Russia’s Su-34 Fighter-Bomber Keeps ‘Falling Out of the Sky’ in Ukraine

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Key Points: The Russian Su-34 Fullback, a modern fighter-bomber, has faced significant losses during the war in Ukraine, with at least 36 downed by Ukrainian forces.

-Despite its advanced features, such as phased array radar, long-range capability, and various weapon options, the Su-34’s slow speed and limited maneuverability make it vulnerable.

-Ukrainian air defenses and strikes with ATACMS missiles have forced Russia to relocate Su-34s further from the frontlines.

-Russia remains committed to the Fullback, continuing to produce more, but its effectiveness is overshadowed by heavy losses and Ukraine’s ability to counter its capabilities.

Why the Su-34 Fullback Is Getting Tackled Over the Skies of Ukraine

The Russian air force is struggling in Ukraine. To understand the hardship, you must look at the Su-34 Fullback fighter-bomber. 

At least 36 Su-34s have been destroyed by Ukraine – either from surface-to-air missiles or fighters. In fact, in October, an F-16 downed a Su-34 in a dogfight. 

This has given a shot in the arm to Volodymyr Zelensky’s air force as Ukrainian pilots have adjusted to the rigors of flying an F-16. 

However, Russia is not giving up on the Su-34. Moscow has ordered more from the United Aircraft Corporation, which will be delivered soon. 

This shows you how stubborn the high command has been. Generals are throwing more Fullbacks in battle despite failing to achieve air superiority.

The Ukrainians Are Getting Even 

The Fullback has been instrumental in striking Ukrainian cities. 

This has resulted in a tragic loss of life, but it has spurred the Ukrainian air defense systems and pilots to fight even harder. 

The Su-34s are being shot down faster than they can be re-supplied by the Russian aerospace industry.

Watch Out for the Long-range Missiles 

To add insult to injury, the Ukrainians are using deep strikes from ATACMS missiles to punish Su-34s at their air bases. 

This has become so dangerous that the Russian Air Force is moving the Su-34s out of range from ATACMS.

Eagle-eyed social media users have obtained open-source satellite images identifying at least nine Su-34s re-located to the Engels-2 air base 370 miles from the Ukrainian-Russian border. 

This shows the Fullback is having difficulty in the air and on the ground.

Send More Su-34 Fighter-Bombers to the Fight

In November, the Russian air force received a new batch of Su-34s, and the high command is convinced that the Fullback has been effective. 

“The previous Su-34 bombers have been highly valued by the military. The aircraft’s capabilities allow pilots to effectively carry out missions in any theater of military operations, using both guided and unguided aerial weapons,” said Vladimir Artyakov, first deputy general director of Rostec, according to BulgarianMilitary.com.

It Looks Good On Paper

The Su-34 is a modern fighter-bomber that entered service in 2014. It replaced the Tu-23M and Su-24 aircraft and is modeled after the Su-27. 

However, the Su-34 has more advanced features, such as a phased array radar for better situational awareness. 

The Fullback is a twin-seater with an extra weapons officer on board. Its take-off weight and payload have been increased over the Su-24 and Su-27. Internal fuel tanks allow for a longer range. 

The Fullback has ten hardpoints for weapons. The Su-34 is also “able to carry a range of missiles, including air-to-air, air-to-surface, anti-ship and anti-radiation missiles, guided and unguided bombs, and rockets. The aircraft is fitted with a target designator,” according to Airforce-Technology.com.

Multiple targets can be tracked with the electro-optical fire control system. There is also forward-looking infrared capability. 

Not the Fastest Airplane

The airplane is powered by the MMPP Salyut AL-31F-M2/3 or NPO Saturn 117 engines. The Su-34 is not the fastest jet in the Russian fleet. 

A top speed of MACH 1.6 can be achieved with only MACH 1 at sea level.

Su-34: The Bottomline 

The Fullback does not have the best specs in the world. It does have modern systems that can be a plus during its bombing runs. The Russians have high confidence in the fighter-bomber. 

Meanwhile, the Ukrainians have maintained the upper hand against the Fullback and even threatened it on the ground with the ATACMS. 

Russia needs the bombing capability of the Su-34 to take the fight to the enemy and instill terror in Ukrainian citizens with attacks on cities.

However, the Fullback has endured high losses, which is an insult to the Russian aerospace industry. 

Defense contractors are pumping out more Fullbacks, though, which shows that Russia is trying to win a war of attrition in the air.  

In normal circumstances, if the Russians had maintained air superiority by now, the Su-34 would have been dominant with its enviable weapons payload. 

The backseater should be able to identify threats so the airplane can avoid trouble, but its slow speed and lack of maneuverability hinder performance. 

Vladimir Putin’s air force will not go down willingly, and the Su-34 is taking a beating but still trying to attack urban areas and other ground targets. Look for even more to enter the battlespace despite serious losses.

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.