05.10.2010
Sukhoi design bureau conducts ground and flight tests of deck-based fighters Su-33. Repair and upgrade works are held by affiliate Gagarin Aircraft Production Association (Komsomolsk-on-Amur) under state defense order for 2010, reported Sukhoi press service.
Su-33 (
Su-27K) is a multirole deck-based conventional aircraft with folding wings and fins for hangar storage. The aircraft is designed for air defense of Russian warships and equipped with in-flight refueling system. Two experimental
Su-27K aircrafts were constructed in 1986-87. Test pilot Viktor Pugachev performed the first flight in Aug 1987. He was the first to land on aircraft-carrying cruiser
Admiral Kuznetsov during flight development tests on Nov 1, 1989.
In 1989
Gagarin Aircraft Production Association launched pilot batch of
Su-27K. First serial aircraft was tested in Feb 1990. State trials of
Su-27K were held in 1991-1994.
The first batch of deck-based fighters was delivered to Northern Fleet in Apr 1993. They shaped 279th deck-based fighter regiment; in Aug 1994 the regiment consisted of 24 serial aircrafts. Pilots mastered the aircraft in the period of 1993-95, and then
Admiral Kuznetsov carried out her first long-range training cruise to the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea lasted since Dec 1995 till March 1996. On Aug 31, 1998
Su-27K was put into service under designation
Su-33 by the presidential decree.
