Russia Steps Up Production of Improved Su-34 ‘Fullback’ Bombers
Russia’s Aerospace Forces received an unspecified number of Su-34 fighter bombers on Wednesday, Oct. 7 – the second such delivery in 2026. The CEO of Russia’s United Aircraft Corporation (UAC) said the production of the upgraded variation of the aircraft would continue at accelerated rates. The company is said to have delivered 18 airframes spreaded through seven batches in 2025 despite foreign…
Russia has increased the production of its advanced Su-34 "Fullback" fighter-bombers, delivering a second batch of the aircraft to the military on October 7. This comes as part of a state defense contract fulfilled by United Aircraft Corporation (UAC), a state-owned consortium. UAC CEO Vadim Badekha emphasized the importance of meeting this defense contract, stating that these aircraft serve as the primary strike power for frontline aviation.
While the exact number of aircraft delivered remains undisclosed, defense analyst Guy Plopsky speculates that it could be up to four. Experts project that production of the Su-34 has nearly doubled since the start of the 2022 full-scale invasion, with plans to produce around 30 aircraft this year. The Su-34, manufactured at the Chkalov Aviation Plant in Novosibirsk, features upgraded avionics, electronic warfare systems, and a versatile range of bombs, including the steerable glide bomb "ODAB-500" and the 3,000-kilogram "FAB-3000" bomb.
However, Western analysts have criticized the Su-34, labeling it the "Worst Warplane of the 21st Century" due to its high loss rate during combat operations in Ukraine.
Written by urgent.news from Kyiv Post's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
