This is Russia's answer to the F-15E Strike Eagle
IRKUT
Russia announced it's newest variant of the Sukhoi Su-30SM — the Su30SM1 — last month, which reportedly has enhanced weapons and electrical systems.
Nevertheless, the Su-30SM1 has yet to be mass produced, and there's reportedly only one of them at the Irkutsk Aviation Plant where they're being made, according to The National Interest. Therefore Russia's most upgraded Su-30 on the market is still the Su-30SM.
The Su-30SM is a versatile or multirole fighter, able to perform air-to-air and air-to-ground attacks, and is often considered to be the F-15E Strike Eagle's counterpart.
Here's how the Su-30SM compares overall to the F-15E.
The Su-30SM was developed by IRKUT, the conglomerate that owns Sukhoi, and made it's first flight in 2012.
The F-15E Strike Eagle was developed by McDonnell Douglas, now Boeing, and made it's first flight in 1986.
Sources: Airforce-Technology and Airforce-Technology.
It's a derivative of the Su-30MKI, which Sukhoi made for India, and is the first Su-30 to have thrust vector control — which makes the jet more agile and able to turn faster. The original Su-30 design is also based off the Su-27 Flanker.
The F-15E is the fifth and latest version of the F-15A, which made its first flight in July 1972.
Source: Sukhoi and US Air Force.
The fighter also carries two crew members, just like the US' F-15E and F/A-18F Super Hornet, allowing it to better surveil a battlefield and find targets.
Source: The National Interest and Washington Post.
See the rest of the story at Business Insider
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