Documents
Russia Sukhoi
Su-30SM
Two-seat, thrust-vectoring multirole derivative of the Su-30MKI developed for the Russian Aerospace Forces and Navy, combining long range, heavy payload and super-maneuverability. Widely exported to Kazakhstan, Belarus, Armenia and other CIS states.
In service since 2012 · 4 operator countries
Compiled from public sources ·primary reference ↗ ·last verified 2026-07-02
2,125
km/h
3,000
km range
17,500
m ceiling
8,000
kg payload
1
T/W
💲 ≈ $50,000,000, Estimated unit cost
Procurement snapshot
Availability & export
Russian state channel
Rosoboronexport monopoly; Western sanctions exposure and payment/logistics risk for many buyers.
Channel: Rosoboronexport (state)
Fielded & proven
Established · 4 operators
In service since 2012. Status: active · ~130 built.
Lifecycle cost (est.)
$125M – $175M
Acquisition is only ~30% of lifecycle cost, operating & support dominate over ~30 yrs. Rough 2.5–3.5× the unit price. How we estimate this →
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.
Compatible munitions & weapons
Publicly reported weapons the Su-30SM can carry. Linked items have a full spec page.
Powerplant
The Su-30SM's engine has its own full spec page.
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. | 2,125 km/h |
|---|---|
| Max speed (Mach) Maximum speed as a multiple of the speed of sound. Mach 2+ is typical for air-superiority fighters. | 1.9 Mach |
| Range Maximum distance: ferry range for aircraft, operational range for vehicles, maximum engagement distance for missiles. Higher means more standoff or persistence. | 3,000 km |
| Combat radius Distance an aircraft can fly, complete its mission and return without refueling. Roughly a third of ferry range. | 1,500 km |
| Service ceiling Maximum operating altitude. Higher gives energy advantage and sensor horizon. | 17,500 m |
| Thrust-to-weight Engine thrust divided by loaded weight. Above 1.0 the aircraft can accelerate going straight up. On a standalone engine record, this is the engine's own thrust divided by its dry weight, the standard figure of merit for jet engines. | 1 |
Firepower
Armament, payload and guidance.
| Main armament Primary weapon: main gun, cannon or missile type. | 30 mm GSh-30-1 cannon |
|---|---|
| Hardpoints External stations for weapons and pods. More means bigger and more flexible loadouts. | 12 |
| Weapons payload Maximum ordnance weight the platform can carry. Higher means more strike capacity per sortie. | 8,000 kg |
Protection
Armor, countermeasures and survivability.
| Countermeasures Self-protection: chaff, flares, DIRCM, towed decoys, smoke dischargers, jammers. | Khibiny EW suite, chaff, flares |
|---|
Physical
Dimensions, weight and crew.
| Length Overall length including gun/probe where applicable. | 21.9 m |
|---|---|
| Wingspan Wingtip-to-wingtip span. | 14.7 m |
| Height Overall height. Lower profile is harder to spot and hit for ground vehicles. | 6.4 m |
| Empty weight Weight without fuel, ammunition or crew. | 17,700 kg |
| Combat weight Fully loaded weight. Lighter eases transport and bridging limits; heavier often means more armor. | 34,500 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-31FP thrust-vectoring afterburning turbofans |
|---|---|
| Engines Number of engines. Twin-engine gives redundancy at higher cost. | 2 |
| Thrust Total engine thrust (with afterburner where applicable). | 123 kN |
| Fuel capacity Internal fuel volume. | 9,640 L |
| Propulsion type Turbofan, turboshaft, diesel, gas turbine, solid-fuel rocket, ramjet… | Turbofan |
Sensors & avionics
Radar, sensor suite and datalinks.
| Radar Primary radar. AESA (active electronically scanned array) is the current state of the art. | N011M Bars passive electronically scanned array |
|---|---|
| Sensors IRST, EO/IR turrets, laser designators, sniper pods, thermal sights. | OLS-30 infrared search and track |
Program
Cost, production scale and operators.
| Unit cost Approximate flyaway/unit cost where public. Defense pricing varies hugely by contract, offsets and configuration. Lower is cheaper. | $50,000,000 |
|---|---|
| Units built Total production run. Higher means proven manufacturing, mature logistics and spares availability. | 130 |
| Operator countries Number of countries operating the system. More operators means broader support ecosystem. | 4 |
Specifications compiled from public Sukhoi and reference sources ↗. Published defense figures are approximations, treat comparisons as directional. Last verified 2026-07-02.
Compare with rivals
See how it stacks up
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What is the top speed of the Sukhoi Su-30SM? +
The Sukhoi Su-30SM has a maximum speed of 2,125 km/h.
What is the range of the Sukhoi Su-30SM? +
The Sukhoi Su-30SM has a maximum range of 3,000 km.
What is the weapons payload of the Sukhoi Su-30SM? +
The Sukhoi Su-30SM can carry up to 8,000 kg of weapons payload.
How much does the Sukhoi Su-30SM weigh? +
The Sukhoi Su-30SM has a combat weight of 34,500 kg.
How many crew does the Sukhoi Su-30SM require? +
The Sukhoi Su-30SM requires a crew of 2.
What is the main armament of the Sukhoi Su-30SM? +
The Sukhoi Su-30SM's primary weapon is the 30 mm GSh-30-1 cannon.
What engine does the Sukhoi Su-30SM use? +
The Sukhoi Su-30SM is powered by the 2x Saturn AL-31FP thrust-vectoring afterburning turbofans.
What is the Sukhoi Su-30SM used for? +
The Sukhoi Su-30SM is a fighter aircraft typically used for air superiority, multirole combat, deep strike.
How many countries operate the Sukhoi Su-30SM? +
The Sukhoi Su-30SM is operated by 4 countries.
How much does the Sukhoi Su-30SM cost? +
The Sukhoi Su-30SM has an approximate unit cost of 50,000,000 USD. Defense pricing varies by contract, offsets and configuration, treat this as directional.
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