Russia to have 16 new Su-34 fighter-bombers this year

Moscow: The Russian Aerospace Defence Forces will receive 16 new Sukhoi Su-34 fighter-bombers in 2017, Russian Deputy Defence Minister Yuriy Borisov said on Friday.

"The Novosibirsk Aircraft Production Association (NAPA) has a long-term contract with the Russian Defence Ministry for the production of 92 Su-34 strike fighters. We are expecting to receive 16 Su-34fighter-bombers this year," Xinhua news agency quoted Borisov as saying.

Borisov said nine of the aircraft are in the final stage of assembly, and noted that the Su-34 aircraft had proved highly effective in the fight against terrorists in Syria.

It has an enormous modernisation potential, and could be called a new generation aircraft, he said.

The Su-34 entered service in early 2014. It is designed primarily for tactical deployment against ground and naval targets on solo and group missions in daytime and at night, and can operate under adverse weather conditions and in a hostile environment.