What new aircraft are expected in the Russian Air Force in 10 years?
The Russian Air Force shares the second place with China - behind the United States - in the number of helicopters and planes.
Much of the Russian fleet has already been upgraded as part of the National Armament Program 2006-2015 and the current program (2011-2020), including helicopters. Nevertheless, the units of the air force still have many Soviet-origin aircraft. In the strategic and special military transport aviation, long-life heavy planes can still fly for several decades, but ground attack fighters, bombers and other tactical devices built during the Soviet era will be permanently replaced in the next ten years - except exceptions, writes Tuesday, December 5 the daily Izvestia.
Orders for tactical aviation will still be based on Sukhoi aircraft. According to the information available, it is planned to have at least 700 hunters in total (not including storage devices). Nearly 450 of them are mostly Su hunters, with the exception of a few dozen Su-27 hunters modernized to Su-27SM.
Since 2012, the Russian Ministry of Defense has ordered 116 Su-30SM aircraft, including 88 for the Air Force and 28 for the Navy. Nearly 100 aircraft have already been delivered under the contract and a new one is expected to be signed shortly, which will include 50 additional aircraft for the Ministry of Defense.
Purchases of the more advanced version of the T-10 platform - the Su-35S fighter - will also continue. In addition to the 98 hunters ordered under the 2009 and 2015 contracts, it is planned to purchase at least as many aircraft of this type.
Sukhoi also produces in Komsomolsk the 5th generation fighter Su-57. Information on the alleged purchases from this aircraft diverges, but by the end of the new national weapons program the Air Force should have about 60 such aircraft, of which the first 12 should be delivered from 'here late 2021 to be honed in the armed forces before the start of mass purchases.
The largest representative of the MiG brand within five years will be a Soviet aircraft: the modernized fighter-interceptor MiG-31. The maintenance and modernization of these aircraft is underway and within ten years, the fleet could have up to 150 modernized interceptors. Several dozens of MiG-29SMT / UBT fighters put into service in the late 2000s and in the 2010s will remain in service. According to experts, the air force could receive between 70 and 80 MiG-35.
Tactical aviation attack units are represented only by Sukhoi planes. The Su-25 assault aircraft will remain the only representative of the Soviet aircraft industry. Assault squadrons will likely have 120-140 upgraded aircraft of this type equipped with new guided munitions.
Under current contracts, the Russian Air Force has already received nearly 110 Su-34 bombers - the armed forces need 200 aircraft in total. A new contract for the purchase of these bombers could be signed in 2018-2019, while considering buying Su-34s for naval aviation.
From : https://iz.ru/679043/ilia-kramnik/novye-krylia-vvs-rossii
