Russian Navy Black Sea Fleet Naval Aviation Forms Su-30SM Squadron in Crimea

03 March 2016 navyrecognition

The naval aviation of Russia’s Black Sea Fleet has received an air squadron of eight advanced Sukhoi Su-30SM (NATO reporting name: Flanker-C) multipurpose fighter jets, fleet spokesman Vyacheslav Trukhachyov said on Thursday

Several aircraft of this type will arrive for the Black Sea Fleet later in 2016, the spokesman said.

"The renewal of the Black Sea Fleet’s naval aviation started after Crimea’s re-integration into Russia in 2014. The rearmament with advanced Su-30SM multipurpose fighter jets is nearing completion," Trukhachyov said.

"As of today, a squadron of eight Su-30SM fighter jets has been formed. It is based at the airfield in the town of Saki in Crimea. This year, the Black Sea Fleet will receive another aircraft of this type," he added. According to the spokesman, the Black Sea Fleet’s naval aviation has learnt to operate unmanned aerial vehicles. Air-launched weapons are also undergoing renewal and pilots are learning to operate new types of aircraft.

Russia will replace all of its Su-24 Fencer bomber jets operating in the Black Sea Fleet on the Crimean Peninsula with Su-30SM Flanker multirole fighters by 2020, the head of the Russian Black Sea Fleet’s Naval Aviation said Thursday.
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