AVIATION FANS

The Sukhoi Su-27 (NATO reporting name 'Flanker') is originally a Soviet fighter aircraft designed by the Sukhoi Design Bureau (SDB). It was intended as a direct competitor for the new generation of American fighters (which emerged as the F-14 Tomcat, F-15 Eagle, F-16 Fighting Falcon, and F/A-18 Hornet), with exceptional range, heavy armament, and very high agility.

The Su-27 most often flies air superiority missions, but is able to perform almost all combat operations. Some believe the Su-27 to have been born from a competition between Sukhoi and Mikoyan-Gurevich, given the Su-27's and Mikoyan MiG-29's similar shape. This is not so. The Su-27 was designed as long-range air superiority fighter and interceptor, whereas the MiG-29 was designed to fill the role of short-range tactical support fighter.
 

The Su-33 Fleet Defense Interceptor was developed from the Su-27 design for use on aircraft carriers. Main differences include a tail hook and canards. Given the purpose of this interceptor, one would say that its closest counterpart is the American F-14 Tomcat, whereas the Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-29K would be analogous to the F/A-18 Hornet.
 

The Su-30 is a two-seat, dual-role, fighter for all-weather, air-to-air and deep interdiction missions.
Further versions include the Su-34 strike variant and the Su-35 improved air defense fighter.
 

Maneuverability
In airshows the aircraft has demonstrated its maneuverability with a Cobra (Pugachev's Cobra) or dynamic deceleration - briefly sustained level flight at a 120° angle of attack. Thrust vectoring has also been tested (and is incorporated on later Su-30MKI and Su-35 models), allowing the fighter to perform hard turns with almost no radius, incorporate vertical somersaults into level motion and limited nose-up hovering. The Su-27 is today one of the world's most agile aircraft, although the MiG-29, F-15 and F-16 fighters can also claim the same.

The naval version of the 'Flanker,' the Su-27K (a.k.a. Su-33), incorporates canards for additional lift, reducing take-off distances (important because the Admiral Kuznetsov aircraft carrier has no catapults). These canards have also been incorporated in some Su-30s, the Su-35, and the Su-37.
 

Design
The main feature for the success of the Su-27 design is its aerodynamic configuration, known as 'integrated aerodynamic concept' by its designers. This configuration is one with extremely blended wing and fuselage. The low-aspect ratio trapezoidal midwing is fitted with large leading-edge root extensions (LERX) and blending into the fuselage creating a single lifting body.
 

The aircraft has a near-zero static stability and thus require a fly-by-wire system. The SDU-10 pitch-only fly-by-wire system controls the pitch of the aircraft to ensure stability and controllability for the pilot, increase aerodynamic performance, limit overload and angle of attack when needed and decrease the airframe aerodynamic load.
Two AL-31F afterburning turbofans are placed in separate, widely spaced engine nacelles that are mounted under the lifting body. The air intakes are fitted with variable ramps.
 

The Su-27 has twin vertical fins fitted on the outer sides of the fuselage and twin central fins underneath. The airbrake is placed in the center of the mid-section of the aircraft behind the cockpit. The tricycle landing gear of Su-27 and Su-27UB has a single wheel on each strut. The nose wheel is fitted with a mudguard to protect against foreign object damage (FOD)

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Engines
The Su-27's Lyulka AL-31F turbofan engines are widely spaced, both for safety reasons and to ensure uninterrupted airflow through the intakes. The space between the engines also provides additional lift, reducing wing loading. Movable guide vanes in the intakes allow Mach 2+ speeds, and help to maintain engine airflow at high alpha. A mesh screen over each intake prevents debris from being drawn into the engines during take-off.

Systems & Avionics
The basic Su-27 is fitted with the SUV-27 fire control system, which incorporates the RLPK-27 radar sighting system, OEPS-27 electro-optical sighting system, SEI-31 integrated indication system, IFF interrogator and built-in test system. The fire control system in integrated with the PNK-10 flight navigation system, radio command link, IFF system, data transmission equipment and EW self-defense system.
 

The RLPK-27 system and is controlled by the Ts-100 digital computer and includes the N001 pulse-Doppler lookdown-capable radar with a range of 80-100 km in the front hemisphere and 30-40 km in the rear hemisphere for a fighter-sized target. It can simultaneously track up to ten aerial targets in track-while-scan mode and provide interception of the top priority target.
 

The OEPS-27 electro-optical sighting system consist of the OLS-27 infrared/laser search-and-track system (IRST) and the Shchel-3UM helmet-mounted target designator and is controlled by the Ts-100 digital computer. The OLS-27 sensor is placed forward of the cockpit canopy in the centre. The system acquires and tracks aerial targets by their thermal signatures. The helmet-mounted sight and the laser range finder of the IRST can also be used to visually acquire and determine coordinates of air and surface targets.
 

The SEI-31 integrated indication system provides flight, navigation and sighting data on the ILS-31 head-up display (HUD) and CRT. The EW self-defense systems provides warning to the crew when illuminated by enemy radar and employs both passive and active countermeasures. The aircraft is equipped with the SPO-15 Beryoza RWR and APP-50 IR decoy dispenser. Chaff dispensers are placed in the tail section between the engine nozzles. In addition, the aircraft can carry the Sorbtsiya active ECM pods on its wingtips.

Cockpit
The cockpit is fitted with the K-36DM Series 2 ejection seat. The seat-back is being inclined at an angle of 17 degrees. In the two-seat Su-27UB version, the seats are placed in tandem with the rear-seat being elevated to ensure good forward vision. The basic Su-27 cockpit layout consist of analogue instruments, HUD and CRT display to display data from radar and electro-optical sight (IRST). On both sides of the HUD control panel, there are sensors for the helmet-mounted target designator system. On the right side below the CRT display the RWR indicator is placed.
 

General characteristics

• Crew: One
• Length: 21.9 m (72 ft)
• Wingspan: 14.7 m (48 ft 3 in)
• Leading edge sweep: 42°)
• Height: 5.93 m (19 ft 6 in)
• Wing area: 62 m² (667 ft²)
• Empty weight: 16,380 kg (36,100 lb)
• Loaded weight: 23,000 kg (50,690 lb)
• Max takeoff weight: 33,000 kg (62,400 lb)
• Powerplant: 2× Lyulka AL-31F turbofans, 122.8 kN (27,600 lbf) each
   

Performance

• Maximum speed: 2,500 km/h at altitude (1,550 mph Mach 2.35)
• Range: 1,500 km combat, 3,900 km ferry (930 mi / 2,420 mi)
• Service ceiling: 18,500 m (60,700 ft)
• Rate of climb: 325 m/s (64,000 ft/min)
• Wing loading: 371 kg/m² (76 lb/ft&sup2')
• Thrust/weight: 1.085
   

Armament

• 1x 30 mm GSh-30-1 cannon with 150 rounds
• 8,000 kg (17,600 lb) on 10 external pylons
  • Up to 6 medium-range AA missiles R-27, 4 short-range heat-seeking AA missiles R-73
  • Su-27IB can be used to launch X-31 anti-radiation missiles, air-to-ground missiles X-29L/T (laser/TV guidance, which may be projected to helmet), KAB-150 and UAB-500 bombs with laser, TV, or IR guidance