On Thursday, August 14, 2025, the Ministry of Defence of the Republic of Belarus announced the receipt from Russia of a batch of two modernized Su-30SM2 multirole fighter aircraft (NATO reporting name: Flanker-H). This is the second delivery this year since shipments resumed on May 27, when two aircraft also arrived in the country.
Photos: Ministry of Defence of the Republic of Belarus
The aircraft, with Russian pilots at the controls, landed at the 61st Fighter Air Base of the Air Force and Air Defence Forces of the Republic of Belarus (Vajenna-pavietranyja sily i vojski supraspavietranaj abarony Respubliki Bielarus) in Baranovichi, Brest Region, where the first four — in the Su-30SM configuration — had arrived earlier, on November 13, 2019 (tail numbers 01 and 02) and December 17, 2019 (03 and 04).
It should be recalled that on June 24, 2017, the Ministry of Defence of Belarus concluded negotiations with the Irkut Corporation for the delivery of 12 Su-30SM aircraft in 2018–2020. The contract with OAO Rosoboronexport, of undisclosed value, was signed in May during the 9th International Exhibition of Arms and Military Equipment MILEX-2019 in Minsk. According to Russian media, its value amounted to around 600 million USD.
However, as early as February 14, 2018, the then Minister of Defence of Belarus, Gen. Andrei Raukou, announced that the delivery of the Su-30SM would be delayed due to European Union economic sanctions against Russia. The restrictions limited the supply of certain parts and components. Ultimately, the deliveries of the Belarusian aircraft were supposed to be completed in 2021; however, this did not occur. At the same time, the Russian Deputy Defence Minister Yuriy Borisov stated that until 2019, the replacement of foreign electronic components (for fire control systems) with Russian-made ones would be carried out.
It was also decided that the subsequent aircraft (numbers 06 to 12) would be modernized to the Su-30SM2 standard (which also affected the schedule), including, among other things, replacing the Salyut AL-31FP engines with 123 kN thrust with more powerful Saturn/Lyulka AL-41F-1S (117S) engines with 142 kN thrust and thrust vectoring, derived from the Su-35S. These provide about 16% more thrust while consuming less fuel and offering an extended service life.
The Su-30SM2s are also receiving upgraded avionics, including a modernized or new active electronically scanned array (AESA; Russian: AFAR) N035 Irbis radar replacing the passive N011M Bars, enhanced weapons-carrying capability (such as KAB-250 family laser-guided bombs and Kh-59MK2 low-radar-signature cruise missiles), a new electronic warfare system, the OSNOD radio navigation and communication system with a new tactical data link compatible with Su-57S multirole fighters and unmanned aerial systems. The modernization is intended to keep the aircraft in service beyond 2040.
Thus, deliveries resumed only in May this year. With the August shipment, the number of Belarusian aircraft has increased to eight, meaning that four Su-30SM2s remain to be delivered. This will give Belarus a fleet of four Su-30SMs and eight Su-30SM2s.
They will complement 24 modernized MiG-29BM/UBs, 12 Su-25 Grach attack aircraft, and 11 Yak-130 trainer/light attack aircraft, following the loss of one Yak-130 (Red 74), which crashed on May 19, 2021, during a takeoff attempt from the 61st Fighter Air Base in Baranovichi.
