Fullback Foul – Russia Has Lost Another Su-34: Ukrainian forces claim to have shot down a Russian Sukhoi Su-34 (NATO reporting name "Fullback") multirole strike fighter-bomber over the eastern Luhansk region earlier this week. According to reports from open source intelligence, the Kremlin has lost a total of 332 aircraft in total.

"+1 russian plane destroyed. @GeneralStaffUA confirmed that Ukrainian defenders shot down a Su-34 fighter-bomber. Great job, warriors!," the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense announced on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter.

Kyiv's forces have repeatedly targeted the Su-34s, Russia's modern supersonic fighter-bombers that have been used to attack Ukrainian positions. The twin-engine, twin-seat, all-weather supersonic medium range fighter-bomber was developed initially for the Soviet Air Forces, and entered service with the Russian military in 2014.

Fallen Su-34 Fullbacks

Since the Kremlin launched its unprovoked invasion of Ukraine 23 months ago, Moscow has confirmed the loss of at least ten Sukhoi Su-34 (NATO reporting name "Fullback") multirole strike aircraft. The losses could be even higher.

It was in December that Ukraine's air force claimed to have shot down three Russian Sukhoi Su-34 fighter-bombers in a single day in the south of the country, with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stating it had happened in the Kherson region where fighting continues to rage.

Kyiv separately said on Christmas Eve that it had destroyed a Russian Sukhoi Su-30 (NATO reporting name: Flanker-C/G/H) and another Su-34.

Earlier this month, Ukraine's military intelligence agency alleged that a Russian Su-34 "burned down" at an airbase near Chelyabinsk, a city in western-central Russia.

An Advanced Cold War Aircraft

Developed during the latter stages of the Cold War, the Sukhoi Su-34 was one of the Kremlin's many programs that were forced on the backburner following the dissolution of the Soviet Union and the economic crisis that followed.

The program was only revived in earnest in the early 2000s, with eight pre-production aircraft built for trials and evaluations.

It formally entered service in 2014 – although there are reports that it was employed during the Russo-Georgia War of 2008. Approximately 155 have been manufactured, including the prototypes and serial-produced aircraft. Originally designated the Su-27IB, it was based on the Sukhoi Su-27 (NATO reporting name "Flanker"), and was developed primarily for a strike/attack role to replace the Su-24 (NATO reporting name "Fencer") attack fighter and Tupolev Tu-22 (NATO reporting name "Blinder") bomber with a single platform.

The Su-34's surface design includes a duckbill-shaped nose cone, two tail fins broadly reminiscent of the Su-27, canards to assist with maneuverability, and a side-by-side cockpit that can potentially facilitate improved communication between the two pilots.

It really wouldn't be an overstatement to suggest that the Su-34 was one of the best aircraft to come out of the Soviet Union during the late Cold War period. As EuroNews.com reported, the Su-34 has been touted as Russia's most advanced twin-seat supersonic medium-range fighter-bomber ­ a type of combat aircraft not commonly found in western arsenals, with the U.S.-made F-111 and F-15E Strike Eagle being the most similar multirole counterparts.

The Su-34 typically carries 4,000 kg of weapons, while the maximum capacity is 8,000 kg. Its primary air-to-air weapon is the R-77 (AA-12) missile, with two R-73 (AA-11 or Archer) short-range air-to-air missiles carried on wingtip rails. For ground and naval strike roles, the Russian fighter-bomber can be armed with long-range standoff weapons, including the Kh-55, Kh-59, Kh-59M, Kh-25, Kh-29 air-to-surface missiles, Kh-31, Kh-35, Kh-41 Moskit, and P-800 Oniks anti-ship missiles, and Kh-58 anti-radiation missiles.

It is armed with a 30 mm GSh-301 cannon with 180 rounds, and the aircraft is equipped with 10 underwing and under-fuselage hardpoints for a wide range of weapons, including air-to-air, air-to-surface, anti-ship and anti-radiation missiles, guided or free-fall bombs.

The Su-34 been employed on missions in Syria and Ukraine.

Author Experience and Expertise: Peter Suciu

Peter Suciu is a Michigan-based writer. He has contributed to more than four dozen magazines, newspapers, and websites with over 3,200 published pieces over a twenty-year career in journalism. He regularly writes about military hardware, firearms history, cybersecurity, politics, and international affairs. Peter is also a Contributing Writer for Forbes and Clearance Jobs. You can follow him on Twitter: @PeterSuciu. You can email the author: [email protected].

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