Armenia: first Su-30SM jets expected by early 2020.

The first multifunctional Su-30SM fighters will be delivered to Armenia by early 2020, with further plans to buy more of the aircraft, Armenian Minister of Defense David Tonoyan told reporters on the sidelines of the Eighth Moscow Conference on International Security, TASS reports.

Sukhoi Su-30SM in flight (Picture source: Alex Beltyukov)

"The re-equipment of the airbase with Su-30SM fighter jets is planned to start next year. The delivery of aircraft will be completed in two stages — in 2020-2021. All 18 MiG-29 jets are planned to be replaced with Su-30SM aircraft," the source said.

"When deliveries of new aircraft begin, some pilots will be sent to the Lipetsk aviation center for training, while others will continue serving at the Erebuni airbase," the source noted.

Su-30SM is a twin-engine, two-seat supermaneuverable fighter jet of the 4+ generation. The aircraft has been upgraded according to Russian military requirements for radar, radio communications systems, friend-or-foe identification system, ejection seats, weapons, and other aircraft systems. It is equipped with the N011M Bars radar with a maximum detection range 400 km, search range 200 km using a phased array antenna, frontal horizontal fins and steerable thrusters for supermaneuverability as well as with wide-angle HUD.