Air Forces CINC, General-Colonel Aleksandr Zelin gave NVO editor-in-chief Viktor Litovkin an extremely long interview last Friday. Zelin expanded on things he’s said in previous press encounters. Some interesting stuff.
Here’s the first part of a quick synopsis.
Su-34. Zelin mentions the contract for 92 by 2020, but says the VVS will buy 124 or even 140. He again talks about making it a strategic platform by adding a long-range cruise missile.
Su-35. The contract for 48 could become 100.
Su-30SM. This fighter will be used in the progression of pilot training for Su-35 and PAK FA / T-50.
Yak-130. Zelin mentions using this trainer as the base to develop a light strike fighter for training Su-34 and Su-35 pilots.
MiG-31. The Air Forces CINC expounds on this old interceptor and plans for it. About 100 will be kept, and Zelin talks about using a meter wavelength navigation system on it (and other aircraft) so it can operate from civilian airfields.
Su-24. Two squadrons of “high series” Su-24 will be kept under Gusar and Metronom R&D efforts. This is necessary because the VVS can’t go entirely to the Su-34, which, incidentally, will be based at Khurba, Chelyabinsk, Krymsk, Voronezh, and Lipetsk.
PAK FA / T-50. Still planning on 60.
More later.
Russian Defense Policy 