The Belarusian Air Force – Wajenna-pawetranyja sily i wojski Suprazpawetranaj abarony Respubliki Belarus – has recently delivered another batch of Sukhoi Su-30SM2 multi-role combat aircraft.
The first reports of an order for Su-30SM fighter jets emerged in 2017, with the first two deliveries of two aircraft each taking place in 2019 and 2021. With the start of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine (-> Latest news from the war in Ukraine), however, the deliveries were stopped.
Instead of continuing the order with the original Su-30SM variant, Belarus will now receive the modernized Su-30SM2. The reason for this is the Western sanctions: The change in production was necessary to replace Western components, which are no longer allowed to be imported. According to Russian specialist media, the Su-30SM2 is now made entirely from Russian components and is said to be significantly more powerful than the previous version.
In May 2025, the Belarusian Air Force received its first Su-30SM2 aircraft. With the current delivery, they should now have four Su-30SMs and four Su-30SM2s from a total order of twelve aircraft.
Comment by Colonel Andrei Rachkov, First Deputy Head of the Aviation Department of the Air Force and Air Defense Forces of Belarus: “We have received another delivery of new aviation equipment – the Su-30SM2 aircraft within the framework of military-technical cooperation between the Republic of Belarus and the Russian Federation. The Su-30SM2 is a modernized aircraft. The target detection range has been almost tripled. It received new avionics and navigation equipment, which also works in autonomous mode. The flight can be carried out without satellite navigation. In addition, the range of applications has been extended – for both guided and unguided missiles as well as for bomb weapons. This aircraft enables the use of bombs with a universal planning and correction module. The first aircraft were delivered at the beginning of this year.”
Ratschkow continued: “The flying and technical personnel have successfully mastered this modernization. We are training young pilots and fulfilling the tasks of the combat watch service for air defense with these aircraft.”
Sukhoi Su-30SM2
Compared to the Su-30SM, the SM2 variant has a more modern engine. The Saturn AL-41F-1S is a 10-11:1 thrust class engine. It is said to be 16 percent more powerful, more economical and more durable than its predecessor.
The Irbis radar will be able to detect up to 30 targets at distances of up to 400 kilometers and engage eight simultaneously. Up to 8,000 kilograms of weapons can be carried at twelve external load stations. The SM2 is also capable of deploying the currently most powerful Russian air-to-air missile, the Vympel R-37M. This missile, developed by NATO AA-13 Axehead, can intercept air targets at ranges of around 300 to 400 kilometers in its latest version.
As recently as May, the military journal The War Zonereported that the Pentagon’s Defense Intelligence Agency had indications that Russia was planning a new air-to-air missile with nuclear weapons. A variant of the AA-13 Axehead is considered the most likely candidate.
In addition, the SM2 can deploy what is now the most common Russian-made air-to-ground weapon: the so-called “kit with universal planning and correction module”. This transforms a conventional bomb into a glide bomb with a folding wing and tail unit. Depending on the launch altitude and speed, targets several dozen kilometers away can be engaged. Russia can produce these modules and the associated bombs in large quantities.
Overall, the SM2 is designed for a wide range of state-of-the-art Russian air-to-air, air-to-ground and air-to-sea precision weapons. However, the war in Ukraine has shown that many of these systems are not available in sufficient quantities for the combat units.
Für maritimen Einsatz: Jagdkommando trainiert in Griechenland
Modernization of the Belarusian Air Force
The re-equipment of the Belarusian air force, which is completely dependent on Russia, is progressing slowly.
Officially, the country currently has 32 MiG-29BM fighter aircraft and 50 Su-25 ground attack aircraft. Eleven Yak-130s (-> The history of the Yak-130) and ten L-39s are still available.
In the helicopter sector, 36 Mi-8 and three Mi-26 transport helicopters as well as around two squadrons of Mi-24/35 combat helicopters are in service. The addition of twelve new Mi-35Ms to the original 24 old Mi-24Ks has been ongoing since 2023. Eight aircraft are believed to have been delivered so far, most recently in May 2025.
In June 2024, there were indications that the Belarusian Su-25 aircraft could carry nuclear weapons. In October 2024, the deputy head of the Russian UN delegation, Konstantin Vorontsov, told RIA Novosti that Russia would convert some Belarusian Su-25s into nuclear weapons carriers. “However, there are no plans to hand over the technology for conversion to Belarus itself,” Vorontsov said.
In addition, the Iskander-M systems received from Belarus should also be capable of carrying nuclear warheads.
Here for more Sukhoi news and here to further news about the Indian armed forces.
