TYPE: Shipborne fighter

MISSION: The Su-33 aircraft is designed to protect aircraft carrier forces and warships against air attacks by rotary- and fixed-wing aircraft, UAVs, and cruise missiles, as well as to engage surface targets with guided and unguided weapons. The aircraft is capable of self-sustained and group operations by day and night, in any weather, over international and enemy water areas. The Su-33 is also capable of providing support for naval aviation operations, conducting air reconnaissance, and carrying out buddy refuelling. The Su-33 has canards, modified high-lift wing devices, in-flight refuelling equipment, and special airborne communications and navigation equipment that ensures above-water flights and arrested landings. The aircraft takes off from aircraft carrier’s ramp, and lands using the arresting hook. Its outer wing and horizontal stabiliser panels are folding. The K-36 ejection seat with increased inclination ensures automatic low-altitude ejection in emergency situations.

EQUIPMENT: The aircraft’s weapons control system features a pulse Doppler radar operating in trackwhile- scan and search-and-track modes against the earth/sea-surface background. The Su-33 carries an optronic target acquisition system with a helmet-mounted target designator, a quadruple-redundant fly-by-wire system, and an automatic angle-of-attack/g-load limiting system.

ARMAMENT: The Su-33 weaponry is carried on 12 external hardpoints, and includes R-27R1(ER1), R- 27T1(ET1) and R-73E air-to-air missiles, rockets, and guided bombs of up to 500kg calibre. Fitted with a ventral UPAZ flight refuelling system, the aircraft will be able to transfer up to 6,000 kg of fuel to other fighters in mid-air. The Su-33 carries one built-in GSh-301 gun with 150 rounds of ammunition.