Su-24 Russian front-line reconnaissance bomber photo

The Su-24, which according to NATO codes was called “Fencer,” is a Russian front-line attack aircraft with a movable swept wing, whose task was to carry out bombing and missile strikes at any time of the day and in any meteorological conditions. Front-line use of the Su-24 at low altitudes to destroy surface and ground targets was also possible.

In 2011, the average age of Su-24s operated by the Russian Air Force was about 25 years. Initially, it was planned to put new Su-34s in their place, and upgrade the basic Su-24s to the Su-24M2 version. But due to the large number of accidents, they decided to completely decommission the Su-24 from service until 2022. In February 2012, they were withdrawn from service in Belarus. Until 2015, 103 Su-24 bombers were sent for disposal in Russia.

History of creation

By the early sixties, the experience of local conflicts began to urgently require a revision of the doctrine of the use of bomber aircraft. The United States is creating a new fighter-bomber, the F-111, nicknamed the "Aardvark" ("Aardvark").

In the USSR, the development of a strike bomber is entrusted to Sukhoi Design Bureau No. 51. KB decides to go two ways:

1. Modernization of the then obsolete Su-7B.
2. Creation of a fundamentally new aircraft.

The first path led to the appearance of the Su-17 fighter-bomber, which was produced until the 90s of the last century. But the second one did not go so smoothly. N.S. Khrushchev, fascinated by missiles, decided that these weapons could solve any problem and work on other types of weapons became difficult.

The army suffered an unjustified reduction, and many talented pilots were fired. The designers had to disguise the development of the new machine by improving the Su-7B.

In the process of creating the layout, the appearance of the product was changed twice. Initially, the S-6 project, also known as the Su-15, a deep modernization of the Su-7B fighter-bomber, was going to use swept wings, with the crew positioned in tandem, one behind the other.

The aircraft was planned to be used as a multi-purpose all-weather attack aircraft.

But while working on the S-6 project, the customer once again changed the technical requirements for the aircraft; the army needed a front-line bomber, and not another modernization of the fighter-bomber.

This is how the T-58M project appeared; while working on it, they took into account the experience of General Dynamics, who seated the pilots side by side in their F-111 Aardvark. The radar was traditionally located in the nose fairing of the fuselage.

The wing received variable sweep. The weapons were placed both on beam bomb racks of the external sling and inside the fuselage.

It is especially worth noting the weapons placed on rotating pylons, on the wing itself; it was a truly unique solution that they could not, or did not want to repeat in the West.

In addition to missile and bomb armament, the T-58M also received a built-in 6-barrel AO-19 air cannon with a caliber of 23 mm.

During the work on the project, the prototype was once again renamed, the vehicle was named T-6. In 1969, T-6 prototypes with serial numbers were submitted for state testing.

Since their completion, in 1974, the Su-24 front-line bomber, which was a T-6 aircraft brought into serial production, was adopted by the Soviet Air Force.

History of the Su-24

After the Su-7B fighter entered service, a project was developed to create an aircraft based on it capable of hitting small targets in any weather conditions. Unfortunately, the Su-7 did not meet the tactical and technical requirements, so the designers of the Sukhoi Design Bureau had to develop a completely new machine. The new aircraft was given the code S-6. In design, it had a delta wing, R21F-300 engines and a tandem crew arrangement.

The first life-size example was built in 1963. This copy received the code T-58M and was essentially a modification of the Su-15. The approach to the mission of the front-line aircraft also changed: now it was planned to get a low-altitude bomber with a short takeoff/landing (it was required to reach and overcome supersonic speed).

Since 1965, the pilots' seats have been placed side by side due to the large dimensions of the Orion radar station. To achieve a short takeoff/landing, additional 4 RD36-35 engines were added to the standard R-27F-300 engines.

Since August 1965, the bomber was named T-6.

The first flight of the T-6 was made on July 2, 1967. Honored pilot V.S. was at the helm that day. Ilyushin.

In the fall of 1967, the T-6 was equipped with more powerful AL-21F engines, and there was no longer a need to use 4 RD36-35.

The replacement of the wing structure in the T-6 with a variable-sweep wing was first carried out in 1967. This part of the work was supervised by aircraft designer O. S. Samoilovich. The founder of the bureau himself, P.O. Sukhoi was directly involved in all stages of development. This aircraft was the first in the USSR, the placement of pylons on which was carried out on moving elements of the wings.

The modified version, which was named T-6-2I, like the first prototype, was lifted into the air by tester V.S. Ilyushin 01/17/1970. The T-6 received the official name Su-24.

The resulting model of the fighter is very reminiscent of the American version of the F-111, created in the late 60s, but it cannot be argued that the Su-24 is its copy.

The first flight of the Su-24 took place on January 17, 1970. The state testing program lasted from 1970 to 1974. The Su-24 was accepted into service on 02/04/1975. Test flights were sometimes accompanied by troubles and emergencies. In particular, a flaw in the engine design was identified. Due to the fact that its body is made of titanium, a phenomenon called “titanium” fires was observed: the compressor blades caught fire, which led to the rapid destruction of the attack aircraft in the air.

The Su-24 served as the base model for the creation of jammer and reconnaissance modifications. Subsequent modifications began to be equipped with in-flight refueling systems.

During state tests, there are over 2000 flights. GSIs were carried out on the Su-24M from 1976 to 1981. On June 22, 1983, the leadership of the USSR put the Su-24M into service. Serially produced in Novosibirsk at the aircraft plant named after. Chkalov and in Komsomolsk-on-Amur at the plant named after. Yu. Gagarin. In 1993, serial production of the Su-24 and all its modifications was stopped. By this time, about 1,200 bombers had been launched.

The modernized version of the Su-24M-2 aircraft was first flown in 2001. The first stage of state testing of this aircraft model began in 2004. In 2006, the final stage of testing was successfully completed. In 2007, 2 copies of the Su-24M2 were transferred to Lipetsk for combat testing of a front-line aircraft there. The first batch of production Su-24M2 entered service with the Russian Air Force at the end of 2009.

Design features of the Su-24

On a high-wing aircraft with two engines, such as the Su-24, the front part of the wings can have four positions during flight. This achieves:

• reduction in the length of takeoff and run by 45% and 40%, respectively;
• increase in flight range by 38%;
• reduction in permissible takeoff and landing speeds by 26%;
• reduction of overload actions by 30%.

The nose cone allows radio waves to pass freely and covers the antennas:

1. Orion forward looking radar station.
2. Obstacle warning radar (RPS) "Relief".
3. The front hemisphere of the Pion antenna-feeder system.
4. Radar station (RS) "Filin" and air pressure receiver PVD-18.

Following the fairing there is a completely hermetically sealed cabin with two seats for ejection of the K-36D or K-36DM. The pilot's seat is located on the left, and the navigator's on the right.

The design of the chairs was developed by a team of specialists under the leadership of G.I. Severin. Ejection was used to rescue the crew in the event of an accident or being hit by enemy fire.

To be able to control the aircraft and control the operation of the instruments, 252 signal and indicator lights, over 20 levers, and more than 300 switches are located in the pilots’ field of vision.

In the event of a nuclear explosion, the crew must be protected from light radiation by special curtains.

For training in conditions of limited visibility, the so-called “flight under curtains” is used.

The standard air conditioner is responsible for maintaining a comfortable temperature in the cabin. The controls are duplicated, i.e. If the pilot is unable to control the car, the navigator will be able to do so in a slightly limited manner.

Under the cabin there are three compartments with radio electronics units and a front landing gear strut hidden in them. The compartment behind the cab houses most of the special equipment.

Electronic and special-purpose devices, three fuel tanks and a recess for retractable landing gear are located in the middle section of the fuselage.

The first of the tanks has a cutout for a shell box for a six-barreled gun. Box capacity is 500 shells.

The tail section is given over to two compartments separated by a fire partition with AL-21F-3 engines in them. Air intakes with a vertical braking wedge are fixed on the outside of the fuselage. Both air intakes have compartments for installing control equipment and sensors.

The landing gear is released and retracted hydraulically, and the release is duplicated by an emergency pneumatic system. The front chassis is made rotating and not braking.

At the rear, the chassis wheels are covered with a shield that protects the air intakes from dirt and debris flying from under the wheels.

The PTK-6 parachute braking system has two cruciform braking parachutes, which are normally located in a container closed with curtains.

The use of parachutes is due to the high landing speed and is intended to reduce the length of the aircraft's run along the runway during landing. It is worth noting the presence of an in-flight refueling system, which, according to some information, was first serially used on the Su-24 bomber.

For the smooth operation of all parts, instruments and mechanisms, there is fuel, hydraulic, pneumatic, electronic and fire-fighting equipment.

The history of the creation of the Su-24 front-line bomber

The Su-24 front-line bomber, work on the creation of which began back in the 1960s, still remains one of the symbols of domestic aviation.
The aircraft, which entered service in February 1975, has been modernized several times and is still in service with the Russian Air Force. This bomber was produced in a series of about 1,400 copies and was actively supplied not only to the Soviet Army Air Force, but also for export. The aircraft took part in a large number of local wars and conflicts, and most recently it was the Su-24M bombers that had to carry out a huge amount of combat work as part of the military operation of the Russian Aerospace Forces in Syria. History of the creation of the Su-24 front-line bomber
The PJSC “today rightly believes that the history of the Su-24 front-line bomber begins back in 1961, when, after the Su-7B fighter-bomber was adopted by the country’s Air Force, at the insistence of the military Sukhoi Design Bureau was given the task of the development of a new modification of a combat aircraft that would fully meet the challenges of all-weather use at any time of the day or night and would be able to combat small and moving targets. The clause on the creation of a new modification of the aircraft was contained directly in the resolution on the adoption of the Su-7B aircraft. It was obvious to everyone that the Su-7B was a temporary solution; this aircraft was hastily repurposed from a front-line fighter into an attack vehicle.

Su-7B

Certain difficulties for the development of new aviation systems at that time were posed by the “Khrushchev persecution of aviation,” which was explained by missile euphoria and affected many types of traditional weapons and military equipment. As well as conflicting demands from the military, which, among other things, relied on information coming from abroad through intelligence agencies. In particular, about work in the field of creating new short take-off and landing aircraft, as well as vertical take-off aircraft.

Despite all the difficulties, the Sukhoi Design Bureau began work on creating a new combat vehicle already in 1961-62, initially it had the code S-28; during the work it became clear that the tasks set by the military could be solved within the framework of creating a new modification of the Su-28 aircraft. 7B won't work. The new strike aircraft required the placement of new equipment, the same sighting systems, for which there was simply no space on board the Su-7; its layout did not allow for the placement of everything required. At the same time, the design bureau carried out work to create an aircraft with the same functionality, but of a larger size, the work code is S-32.

In 1962, work on the design of a new combat aircraft was headed by the famous aviation designer Oleg Sergeevich Samoilovich (1926-1999). He came to the Sukhoi Design Bureau after successfully completing his studies at the Moscow Aviation Institute in 1957 and already in 1961 he was a leading designer at the design bureau, and since 1981 he held the high position of deputy general designer of the enterprise. Oleg Samoilovich took part in the development of the most famous aircraft of the design bureau of the second half of the 20th century, including the T-4 Sotka, Su-24, Su-25, Su-27.

Sketches of the S-6 with different air intakes

Oleg Samoilovich began work within the framework of another topic, which received the code S-6; the new Sukhoi Design Bureau project no longer had anything to do with the Su-7B aircraft that had previously been put into service. The basis was taken on a twin-engine aircraft, built according to a normal aerodynamic design, with a trapezoidal wing of moderate sweep. Initially, there was talk of a single-seat version, but later the designers decided to make the plane a two-seat one, separating the functions of the pilot and the navigator-operator. In the cockpit they were supposed to be located in tandem, one after the other.

In 1963, the new aircraft entered the stage of preliminary design and mock-up construction. Work on the creation of a front-line bomber was hampered by the political situation, when priority was given to missile technology, and in the creation of new aircraft the emphasis was on modernizing existing models, in particular, representatives of the design bureau spoke about this during a lecture on the Su-24 aircraft and its history at the Vadim Zadorozhny Museum of Technology Sukhoi. Work was also slowed down by the lack of progress in creating the Puma sighting and navigation system (SNS) for the new aircraft (by the way, this trend continued for many years; the first normal prototype of the Puma was ready only towards the end of 1969). Designer Evgeniy Aleksandrovich Zazorin was responsible for the development of the complex. The main problem at the development stage was that such a system was created for the first time in the Soviet Union. The integrated system was supposed to provide automation of all flight modes, while relieving the bomber crew; naturally, great importance was paid to the process and capabilities of detecting and hitting targets. Throughout the first half of the 60s of the last century, the composition of the PNS was formed, technical specifications were approved, and prototypes for testing were developed. At the same time, in the end, the S-6 aircraft project itself ended in nothing.

Sketch of the T-58M, 4 lift engines in the center of the fuselage

Already in 1964, the work received a new code T-58M, which was associated with adjustments to the technical specifications for the new aircraft, which the military began to consider as a low-altitude attack aircraft that had to meet the requirements for the possibility of short takeoff and landing. Another requirement from the military was to ensure low-altitude flight at supersonic speed, this was necessary to overcome the air defense zone of a potential enemy. On the aircraft in this version, it was proposed to install four RD-36-35 lift engines at once in the middle part of the fuselage (short takeoff and landing mode). And the full composition of the power plant also assumed the presence of two sustainer R-27F-300 turbofan engines. The flight weight of the new aircraft was estimated at 22-23 tons.

Since the spring of 1965, the Sukhoi Design Bureau began full-scale work on the design of the T-58M aircraft, which at that time was designed as a low-altitude attack aircraft, capable of also performing the role of a fighter. It is curious that in the same 1965, a decision was made to change the layout of the future aircraft, in which the pilots were seated in the cockpit side by side, shoulder to shoulder, and not tandemly behind each other. Later, this exact crew arrangement will be implemented on the serial front-line bomber Su-24, and then on the modern fighter-bomber Su-34, which replaced it. At the same time, the T-58M switched to a similar arrangement due to the fact that the transverse dimensions of the antenna of the Orion sighting station, located in the bow of the designed aircraft, increased.

Model of the T-58M aircraft

Officially, the government order for the creation of a new combat aircraft was issued only on August 24, 1965. The project was once again modified, and the topic received a new code T-6. The preliminary design of the aircraft was ready by March 1966, and its defense took place at the same time. At the same time, new assembly and production technologies were used in the construction of the T-6. Thus, in the design of the experimental bomber, long parts made of light aluminum alloys of wafer construction (with longitudinal and transverse stiffeners) were used. The detailed design of the experimental T-6 bomber was completed by the end of 1966, in parallel with this, the Sukhoi Design Bureau was building two copies of the future machine, one was intended for flight tests, and the second was going to be sent for strength tests. The first machine was ready in May 1967; on June 29 of the same year, the aircraft was delivered to the airfield of the Gromov Flight Research Institute (LII). On June 30, 1967, the famous test pilot Vladimir Sergeevich Ilyushin (the son of the famous Soviet aircraft designer), who at that time was the chief pilot of the Sukhoi Design Bureau, performed the first run on the new aircraft along the LII runway.

On July 2, 1967, the experimental machine took off from the ground for the first time; Ilyushin also piloted the aircraft on its first flight. The noticeable rush to take the new aircraft into the sky was explained by the fact that the bomber was planned to be entered into a large-scale air parade. It was held in Domodedovo and traditionally collected, among other things, numerous samples and new products of Soviet design bureaus; the aviation parade was supposed to take place on July 9. However, on July 4, during the second test flight, an emergency occurred; the left folding pillar of the cockpit canopy was torn off from the T6-1 aircraft. At the same time, the flight ended safely, work was urgently carried out to modify the cockpit canopy, but it was decided to refuse participation in the parade. As a result, Western military observers who attended the air parades did not see the new Soviet aircraft in 1967.

Experimental aircraft T6-1

Experimental aircraft T6-1

Initially, all tests of the new aircraft took place without placing lift engines on it; they appeared on the T6 only in October 1967, at the same time the R-27 main engines were replaced with new ones, standard for the AL-21F TRD aircraft, which were developed at OKB A M. Lyulki. The bomber was tested in the short take-off and landing version from November 1967 to January 1968. The tests confirmed the designers' expectations that this scheme did not justify itself. Achieving improved takeoff and landing performance could not compensate for the significant reduction in the bomber's flight range (reduced fuel volume on board, inability to use the ventral space for hanging weapons and equipment). Such a scheme was considered a dead end.

In mid-1967, a decision was made that brought the experimental T-6 closer to the future serial front-line bomber Su-24; it was the decision to develop a variant of the T-6I bomber with a new variable-sweep wing. Officially, work in this direction was set by a decree of the government of the Soviet Union on August 7, 1968. The new version of the aircraft was designed in 1968-1969, and the construction of two prototypes of the aircraft was completed in the fall of 1969. The first flying prototype of the new aircraft, designated T6-2I, first took to the skies on January 17, 1970; the Puma PNS, finally brought to an acceptable condition, was already installed on board the aircraft. Vladimir Ilyushin lifted the car into the sky again.

T6-2I with suspended bombs

State tests of the new aircraft continued for four years from January 1970 to July 1974. The duration of the tests, which involved a dozen production aircraft assembled at the Novosibirsk Aviation Plant, was explained by the complexity of the project. For the Soviet Air Force and the aviation industry, it was a breakthrough aircraft. The T-6I front-line bomber became the first tactical aviation strike aircraft in the USSR, which could be used at any time of the day or night and in all weather conditions. This was ensured precisely due to the presence on board the bomber of the Puma targeting and navigation system, a breakthrough for Soviet industry. The PNS “Puma” included a special “Relief” radar, which was responsible for automating flight at ultra-low and low altitudes with the ability to follow the terrain, and a two-position sighting radar, designated “Orion-A”. The Puma also included the Orbita-10-58 on-board digital computer, and the armament of the first serial Su-24 front-line bombers was represented by guided missiles of the following classes: “air-to-air” R-55 and “air-to-surface” X-23 and X-28.

The distinctive features of the aircraft, as noted above, included the widespread use of long milled panels (from a structural and technological point of view this was very important), as well as a new variable-sweep wing, the use of which on the T-6I aircraft provided the aircraft with a fairly high level of flight performance. characteristics under different aircraft flight modes, as well as the takeoff and landing characteristics required by the technical specifications. It is also important to note that for the first time in the domestic aircraft industry, a scheme with pilots positioned next to each other (shoulder to shoulder) was implemented for such tactical aircraft. In addition, the aircraft received standardized K-36D ejection seats, which allowed the bomber crew to escape even during takeoff and landing flight conditions (the entire range of speeds and altitudes).

Diagram of the Su-24 front-line bomber

Based on a government decree, on February 4, 1975, the T-6 bomber was put into service, receiving the familiar designation Su-24. Serial production of the new attack vehicle began back in 1971; two of our well-known aviation plants took part in the production of the front-line bomber - in Komsomolsk-on-Amur (Gagarin plant) and Novosibirsk (Chkalov plant). In Novosibirsk, the process of assembling the middle and head parts of the fuselage, as well as the center section, was carried out, and the final assembly of the bomber was also carried out here. At the plant in Komsomolsk-on-Amur, workers were engaged in the manufacture of wing consoles, empennage and the rear fuselage of the bomber.

Direct analogues and competitors of the Soviet front-line bomber Su-24 were the American-made tactical two-seat bomber General Dynamics F-111, which was the first to be equipped with a variable sweep wing, and the Panavia Tornado fighter-bomber, on the creation of which several European countries worked at once. The Tornado also received a variable sweep wing. The F-111 tactical bomber first took to the skies on December 21, 1964, and in July 1967 the aircraft was put into service; at present, the operation of these bombers has been completely discontinued. The European fighter-bomber Tornado, in the development of which aviation companies from Germany, Great Britain and Italy participated, made its first flight on August 14, 1974 and was put into service only 6 years later in 1980. Currently, the latest modifications of Tornado fighter-bombers, like the Su-24M/MR and Su-24M2 models, still remain in service.

Su-24 frontline bomber taking off

Based on materials from open sources.

Electronic equipment Su-24M

Electronic equipment includes:

1. Autopilot SAU-6.
2. Sighting and navigation system PNS-24 "Puma".
3. Radio communication and radio navigation devices.
4. Onboard defense complex BKO-2M.
5. Identification equipment SRZO-2M “Silicon-2M or product 62 “Password”.

The SAU-6 automatic flight control system uses Relief RPS signals for movement at ultra-low and low altitudes while avoiding ground obstacles. In case of malfunctions of the SAU-6, special steering devices allow the aircraft to avoid a collision with the ground.

The PNS-24 “Puma” navigation system allows you to:

1. Guaranteed to hit any targets around the clock and in any weather.
2. Perform route programming and automatic aircraft guidance tasks.
3. Ensure flights at low altitudes while preventing collisions with obstacles.
4. Target non-high-speed aircraft with precision.

PNS-24 includes:

1. Forward looking radar (FLR) "Orion-A".
2. Radar (RPS) "Relief".
3. Passive radar direction finder (PDF) "Filin".
4. Electro-optical sighting device "Chaika-1".
5. Thermal direction finder TP-23E.
6. The guidance system of the X-23 "Arkan" missile with the "Delta" radio command line and the "Taran" television direction finder.
7. Doppler velocity and drift angle meter DISS-7.
8. Low altitude radio altimeter (RV-3MP).
9. High altitude radio altimeter (RV-18A1 “Krona”).
10. PPV sighting and aerobatic sight.
11. Digital computing system based on the on-board computer “Orbita-10” (TsVU-10-058).

“Puma” weighs 837 kg.

Communication devices include:

• VHF/DCV radio station R-832M “Eucalyptus”;
• shortwave radio station R-847 “Prism” or R-846;
• intercom SPU-9;
• tape recorder MS-61.

Radio navigation equipment consists of:

• short-range radio navigation system RSBN-6s “Romb-1K”;
• long-range navigation radio system RSDN-10;
• radio compass ARK-10 or ARK-15M;
• aircraft transponder SO-63B;
• antenna-feeder system (AFS) “Pion-GT-6”;
• marker radio receiver MRP-56P.

The BKO-2M airborne defense system includes:

• radiation warning station SPO-10 “Sirena-3M” or SPO-15 “Bereza”;
• jamming station “Siren-F”, new “Geranium” or “Gardenia”;
• heat direction finder "Mak-UL";
• automatic jamming device APP-50;
• state identification equipment SRZO-2M "Kremniy-2M" was replaced with product 62 "Password";
• objective monitoring equipment "Tester-U3".

The most striking demonstration of the electronic warfare capabilities of the Su-24M was the demonstration of an attack on the US FMF destroyer Donald Cook. The latest electronics, including electronic warfare and radio communications equipment, were completely disabled, which caused legitimate pride in the domestic defense industry, and, as an addition, an international scandal.

Stealth of the SU-24

Despite all the combat power of the SU-24, its primary goal is to deliver one tactical nuclear bomb with a yield of about 150-300 kilotons behind enemy lines. Thanks to its ability to fly at supersonic speeds at ultra-low altitudes, easily skirting all terrain obstacles and remaining invisible to enemy air defenses, the SU-24 is capable of causing quite a lot of trouble to its enemy.

Moreover, it was on the SU-24 that both crew members sat side by side for the first time. On the one hand, this is a definite plus - the navigator can always use gestures. On the other hand, it’s a minus, because they will interfere with each other for a full overview of the area.

Technical problems

When creating the first aviation complex, and the Su-24 is just that, it could not do without problems of various kinds. So, even at the testing stage, a problem called “titanium” fires arose.

The turbocharger blades were stretched under extreme loads and inevitably touched the housing. Their destruction and combustion immediately followed. After debris hit the engine, the plane burned out in a matter of minutes. The problem was solved by completely redesigning the compressor.

Already from the name it becomes clear that the complex is structurally several orders of magnitude more complex than a separate aircraft.

During flight tests, the unusual abundance of electronics often led to breakdowns, as evidenced by the loss of 14 aircraft at this stage.

The product was constantly being improved, but the aircraft still remained difficult to control. When servicing it, pilots and technicians require a high level of training.

The machine does not forgive mistakes in piloting, but when creating it, the designers included a positive property in it - failures of most systems do not lead to irreparable damage and give pilots the opportunity to continue flying and even, in many cases, complete a combat mission. The high level of saturation with automation simplified the tasks of the crews in studying and using the most complex devices.

The Su-24 is recognized by the Sukhoi Design Bureau as the most difficult aircraft to develop and the most dangerous aircraft. Up to five crashes occur annually. Over the entire period of operation, about a hundred cars crashed for various reasons.

SU-24 protection

There are no technical features in the protection of the SU-24 attack aircraft. Everything is designed according to Soviet standards, high quality and reliable. And technology hasn’t changed much over time.

Although we can mention the chairs. The fighter's cockpit is equipped with K-36 ejection seats. These are, perhaps, one of the most reliable chairs that have successfully saved the lives of their owners more than once.

Combat use

The Su-24 first received combat missions during the war in Afghanistan. Stormtroopers took part in a number of operations. They helped with one and a half ton bombs to smoke out the Mujahideen of Ahmad-Shah Massoud from the caves of the Panjer Gorge during the actions carried out by OKSVA to oust the enemy from there and covered the withdrawal of our units from the neighboring state.

armament of su-24

The deployment of bombers in Afghanistan was not initially envisaged. Everyone returned from combat missions.

The Gulf War forced Iraqi pilots to simply fly the Su-24 to Iran and not participate in battles; this decision was caused by the reluctance of the Air Force command to use combat aircraft in unequal battles with the NATO Air Force.

Azerbaijan used the Su-24 several times in the Karabakh conflict. Uzbekistan used bombers in the civil war in Tajikistan. Losses amounted to one aircraft.

Su-24s took an important part in bombing operations in two Chechen wars.

It was on these machines that our pilots destroyed all military and civil aviation of the Chechens and even Dudayev’s personal airliner.

In bad weather, which was constantly changing in mountainous conditions, only Sukhoi aircraft could provide round-the-clock support to our troops. For both companies, three cars crashed due to various reasons.

The next place of combat missions was the war in South Ossetia in 2012. The unofficial version says that two Su-24s were shot down; according to other sources, only one bomber was destroyed by an anti-aircraft missile.

In the civil wars, Syria (2008) and Libya (2011) lost one aircraft each as a result of the actions of ground-based air defense systems. In the armed confrontation in the East of Ukraine (2014), two Su-24s of the Ukrainian Air Force were shot down and one crashed due to a malfunction.

During the war with ISIS in Syria, Russia lost two Su-24Ms.

The first one was meanly shot down by a Turkish fighter, and one of the pilots was shot in the air. The second car rolled off the runway during takeoff and burned out.

The cause was considered to be a technical failure. The crew died. In addition, there is currently information about damage to the Su-24M b/n “29 white” during the shelling of the Khmeinim airbase.

Three formidable advantages of the Su-24

44 years ago, the Su-24 front-line supersonic bomber with variable-sweep wings made its first flight.
We found out why he scared NATO, why the “Phantasmagoria” device was used on the plane, and where the Su-24 would carry the atomic bomb in the event of a big war. Designed to deliver tactical nuclear weapons, the Su-24 flies faster than sound at low and ultra-low altitudes, skirting terrain and remaining invisible to enemy radars. And advanced ejection seats allow the crew to escape in critical situations.

The flight and combat qualities of the aircraft were appreciated in other countries. “The Su-24 poses potentially the greatest threat to the states of Europe among all combat aircraft in service with the front-line aviation of the USSR Air Force,” wrote the English magazine Air International. “It has excellent payload/range capabilities and is capable of terrain-following invasion.”

The long range of the aircraft was of particular concern, as evidenced by the huge outboard tanks with a capacity of two and three thousand liters. On an external sling, the Su-24 could carry 8,000 liters of fuel in three tanks. According to Western experts, almost the entire territory of Europe was within the range of the constantly growing Su-24 groupings at air bases in the GDR, the Baltic states and Ukraine.

In NATO, the bomber was named Fencer - fencer.

Weapon

Using eight hardpoints, the Su-24 is capable of delivering and dropping 7.5 tons of various items on the enemy’s heads: from unguided missiles to one and a half ton adjustable bombs. The range of weapons includes missiles for destroying enemy radars - they are controlled from a container suspended from the bomber with the wonderful name “Phantasmagoria” and are aimed at the target based on its radiation.

The aircraft can carry missiles to destroy runways, small ships and surfaced submarines. His arsenal includes a variety of bombs: for bridges and bunkers, tank columns and scattered infantry.

The Su-24 is capable of mining terrain from the air, conducting reconnaissance and aerial photography, transmitting information to the ground via closed communication channels. To defend against fighters, the bomber is equipped with air-to-air missiles capable of attacking the interceptor from any angle. The six-barreled cannon under the bottom, covered by a fairing, also helps to fight back.

Stealth

Despite the rich assortment of suspended weapons, the main task of the Su-24 in a serious war is to deliver one tactical nuclear bomb with a yield of 150-300 kilotons behind enemy lines to destroy an important strategic object - for example, a ballistic missile launcher. Flight characteristics were also selected for the combat mission - first of all, the bomber’s ability to fly at supersonic speeds at low and ultra-low altitudes, skirting the terrain and remaining invisible to enemy air defense.

— On the Su-24, for the first time in domestic aviation, the pilot and navigator were next to each other. This is very convenient from the point of view of interaction: the navigator can not only tell the pilot something on the radio, but also show it with a gesture. This is especially important when flying at low altitudes, when the situation on the ground is rapidly changing, and the time for aiming is reduced to the limit, the pilots said. — On the other hand, this cockpit layout impairs visibility: for the pilot on the right, for the navigator on the left. But this is also a matter of interaction: the field of view is divided into sectors and everyone looks at their side.

The aircraft is equipped with wings with variable sweep: from 16 to 69 degrees. The wings rotate in 5-degree increments, allowing the pilot to select the optimal mode for a specific task.

— When flying at ultra-low altitudes, bumpiness due to turbulence is possible. Air disturbances reach the ground, are reflected from it and shake the plane, the pilots continued. — Again, the level of air heating over the field is one, over the forest another, over the sea another. Therefore, any fighter with good controllability will shake in this mode. And the Su-24 at supersonic speed with folded wings (sweep angle 69) moves calmly, like an iron.

Protection

The bomber is equipped with K-36 ejection seats, which are renowned for their exceptional reliability and have more than once saved the lives of test pilots and combat pilots. According to its characteristics, the seat guarantees safe ejection at all altitudes and speeds above 70 kilometers per hour.

On November 11, 1975, in the 63rd Bomber Aviation Regiment, the Su-24 crew was preparing to fly. The command was given to start the engines. As the engine rotor spun up, the pressure in the bomber's hydraulic system began to rise and the aircraft's control sticks, which were in the rear position, moved forward to neutral. The right, navigational stick, in short - so that the radar tube did not interfere with the control of the aircraft - it caught on the pin of the ejection system and pulled it out. The unsuspecting bomber navigator Osmanov took off without a plane.

At the normal altitude, the parachute opened and soon Osmanov landed safely nearby. After the incident, the aircraft control system was improved. And the bomber crew, who unwittingly tested the rescue system, received a personalized gold watch from the general designer of the aircraft, Pavel Sukhoi, and personalized protective helmets from the chief designer of the ejection seats, Guy Severin.

Su-24 modifications

During its long service, the Su-24 front-line bomber has undergone a number of modifications. After the installation of the PNS-24M "Tiger" (sighting and navigation unit) in 1976, the letter M (product 44) was added to the name of the aircraft. Since then, the attack aircraft has become capable of avoiding obstacles at altitudes of up to 50 m without human intervention.

After successful testing of a jammer based on the Su-24 in 1979, it was decided to build ten Su-24MP. The Su-24MR reconnaissance aircraft was tested in 1980. 130 such scouts were sent to the troops.

For export sale, they created a variant called Su-24MK. Tested in 1987.

In 2022, the Su-24 in various modifications will have:

1. Ukrainian Air Force: 14 units - Su-24M and 9 units - Su-24MR.
2. Algerian Air Force: 11 units - Su-24, 22 units - Su-24MK and 4 units - Su-24MR.
3. Iranian Air Force: 29 units - Su-24MK.
4. Sudanese Air Force: 6 units - Su-24M.
5. Azerbaijani Air Force: 2 units - Su-24M.
6. Syrian Air Force: 11 pieces - Su-24M.

Weapon SU-24

Using eight hardpoints, the SU-24 bomber is capable of carrying 7.5 tons of various weapons. From a machine gun and unguided missiles to one and a half ton guided bombs. Which, by the way, are controlled thanks to the radiation of a small Phantasmagoria container.

The attack aircraft is intended both for the destruction of ground-air units and for the elimination of various static targets. An example of this is various runways, bridges, fortifications and other purposes.

But its functional application does not end there. It is often used for reconnaissance and aerial photography. They are also used for mining areas from the air.

Performance characteristics

Specifications:

Flight characteristics:

FRONT BOMBER

FRONT BOMBER

The Su-24 (NATO code – “Fencer”) is designed to engage ground targets, including small ones, in manual and automatic control modes, operating at low altitudes, during the day and night, regardless of weather conditions.
The main targets for destruction by the Su-24 are radar-contrast targets: military equipment, air defense systems, roads, bridges, parked aircraft, artillery positions, area targets, as well as transport, communications and auxiliary enemy aircraft and helicopters. To work on creating an attack aircraft capable of operating at low altitudes, OKB im. BY. Sukhoi began in the early 60s. In May 1970, the Su-24 prototype, equipped with a variable geometry wing, made its first flight, and in 1972, mass production of this vehicle began, officially entering service in 1974.

Su-24 is the original serial bomber. The radio-electronic equipment of the Su-24 includes the Puma sighting and navigation system (includes radar, TV and IR equipment, an on-board computing device, a radio communication and radio navigation system), equipment for identifying nationality, electronic countermeasures and reconnaissance, a control and registration system flight parameters.

The targeting and navigation system, together with radio navigation equipment, ensures the following tasks are performed at any time of the day and in any weather conditions: access to a given area; preventing collisions with ground obstacles; detection of ground, pre-selected landmarks and correction of aircraft location; searching for targets and hitting them with bombs from level flight and pitching up; issuing target designations to missiles; detecting operating radars and launching missiles at them; automatic or semi-automatic control of the aircraft during landing to an altitude of 40-50 m.

The Su-24 is capable of taking on board up to 38 bombs weighing from 100 to 1500 kg, containers of small cargo, disposable bomb clusters, air-to-surface missiles X-25, X-29, X-59 and X-59M with laser and television guidance systems, anti-ship and anti-radar missiles Kh-28, Kh-58 and Kh-31, air-to-air missiles R-13M and R-60M with thermal seekers, NUR caliber from 57 to 370 mm, up to three containers with movable cannon installations.

The maximum mass of the combat load placed on eight external suspension units (including two rotating ones) reaches 7500 kg. There is a built-in six-barreled gun GSh-6-23 (caliber 23 mm, ammunition 500 shells, rate of fire up to 10,000 rounds/min).

The aircraft was developed in the following modifications.

Su-24M - a modernized version, is a modification of the Su-24 aircraft. Work on its creation began in 1975. The aerodynamic configuration of the aircraft was changed, new equipment and weapons were installed, in particular an in-flight refueling system. The first flight of the Su-24M was made in 1978. Serial production of this aircraft continued until 1992.

The aircraft is equipped with 2 AL-21FZ-ZA turbojet engines with a thrust of 11,200 kgf in afterburner.

The Su-24M is equipped with the PNS-24M “Tiger” sighting and navigation system, which combines 13 subsystems. It includes the Orion-A pulse-Doppler search radar, the Relief terrain-following radar, the Kaira-24 optical-electronic system with a laser target designator and a television viewing unit, as well as the Phantasmagoria container system for detecting sources of radar radiation. .

Flight navigation equipment provides access to the target area in autonomous navigation mode along a programmed route and automatically following the terrain at an altitude of 200 m at a speed of 1320 km/h, which significantly increased the survivability of the aircraft in combat. It includes an on-board digital computer TsVU-10-058K, an inertial system MiS-P, an automatic flight control system SAU-6M1 PPV. There is a weapons control system SUO-1-6M.

The Karpaty airborne defense complex, which protects the aircraft from air defense systems, includes a radar warning station SPO-15S, a heat direction finder LO-82 for detecting missile launches, an active jamming station SPS-161, a device for ejecting dipole reflectors and false thermal targets APP- 50 and control unit.

The Su-24M is equipped with an in-flight refueling system with a retractable fuel receiver and can be equipped with an UPAZ-A suspended unit, which allows up to 9,000 kg of fuel to be transferred to the refueling aircraft in flight (including at night).

The Su-24M's guided weapons, which it can carry on eight external hardpoints, include a wide range of air-to-surface missiles with non-nuclear warheads, including various versions of radio-command, laser and television-guided missiles Kh-25, Kh- 29L(T), Kh-58 and Kh-59. The normal load consists of four Kh-25 missiles on underwing pylons or three Kh-29 missiles on two inner underwing and one ventral pylons. The R-60 air-to-air missiles (for self-defense) are placed on the outer underwing pylons.

It is also possible to suspend free-falling bombs weighing from 100 to 1000 kg, two adjustable bombs KAB-1500L or four KAB-500, NUR blocks of caliber from 57 to 370 mm, small-sized cargo containers, up to three SPPU-6 mobile installations with GSh-6 six-barreled guns -23M (400 rounds of deflection angle in elevation up to 45°, in azimuth up to 120°) There is a built-in six-barreled gun GSh-6-28M (caliber 23 mm, rate of fire 9000-10000 rounds/min, ammunition capacity 505 rounds).

The Su-24M is 40% superior to the Su-24 in combat effectiveness. The aircraft is in service with the Air Forces and Navy of the CIS countries, the Air Forces of Algeria, Iraq, Libya, Syria and Iran.

Su-24MK is an export version of the Su-24M aircraft.

Su-24MR is a reconnaissance version of the Su-24M aircraft. Designed to conduct all-weather integrated aerial reconnaissance day and night in a wide range of altitudes and speeds to a depth of up to 400 km behind the line of combat contact of troops.

It was developed on the basis of the Su-24M front-line bomber, which has a variable-sweep wing, and has no analogues among foreign front-line reconnaissance aircraft in terms of the complexity of the intelligence information received. Re-equipment and flight tests of the aircraft were carried out in 1980-1983.

The onboard navigation system ensures flight along a programmed route, bringing the aircraft to a reconnaissance area, and low-altitude flight following the terrain.

The aircraft is equipped with the BKR-1 airborne reconnaissance system. It consists of infrared, radar (“Bayonet”), television, laser (“Shpil-M”), general electronic and radiation (“Efir-1M”) reconnaissance equipment. In addition, the aircraft is equipped with equipment for panoramic and perspective photography - AP-402M (terrain resolution 0.3 m from a distance of 0.4 km), A-100. Control of reconnaissance assets is carried out both manually and automatically.

The Bayonet radar provides coverage of an area 24 km wide on each side of the course line with a width of the unvisited area (directly under the aircraft) of 8 km. Flight altitude for radar reconnaissance is 100-3000 m, resolution - 5-7.5 m.

The collected photographic information is processed directly on board the aircraft and can be dropped to the ground using special devices. The rest of the intelligence information is promptly transmitted via radio channels.

For self-defense, two R-60 short-range air combat missiles with a thermal homing head are suspended under the wing of the aircraft.

The Su-24MR aircraft is in service with the Russian Air Force.

Su-24MP is an electronic warfare aircraft. Designed for interference. The station, which actively interferes with enemy radar systems, is located in a suspended container under the fuselage. The aircraft is not intended for operations against ground targets. The armament consists of a six-barrel built-in cannon and two to four R-60 or R-60M missile launchers.

Su-24MT – air tanker

The basic aircraft has a perfect aerodynamic configuration, made according to the normal design, with a high-mounted, variable-sweep wing. The fuselage is a semi-monocoque type, rectangular in cross-section, structurally divided into head, middle and tail sections. The head section contains the cockpit, a niche for the front landing gear, and compartments for radio-electronic and general aircraft equipment.

The cabin is double, sealed, equipped with dual controls. On the left is the pilot’s workplace, on the right is the navigator-operator. To rescue the crew in emergency situations, 2 K-36DM ejection seats are installed in the cockpit. The middle part of the fuselage includes 3 fuel compartments and niches for the main landing gear. The engines are located in the tail section.

The wing consists of a fixed center section and two rotating consoles. The sweep along the leading edge varies from 16 to 69° with four fixed console positions: 16; 35; 45; 69°. The mechanization of each rotating console includes three-section double-slotted flaps and four-section slats. On the upper plane of the consoles, two sections of spoilers are installed, intended for lateral control of the aircraft.

The tail consists of an all-moving horizontal tail and a single-fin vertical tail with a rudder. The horizontal tail performs the functions of the elevator with symmetrical deflection of the right and left parts and the functions of the ailerons with differential deflection. The chassis, made according to a three-legged design, allows operation from concrete and dirt runways.

The power plant consists of two AL-21FZ-ZA turbojet engines with an afterburner thrust of 11,200 kgf. The side air intakes are unregulated. The fuel is placed in the fuselage tank compartments. If necessary, two external fuel tanks with a capacity of 3000 l and one under the fuselage (2000 l) can be installed under the center section. Emergency fuel drainage in flight is provided. Neutral gas system ensures fire safety

Weapons:

X-58 or product D-7 was developed by the Raduga IKB in Dubna. It replaced the obsolete X-28. It has been in service since 1978, and was modernized in 1992.

Designed to destroy radar stations from ranges not controlled by air defense systems. It is aimed at a radar operating in pulse mode and constant frequency change mode.

Currently, the Russian Aerospace Forces and naval aviation of the Russian Navy have approximately 120 Su-24Ms of various modifications.

Despite their short service life (a decision was made to replace them with the latest Su-34s by 2020), these front-line bombers worthily represent our country in providing military assistance to the Syrian Arab Republic in the war against the terrorist Islamic State, and confidently carry out targeted strikes on ammunition depots , command posts, columns of tankers and concentrations of militants.

Su-24 Russian front-line reconnaissance bomber photo

Su-24 Russian front-line reconnaissance bomber photo with a variable-sweep wing, according to the NATO classification “Fencer” (“Fencer”). Designed to break through enemy air defenses at extremely low altitudes using the terrain, it was a response to the appearance of the F-111 multirole tactical fighter in the US Air Force.

Su-24 Russian front-line reconnaissance bomber photo

F-111 first public display of a prototype of a two-seat multi-role bomber in December 1964, its characteristics were taken as a basis

According to the resolution of the Central Committee of the CPSU and the Council of Ministers of the USSR dated August 21, 1965, the start of the creation of the T-58M attack aircraft based on the Su-15, and subsequently the design was assigned the code T-6. Designed to deliver missile and bomb strikes with guided weapons, volumetric explosion ammunition, as well as nuclear ammunition (nuclear fencer).

Production Su-24 bomber in the standard Soviet Air Force gray livery with an "anti-nuclear" white coating on the leading edges and lower surfaces

The results of studies carried out at OKB-51 show that an aircraft with a variable-sweep wing will have the following advantages compared to an aircraft of the same purpose, with the same power plant, but with a constant-sweep wing x=60°.

• — take-off run length is reduced by 45%;
• — the run length is reduced by 40%;
• - flight range at an altitude of 10-12 km at F 1.0 - increases by 38%.
• — lift-off speed decreases by 26%;
• — landing speed is reduced by 26%;
• - the increase in overloads near the ground at a speed of OOO km/h with a vertical gust of 10 m/sec - decreases by 30%;

Su-24 front-line reconnaissance bomber with variable wing sweep

Thus, the results prove that the creation of a multi-role aircraft with a wing that can be swept in flight will ensure optimal technical characteristics in all flight modes.”

Demonstration of a mixed version of the Su-24M armament, consisting of conventional and adjustable aerial bombs, Kh-31P missiles and B-13L NAR units

Top view of a Su-24M bomber, in front of the windshield, an in-flight refueling boom, a 250-kg bomb 0FAB-250ShL on the underwing pylon

Why is it so good - a record combat load, high range with the ability to refuel in the air, allowing you to destroy targets anywhere in old Europe. Due to its rectangular cross-section of the fuselage of the first series, the Su-24 received the front-line nickname “chest” .

Su-24 bomber with two external fuel tanks

The first production Su-24 was flown in December 1971. The launch of the Su-24 into large-scale production took place in 1972, even before the completion of official tests. The cars were built in cooperation by two factories - Novosibirsk and Komsomolsk-on-Amur. Since 1973, dryers have been supplied to combat units. The pilots (pulp and paper industry, Lipetsk) of the Center for Combat Use and Retraining of Flight Personnel were the first to receive them.

A Su-24 fires S-8 unguided missiles at ground targets. NAR units could only be mounted on wing hardpoints for reasons of preventing surge in aircraft engines when launching missiles

In the conditions of saturation of modern air defense with a variety of radio equipment, the ability to electronically counter enemy equipment is necessary. For effective actions of strike aircraft, and the issue of its survival. The ability to conduct electronic warfare in the broadest sense, suppressing enemy radars, communications and control systems for anti-aircraft weapons and fighters, became a key condition for completing a combat mission.

Su-24 antennas and RPO "Orion-A" units (top) and RPS "Relief" in the bow. Below on the left you can see the horn antenna of the radio command guidance line of the "Delta-NMG6" missiles

The Su-24 is equipped with jamming equipment, which allows for individual protection of aircraft. In addition to the on-board electronic warfare systems of strike aircraft, specialized jammer aircraft are used for more reliable protection. Production aircraft equipped with a set of electronic warfare equipment were much more effective in providing cover for strike groups: a variety of equipment made it possible to cover the operating ranges of air defense radio equipment, and the power of jamming stations made it possible to reliably “jam” their work. This was demonstrated on the newest American destroyer Donald Cook .

The nose of the Su-24 aircraft. Under the fuselage you can see the fairings of the gun mount (on the left) and the AKS-5-75 film control device (on the right)

Cy-24M taxis to take off, wing set to minimum sweep position

I don’t know what kind of equipment on board our pilot misbehaved, demoralizing the American sailors, but let’s list the electronic warfare systems used on the plane from older to newer; a set of jamming equipment for individual and group protection, including stations “Geranium”, “Lily of the Valley”, “Mimosa” and “Fasol”. Most likely, the plane was equipped with the latest Khibiny electronic warfare system. The main task of the complex is to protect front-line aircraft from modern guided missiles. Defense does not consist in the banal evasion of fired missiles: “Khibiny” allows you to make sure that the enemy cannot fire them at all (!). But this is most likely not the case, there was probably something else, but what is the QUESTION . We look at the incident in more detail here =>> Su 24 and the destroyer Donald Cook Donald Cook . To understand the power of the installations, let us give as an example such an indicator as the liquid cooling system of the “Lily of the Valley” (used since the 80s), the coolant is 160 liters of ethyl alcohol (!), compare with 10 liters for your passenger car. But the power capabilities of the destroyer and our drying vessel are simply incompatible; there must have been something else.

Salvo release of 250 kg FAB-250M-54 aerial bombs from the MBD of a Su-24 bomber

Reconnaissance Su-24MR wing set to position 45, speed 800 km/h, altitude 200 m

Russian front-line reconnaissance bomber photo Su-24M, with a fully open canopy

Ignition of the afterburners of the engines of the Su-24MR reconnaissance aircraft of the 47th Guards Borisov Red Banner Order of Suvorov III degree reconnaissance air regiment

He was actively involved in combat operations in Afghanistan - the 1984 Panjshir operation, and during the withdrawal of a limited contingent of Soviet troops from Afghanistan. What is characteristic of the Su-24 is a Russian front-line reconnaissance bomber photo ; its home airfields were geographically located in the USSR. All-weather and firepower, excellent survivability, only the Su 24 from front-line aviation is capable of using one and a half ton high explosives of special power. The Su-24 managed to prove its undeniable advantages: the bomber’s combat load was more than twice that of all other front-line aircraft, lifting up to 7,000 kg of bombs “without straining,” had an enviable flight range of up to 2,000 km and had a perfect targeting and navigation system (PNS) , indispensable when working on distant targets.

Su-24M with a payload of six 0FAB-250ShL high-explosive fragmentation bombs

Twenty-fourth dryings were noted in two Chechen companies, in Libya, Tajikistan, Syria and in “forcing Georgia to peace.”

Using multi-lock beam holders, the aircraft could carry up to 34 100 kg bombs or 18 250 kg bombs

For a long time, Su-24s were built exclusively for the domestic air force and were not offered for export. The reasons for this were the high need for bombers of our own aviation, combined with the secrecy of a product equipped with the most modern equipment and weapons, which seemed unreasonable to trust to not very consistent foreign partners. The very presence of the Su-24 in service with the Soviet Air Force was a state secret until the early 80s, which is why even the image of the aircraft did not appear in our media. The first photographs appeared on the pages of the press in 1981. The most promising customers were from the Arab oil-producing states. The Warsaw Pact allies experienced the same economic difficulties, being extremely stingy in allocating money to military budget items and refraining from ordering new, and especially so expensive, military equipment. It was a different matter in the eastern countries, where a surplus of funds was successfully combined with the need for the most modern weapons. The vehicle being developed on the basis of the Su-24M was designated Su-24MK (from “commercial”, i.e. offered for sale).

Algerian Su-24MK at the airfield

During the tests, the design bureau emblem on board the aircraft changed, instead of the usual “winged archer” it was transformed into an angular design

Su-24 Russian front-line reconnaissance bomber photo . The military leadership also showed more than justified interest in modernizing the Su-24. It became increasingly clear that hopes for the imminent delivery of a new Su-34 attack aircraft were being postponed and the recent plans “to have two regiments on new bombers by the early 2000s,” voiced by the Air Force Commander-in-Chief, had little chance of being realized.

BY 2022, ALL 24 DRYING BOARDS MUST BE DISPOSED

The Su-24 front-line bomber is being replaced by the Su-34. The Su-24 bombers are being replaced by the Su-34 aircraft in the Russian Air Force, however, it is too early to write off the twenty-fourth. The career of this remarkable aircraft is far from over.

As of 2014, the average age of a Su-24 front-line bomber in the Air Force is about 30 years.

Su 24 variable-sweep wing aircraft discontinued in 1993

Su 34 has an additional three-ton fuel tank under the fuselage

Concerned about the state of affairs with equipping the Air Force with new equipment, the military came to the conclusion that it would be advisable to modify the existing Su-24s. The experience of the Chechen campaign played a role, during which the weak effectiveness of bombers was revealed when delivering strikes in difficult weather conditions, typical for the situation there, when the lack of visual visibility of targets reduced the effectiveness of bombing to extremely low.

Su-24M with weapons control system SUV-24 developed

1. Su-24. The first production version of a front-line bomber .
2. Su-24M . Externally, it differs from the Su-24 in the elongated nose of the fuselage with a new radar fairing, at the top of which a long PVD rod is mounted. The Su-24M's avionics have been updated and the range of aircraft weapons has been expanded. The aircraft is equipped with an in-flight refueling system; the fuel receiver rod is mounted in front of the canopy. The first flight took place on June 24, 1977.
3. Su-24MK. Export (“K” - commercial) version of the Su-24M bomber. Su-24MKs were exported to Syria, Libya, Iran and Algeria. In 1991, all Iraqi Air Force aircraft flew to Iran without loss; Iran did not return all bombers to Iraq. In addition, several Su-24Ms were purchased by Iran from Russia. The special bomber and all nuclear weapons control equipment were excluded from the armament, and the aircraft was equipped with guided weapons depending on the agreements with a specific foreign customer. Otherwise, the aircraft practically retained the characteristics and combat capabilities of the domestic model.
4. Su-24MR . Aircraft for conducting complex tactical reconnaissance; the first vehicle in the USSR capable of conducting visual, radio-technical and radiation reconnaissance. Adopted by the USSR Air Force in 1982.
5. Su-24MP . Jammer, about twenty aircraft were built, some of which remained in Ukraine after the collapse of the USSR.
6. Su-24M2 . The Su-24M2 variant was developed at the Design Bureau named after. BY. Sukhoi, the aircraft's avionics and cockpit instrumentation have been updated, and the aircraft's combat effectiveness has been increased. In 2005, the Russian Ministry of Defense signed a contract to modernize 32 Su-24M aircraft into Su-24M2. The contract has been completed, the Su-24M2 aircraft are in service with the Russian Air Force. The first aircraft, modified according to the Su-24M2 model, was aircraft No. 1041643. The visible distinctive features of the modernized aircraft, in addition to the noticeable BI SOI in the cockpit in front of the pilot and the LCD screen for the navigator, was the A-737 antenna on the mainsail behind the cockpit. It was followed by five more vehicles, which were transferred to the Lipetsk 4th Pulp and Paper Plant at the beginning of 2004. At the end of 2005, a contract was signed to modify 30 aircraft based on the Su-24M2 model. Delivery of the modernized Su-24M2 to Air Force combat units began in the fall of 2007, when the 302nd Bomber Regiment in the Far Eastern Pereyaslavka received the first six aircraft.
7. Su-24 SVP-24 . The Su-24 variant SVP-24 was created by GEFEST and T CJSC, and not by the lead developer, which is unique for modern Russia. The computer equipment on the aircraft has been completely replaced, and a number of other modifications to the avionics have been made. The accuracy of aircraft navigation and bombing has been significantly improved, in particular, the accuracy of striking with conventional bombs is comparable to the accuracy of bombing with GPS-corrected ammunition. Modifications to the Su-24 SVP-24 can be carried out directly in combat units. After the successful use of the Su-24 SVP-24 in the 2008 “five-day war” with Georgia, the Russian Air Force ordered the modernization of a limited number of bombers into the Su-24 SVP-24; The aircraft are in service with Air Force combat units. However, the subsequent course of affairs led to the fact that their number was not enough even to staff one squadron. The Su-24MK of the Algerian Air Force has been modernized into the Su-24 SVP variant (not in full).

coloring options and affiliation with air force regiments

camouflage options and modifications of the Russian front-line reconnaissance bomber Su-24

The cockpit and forward part of the fuselage of the Su-24M bomber depicts the emblem of the bomber squadron on the side of the fuselage

steps aimed at modernizing the aircraft

• UNIMPLEMENTED MODIFICATIONS It was never possible to fully realize the potential inherent in the Su-24, largely due to the well-known events of the 1990s. At the end of the 1980s, the OKB carried out work on the Su-24BM (“Big Modernization”) of increased dimensions with new engines and on-board equipment, and an internal weapons compartment. The Su-24BM was abandoned in favor of the creation of a new generation front-line bomber, the T-60, which was never built.

Model of one of the Su-24BM variants. A remote-controlled cannon installation is visible in the tail of the aircraft.

• In the 1990s, work was carried out on the Su-24MM (“Small Modernization”), but work was also curtailed. On the Su-24MM it was planned to install AL-31F bypass engines from the Su-27 and due to higher fuel consumption than the AL-21F, it was proposed to install a third engine air intake behind the cabin. The project has not left the “paper” stage.