The Russian air force cannot receive enough Su-34 Fullback fighter-bombers as a batch of new Fullbacks was reportedly delivered to the front in November.
This was a bragging point that the manufacturer disclosed on social media. The exact number is unknown, but it shows how the Russian air force continues to beef up its fleet.
The UAC defense contractor also portrayed the Su-34 in action to send the message to the Ukrainians that they would not be able to deal with the larger numbers of Su-34s arriving at the theater.
Su-34: Was It Really a ‘Batch’?
However, there was a question about just how big that “batch” was. This could have been a propaganda campaign designed to intimidate the Ukrainians with information warfare. There may have been only a couple of Fullbacks deployed after construction. The initial reports of the “batch” were reported by BulgarianMilitary.com, an outlet that is known to be pro-Russian and for parroting military talking points from the Kremlin.
Su-34 Fullback Falling from the Sky
The Kyiv Independent, on the other hand, a pro-Ukrainian media source, has bragged that the Ukrainians have destroyed Su-34s in the air and on the ground throughout 2024.
This information battle from both sides has been a key facet of the war. Each country tries to control the media narrative and this means exaggerating the numbers of new airplanes or boasting about kills.
A number of Su-34s were destroyed by Ukrainian drones targeting the Khanskaya military air base in the Adygea Republic, Ukraine’s General Staff said on October 10.
In August, Ukrainian media reported that a Su-34 was blown up by the defenders over Russia’s Kursk Oblast. The Ukrainians have been effective at using surface-to-air missile systems against the Fullbacks.
More About the Su-34 Fullback
The Su-34 has a tandem seat for the pilot and co-pilot. It can serve as an interceptor or as a ground strike airplane. The warbird can fly in all weather conditions and can hit a top speed of MACH 1.8. This fighter-bomber was originally developed in the 1980s, but the Fullback was a victim of reduced military budgets and the alarming neglect of all defense forces after the fall of the Soviet Union.
The Russians did not give up on the Su-34 as generals were enthralled at having a multi-role, heavier fighter-bomber that could bring the fight to the enemy in the air and on the ground. The air force continued developing the warplane and it finally entered service in 2014, decades after it was due to be delivered to the air force.
The Fullback features Saturn AL-31FM1 turbofan engines that push out that enviable speed. The combat range is 680 miles and the airplane can handle a noteworthy 9-plus g’s.
The Su-34 can fly with an impressive number of missiles and bombs. There is room for more than 26,000 pounds of munitions on 12 hardpoints.
Despite all of these positive traits, the Su-34 has struggled in Ukraine. Like many of Russia’s fighters and bombers, it often flies out of range of air defenses and launches the effective glide bombs that are really dumb bombs with an added kit to make them more accurate. Ukraine has tried to jam these munitions, but the Russians have scored many hits over the years.
FAB-3000 Bomb Has Been ‘Fabulous’
The Su-34 has used the glide bombs to maximum effect. Last year, there were reports that an Su-34 dropped a large FAB-3000 aerial bomb that weighs over 6,600 pounds. The FAB-3000 is one of many glide bombs that have a “pop-out wing kit and a guidance package [added] to a range of existing freefall weapons.”
The FAB-3000 was dropped on a troop rendezvous point in an undisclosed location thought to be near Kharkiv and Sumy oblasts. You can see photos of the huge bomb as it was dropped here. It looks like a chopped off short and heavy missile with guidance fins.
“After its wings deploy, the bomb rotates around its axis to fly with the wings and tailfins pointing upward; this is standard for weapons of the UMPK series, which are mounted upside-down on their launch aircraft,” The War Zone said.
The social media photos used a drone to take images of the bomb blast and it was huge. The Su-34 is thus an effective carrier of glide bombs, which is what the Russians need to form some kind of advantage in the stalemate.
Mixed Combat Record for Su-34
The Su-34 has endured ups and downs. It has succumbed to anti-aircraft missiles (if Ukrainian media can be believed) and drone strikes on the ground. The Russian aerospace industry is likely trying to get as many Su-34s built as possible.
The large glide bombs are a problem for the Ukrainians. They can keep attempting to jam them but Russia can make countermeasures too in this cat and mouse game. The Su-34 is serving more as a bomber than a fighter and that shows the versatility of the airframe.
Look for Russia to continue using the Fullback to drop those three ton bombs to overawe the Ukrainians in a war that doesn’t look like it will abate despite fleeting efforts to create a ceasefire.
About the Author: Dr. Brent M. Eastwood
Brent M. Eastwood, PhD is the author of Don’t Turn Your Back On the World: a Conservative Foreign Policy and Humans, Machines, and Data: Future Trends in Warfare plus two other books. Brent was the founder and CEO of a tech firm that predicted world events using artificial intelligence. He served as a legislative fellow for U.S. Senator Tim Scott and advised the senator on defense and foreign policy issues. He has taught at American University, George Washington University, and George Mason University. Brent is a former U.S. Army Infantry officer. He can be followed on X @BMEastwood.
