MOSCOW: Aircraft manufacturer Sukhoi has completed the delivery of four upgraded Su-24M2 Fencer tactical bombers to an Air Force regiment based in Russia's Far East, the company said in a statement on Tuesday.
The aircraft have been modernized at a Novosibirsk-based aircraft-manufacturing plant, a subsidiary of the Sukhoi Aircraft Holding. Another six Su-24s are currently being modernized at the same plant.
“Four Su-24M2 frontline bombers have flown from the Novosibirsk-based Chkalov aircraft-manufacturing association to an airbase in Russia's Far East, where they will be deployed as part of an air regiment,” the Sukhoi statement said.
Another two modernized aircraft were deployed earlier in December with the Lipetsk pilot combat training center in central Russia.
The Su-24 is a two-seat, twin-engine tactical bomber similar to NATO's Tornado and Mirage 2000 planes.
The plane has been in service with the Russian Air Force since the mid-1970s, and in recent years Russia has gradually been phasing out the planes, which have a patchy safety record.
Su-24M2 is an upgrade of the baseline Su-24M model and is equipped with improved cockpit with multi-function displays, helmet-mounted sights, a new advanced SVP-24 computer and latest software, which improves navigational accuracy and non-guided weapon delivery precision.
According to the Defense Ministry, the Su-24 will be gradually replaced with new Su-34 Fullback strike aircraft, which has the potential to become the top plane in its class for years to come.
