Indonesian Defense Minister Ryamizard Ryacudu announced Moscow and Jakarta would sign in April a contract for the delivery of 10 Russian Su-35 Flanker multirole fighter jets to replace Indonesia’s fleet of F-5 Tigers.
The manufacturer had produced 14 Su-35, several Su-30МК2 aircraft for Vietnam and modernized Su-27 in 2015, the Russian Izvestia newspaper reported.
“Today, a full transition of the enterprise to the production of modern Su-35 is on the agenda. However, this will not affect the queue. The plant is due to produce 50 aircraft for Russia’s Aerospace Forces within five years, and 24 for China. Indonesians could expect to receive two jets in 2018 in a best-case scenario,” the source told the newspaper.
The Su-35S is a 4++ generation one-seater, an upgraded version of the Su-27 multirole fighter with features comparable to a 5-generation aircraft. It is characterized by supermaneuverability and is equipped with new avionics, a modern radar and advanced engines. It can accomplish incredible tricks without deceleration and can fly at a speed of 2400 kmph, outpacing all rivals in its class. The warplane is armed with 30mm guns, a huge number of missiles and rockets.
The Su-35 fighter jet is armed with a whole set of air-to-air and air-to-surface missiles, as well as with various-caliber rockets and air bombs.
Generally, the Su-35 fighter aircraft does not differ from operational Su-30MK planes by its bomb and rocket weaponry but can eventually carry improved and new models of air bombs, including laser-guided bombs. The Su-35 fighter jet has a maximum combat load of 8,000 kilograms.
The Su-35 fighter jet is also armed with the GSh-30-1 30 mm gun with an ammunition load of 150 cartridges.