Top 3 fighter jets guarding Vietnam's skies during Tet 2017

Unlike previous years, this year the task of guarding the country's airspace will be carried out by only three types of modern fighter jets: Su-30MK2, Su-27, and Su-22.

Following the official retirement of the legendary MiG-21 fighter jet, this year a trio of Sukhoi fighter aircraft will take over the task of guarding Vietnam's skies, ensuring the people can enjoy a peaceful and joyful Tet holiday.

Despite serious flight safety incidents last year, thanks to the collective efforts of the Air Defense and Air Force Command, the Sukhoi Su-30MK2 fighter jets of the 935th, 923rd, and 927th Air Regiments are ready to perform their duty of protecting the peace and security of the people during this Tet holiday.

The Su-30MK2 is currently the most modern fighter aircraft in the Vietnam People's Air Force. The total number currently in service is 31, in addition to 4 aircraft of the Su-30MK variant, which have combat capabilities equivalent to the MK2.

The Sukhoi Su-30MK2 is a very large aircraft, measuring 21.93m in length, 14.7m in wingspan, and 6.36m in height. Its empty weight is 17.7 tons, and its maximum takeoff weight is 34.5 tons. However, it is still considered one of the most maneuverable fighter jets thanks to its extremely powerful AL-31F engines, each providing 123kN of thrust.

The aircraft can reach an altitude of 17.3 km, and its maximum speed (without auxiliary fuel tanks and external weapons) is Mach 2 at high altitude and 1,350 km/h at low altitude.

The maximum flight range when carrying two R-27R1 medium-range air-to-air missiles and two R-73E short-range missiles, operating at low altitude, is 1,270 km; at high altitude, it is 3,000 km; with one refueling, it is 5,200 km, and with two refuelings, it is 8,000 km; the continuous flight time can be up to 10 hours.

The Su-30MK2 is designed to fulfill multiple missions, including air-to-air, air-to-ground, and air-to-sea combat. Therefore, it is capable of carrying a wide variety of weapons, naturally resulting in a very large payload of up to 8 tons, along with 12 hardpoints on the wings and fuselage.

The second type of modern fighter aircraft participating in air defense during this year's Tet holiday is 10 advanced Su-27SK/UBK air superiority fighters. Compared to the Su-30MK2, the Su-27 is more focused on air combat capabilities, achieving air superiority and controlling the skies with higher maneuverability.

Both the Su-27SK and UBK are capable of deploying 8 tons of weapons on 10 pylons, allowing them to carry short- to medium- to long-range air-to-air missiles. However, their ground/sea attack roles are limited, as they can only carry unguided bombs and rockets. Currently, all 10 Su-27s are deployed to the 925th Regiment stationed in the South of the country.

Over the past year, the A32 factory has successfully overhauled several Su-27s using technical documentation purchased from abroad. This has significantly improved the quality of the aircraft after 20 years of operation (purchased in 1995), ensuring their combat capability for many more years.

The Su-27 is similar in size to the Su-30MK2 (more accurately, the Su-30MK2 was developed based on the Su-27), and thanks to its AL-31F engines, the fighter jet has excellent flight capabilities. The aircraft can reach an altitude of 18.5 km, and its maximum speed at high altitude, without weapons, is up to Mach 2.35. The Su-27 has a range of 1,340 km at low altitude (carrying 4 air-to-air missiles), up to 3,530 km at high altitude, and a continuous flight time of 4.5 hours.

Finally, and also the most numerous fighter aircraft in the Vietnam People's Air Force today, is the Su-22 fighter-bomber.

Although primarily an air-to-ground aircraft, the Su-22's variable-sweep wing design, advantageous in air combat, led the Vietnamese Air Force to temporarily replace the MiG-21 in air defense missions.

The Su-22 fighter-bomber is equipped with an AL-21F3 jet engine, allowing it to reach a maximum altitude (without weapons) of 14.2 km, a maximum speed at high altitude of Mach 1.7, and a maximum range (carrying 4 PTB-800 auxiliary fuel tanks and 1 ton of weapons) of 1,380 km at low altitude and up to 2,300 km at high altitude.

The Su-22 fighter-bomber lacks radar, possessing only a laser targeting system for its air-to-ground missiles. In air-to-air missions, the Su-22 can carry two R-60 heat-seeking air-to-air missiles.

Hopefully, in the next few years, we will be able to acquire a more powerful air-to-air combat fighter aircraft to take over the role of air defense from the Su-22 and reduce the burden on the Su-27/30, allowing them to focus on protecting the country's maritime territory amidst extremely complex and tense disputes.

According to Kienthuc