled flat spin" manoeuvre, the aircraft performs several full turns in horizontal plane, with zero forward speed, virtually on the spot.
The power plant incorporates two AL-31FP by-pass turbojet reheated engines. The total 25,000-kgf afterburning thrust ensures 2M horizontal flight speed, 1,350-km/h speed at low altitude, and a 230-m/s climbing rate.
Differential ±15-deg deflection of engines' axisymmetric nozzles (with turn axes positioned at 32-deg angle to each other) enables pitch/yaw thrust vectoring control. Depending on the manoeuvre to be performed, nozzles deflections can be synchronised with or differ from the deflections of horizontal tail planes.
.jpg)
