KOMSOMOLSK-ON-AMUR, December 25 (RIA Novosti) – Russia’s Sukhoi aircraft maker delivered a total of 12 advanced Su-35 multirole fighters to the Russian air force this year, the air force commander said Wednesday.
The Russian Defense Ministry ordered 48 Su-35s in 2009. The final deliveries are due in 2015.
“We received 12 [Su-35] aircraft this year in addition to 10 delivered earlier,” Lt. Gen. Viktor Bondarev said.
Bondarev said that under the contract with Sukhoi, the air force would receive 12 Su-35 fighter jets next year and 14 aircraft in 2015.
The Su-35s will be based at the Dzemga airbase in Russia’s Far East, he said.
The Su-35 Flanker-E is a heavily upgraded derivative of the Su-27 multirole fighter. It has been touted as "4++ generation using fifth-generation technology."
The aircraft, powered by two 117S turbofans with thrust-vectoring, features high maneuverability and the capability to engage several air targets simultaneously.
