Komsomolsk-on-Amur Aircraft Production Association
Su-30MKK
The Su‑30MKK is a twin‑engine, super‑maneuverable fighter‑bomber developed by Russia’s Sukhoi Design Bureau and produced at the Komsomolsk‑on‑Amur Aircraft Production Association (KnAA) in the Far East. The program began in the early 1990s when the People’s Republic of China sought a modern, multirole platform to replace aging MiG‑21 and J‑7 fleets. The first prototype flew in 1996 and deliveries to the PLA Air Force started in 1998, making the MKK (the export version for China) the first operational member of the Su‑30 family outside the former Soviet bloc.
Key features include two AL‑31F afterburning turbofan engines delivering 27 000 kg thrust, thrust‑vectoring nozzles on the first production batch, and a digital fly‑by‑wire flight control system that enables extreme angles of attack. The aircraft carries a sophisticated avionics suite: Phazotron IRIS‑R radar, head‑up display, night‑vision compatible cockpit, and the capability to integrate air‑to‑air, air‑to‑ground and anti‑ship missiles, as well as precision‑guided bombs. Its relaxed‑stability design and composite‑rich airframe provide a high thrust‑to‑weight ratio and superior agility.
The Su‑30MKK has become a cornerstone of China’s air power, influencing subsequent variants such as the Su‑30MKI and Su‑30SM, and demonstrating the strategic export strength of the Komsomolsk‑on‑Amur plant in the post‑Cold War era.
Key features include two AL‑31F afterburning turbofan engines delivering 27 000 kg thrust, thrust‑vectoring nozzles on the first production batch, and a digital fly‑by‑wire flight control system that enables extreme angles of attack. The aircraft carries a sophisticated avionics suite: Phazotron IRIS‑R radar, head‑up display, night‑vision compatible cockpit, and the capability to integrate air‑to‑air, air‑to‑ground and anti‑ship missiles, as well as precision‑guided bombs. Its relaxed‑stability design and composite‑rich airframe provide a high thrust‑to‑weight ratio and superior agility.
The Su‑30MKK has become a cornerstone of China’s air power, influencing subsequent variants such as the Su‑30MKI and Su‑30SM, and demonstrating the strategic export strength of the Komsomolsk‑on‑Amur plant in the post‑Cold War era.
