Sukhoi SU-35 - The Super Flanker

The Sukhoi Su-35 (Russian: Сухой Су-35, NATO reporting name: Flanker-E) is a single-seat, twin-engined supermaneuverability multirole fighter. It is a derivative of the Su-27 'Flanker', and was initially known as the Su-27M. More than a dozen of these were built with some used by the Russian Knights aerobatic demonstration team. The Su-35 had been offered to many countries, including India, Brazil and South Korea.

In the 1980s, Sukhoi was looking to upgrade its high-performance Su-27. The resultant Su-35 embodies aerodynamic refinements to give it more manoeuvrability, greatly enhanced avionics, longer range, and a more powerful engine. The first prototype, converted from a production Su-27, made its maiden flight in June 1988. The Su-35 was further developed into the Su-37, which has thrust-vectoring capabilities, and the Su-35BM, classed as 4++ generation fighter by its manufacturer. The new model entered into serial production as the Su-35S for the Russian Air Force in 2010.

At the moment, only 15 Su-27M/35 while only 6 Su-35S were built.

Meanwhile, Royal Malaysian Air Force did use a number of the earlier generation of Sukhoi Su-35, which is Su-30. Royal Malaysian Air Force after a close visit to see India's Su-30MKI, signed a deal to purchase 18 of Su-30MKM in May 2003. The first 2 Su-30MKMs were formally handed over in Irkutsk on 23 May 2007, later arrived in Gong Kedak airbase on 21 June. 

As part of the contract, Russia sent the first Malaysian cosmonaut to the International Space Station in October 2007. Malaysia had 12 Su-30MKMs in service with 6 on order in November 2008. Malaysia has had problems with support for the aircraft so it might purchase spare parts from China. Almost at the end of this post, there will be few images of Malaysian Su-30MKM.

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Sukhoi Superjet 100 Assembly Factory

Final assembly of Sukhoi Superjet is carried out in Komsomolsk-on-Amur which is the point of destination for fuselage, wings, engines, composite components, etc. 5 industrial areas participate in the process of final assembly fulfilling around 10 technological operations. The process of final assembly undergoes three levels of control.

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Sukhoi Superjet 100 Factory

We've got used to think that Russian production factories are, as a rule, half-destroyed buildings with leaking roofs and crooked staircases ending at the ceiling. However, the aircraft construction factory where they produce Sukhoi Superjets 100 in Komsomolsk-on-Amur, is a sufficient refutation of the charge. 

The Sukhoi Superjet 100 (Russian: Сухой Суперджет 100) is a modern, fly-by-wire regional jet in the 75- to 95-seat category. With development starting in 2000, the plane was designed by the civil aircraft division of the Russian aerospace company Sukhoi in co-operation with Western partners. Its maiden flight was conducted on 19 May 2008 and the plane received its Interstate Aviation Committee certification in January 2011 with European Aviation Safety Agency certification expected in mid-2011. On 21 April 2011, the Superjet 100 performed its first commercial passenger flight, on the Armavia route from Yerevan to Moscow.

About 12 thousand people work at the two departments of the factory. In the first one they make the fuselage, and in the other one they install electronics, engines, etc. 

Actually, I found it rather surprise to see so many ladies working in this factory. Don't get me wrong as I never felt woman should be discriminated from engineering work. My wife is also an Engineer. 

Let's see how they turn a piece of aluminium into a plane.

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