Documents
Russia Legacy Sukhoi
Su-24M
A Cold War-era variable-geometry supersonic strike aircraft designed for low-level penetration bombing, historically the backbone of Russian tactical strike aviation. Progressively replaced by the Su-34 but still operated in reduced numbers.
In service since 1974 · 3 operator countries
Compiled from public sources ·primary reference ↗ ·last verified 2026-07-02
1,700
km/h
11,000
m ceiling
8,000
kg payload
Pricing: No public modern unit cost; Soviet-era production run
Procurement snapshot
Availability & export
Russian state channel
Rosoboronexport monopoly; Western sanctions exposure and payment/logistics risk for many buyers.
Channel: Rosoboronexport (state)
Fielded & proven
Limited · 3 operators
In service since 1974. Status: legacy · ~1,400 built.
Lifecycle cost (est.)
No public unit price to model from.
Interoperability
No standardised NATO calibre / datalink detected in public specs.
Derived guidance from public data — export regime by country of origin, lifecycle from the GAO ~30% acquisition rule. Verify eligibility, pricing and offsets with the manufacturer and your acquisition authority.
Full specifications
Performance
Speed, range, altitude and engagement capability.
- Max speed
Maximum level speed. For aircraft this is at optimal altitude; for ground vehicles, top road speed. Higher means faster response and better kinematic performance.
- 1,700 km/h Stronger than 69% of bombers
- Max speed (Mach)
Maximum speed as a multiple of the speed of sound. Mach 2+ is typical for air-superiority fighters.
- 1.35 Mach
- Combat radius
Distance an aircraft can fly, complete its mission and return without refueling. Roughly a third of ferry range.
- 615 km
- Service ceiling
Maximum operating altitude. Higher gives energy advantage and sensor horizon.
- 11,000 m Bottom 6% of bombers
Firepower
Armament, payload and guidance.
- Main armament
Primary weapon: main gun, cannon or missile type.
- 23 mm GSh-6-23 rotary cannon
- Hardpoints
External stations for weapons and pods. More means bigger and more flexible loadouts.
- 8
- Weapons payload
Maximum ordnance weight the platform can carry. Higher means more strike capacity per sortie.
- 8,000 kg Bottom 6% of bombers
Physical
Dimensions, weight and crew.
- Length
Overall length including gun/probe where applicable.
- 24.53 m
- Wingspan
Wingtip-to-wingtip span.
- 17.64 m
- Height
Overall height. Lower profile is harder to spot and hit for ground vehicles.
- 4.97 m
- Empty weight
Weight without fuel, ammunition or crew.
- 22,300 kg
- Combat weight
Fully loaded weight. Lighter eases transport and bridging limits; heavier often means more armor.
- 39,700 kg
- Crew
Personnel required to operate. Fewer reduces exposure; autoloaders trade a loader for mechanical complexity.
- 2
Propulsion
Engine, power and fuel.
- Engine
Powerplant model and type.
- 2x Saturn AL-21F-3A afterburning turbojets
- Engines
Number of engines. Twin-engine gives redundancy at higher cost.
- 2
- Thrust
Total engine thrust (with afterburner where applicable).
- 110 kN
- Propulsion type
Turbofan, turboshaft, diesel, gas turbine, solid-fuel rocket, ramjet…
- Turbojet
Program
Cost, production scale and operators.
- Units built
Total production run. Higher means proven manufacturing, mature logistics and spares availability.
- 1,400 Top 6% of bombers
- Operator countries
Number of countries operating the system. More operators means broader support ecosystem.
- 3 Top 6% of bombers
Specifications compiled from public Sukhoi and reference sources ↗. Published defense figures are approximations — treat comparisons as directional. Last verified 2026-07-02.
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Boeing B-1B Lancer Frequently asked questions
What is the top speed of the Sukhoi Su-24M? +
The Sukhoi Su-24M has a maximum speed of 1,700 km/h.
What is the weapons payload of the Sukhoi Su-24M? +
The Sukhoi Su-24M can carry up to 8,000 kg of weapons payload.
How much does the Sukhoi Su-24M weigh? +
The Sukhoi Su-24M has a combat weight of 39,700 kg.
How many crew does the Sukhoi Su-24M require? +
The Sukhoi Su-24M requires a crew of 2.
What is the main armament of the Sukhoi Su-24M? +
The Sukhoi Su-24M's primary weapon is the 23 mm GSh-6-23 rotary cannon.
What engine does the Sukhoi Su-24M use? +
The Sukhoi Su-24M is powered by the 2x Saturn AL-21F-3A afterburning turbojets.
What is the Sukhoi Su-24M used for? +
The Sukhoi Su-24M is a bomber typically used for deep strike, close air support.
How many countries operate the Sukhoi Su-24M? +
The Sukhoi Su-24M is operated by 3 countries.
How much does the Sukhoi Su-24M cost? +
Sukhoi Su-24M: No public modern unit cost; Soviet-era production run. Defense program costs are rarely fully public and vary by contract and configuration.
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