Su-24

Initially, after the Su-7 B fighter was adopted, it was supposed to create an all-weather modification of the aircraft to destroy small targets, but development on the basis of the Su-7 with the fulfillment of tactical and technical requirements was impossible, therefore Sukhoi Design Bureau began to develop the aircraft under the C-6 code - with a triangular wing , R21F-300 engines and tandem crew position.

In 1963, a full-scale model was built, a year later the project was changed to the T-58M code - a modification of the Su-15 , the aircraft concept changed, now at the request of the TTT it was planned to create a low-altitude bomber with a short take-off / landing (a supersonic low-altitude flight was required to overcome air defense) .

Since 1965, the crew’s location has changed, insteadthe tandem pilots were located nearby due to the large volumes of Orion radars , the engines were R-27F-300, and an additional four RD-36 -35 were installed to provide short take-off / landing.

On August 24, 1965, the aircraft received the T-6 code. On July 2, 1967, test pilot V.S. Ilyushin made the first flight of an attack aircraft.

In October 1967, more powerful AL- 21Fs were installed, this allowed to get rid of four RD36-35.

The development of the T-6 variant with a variable sweep wing began in 1967 under the leadership of O.S. Samoilovich. At all stages of the work, P.O. Sukhoi took a direct part in the design. For the first time in the USSR, it was envisaged to install pylons for suspending an external load on the moving parts of the wing. The first prototype T-6-2I with a new wing January 17, 1970 took to the air the test pilot BC Ilyushin. T-6 received the official designation Su-24 .

It is believed that the Soviet Su-24 was designed in the late 1960s - early 1970s with a lot of eye on the American F-111 , although it is impossible to talk about full copying ^[3] . According to the testimony of O.S. Samoilovich cited in his memoirs “Near Sukhoi,” the creation of the Su-24 was greatly helped by the numerous detailed photographs of the F-111 that he personally made at the air show in Le Bourget in 1967 ^[4] .

State tests were carried out from January 1970 to July 1974 ^[5] . Su-24 was adopted on February 4, 1975 . During the test flights, “titanium” engine fires occurred, since a number of engine compressor elements were made of titanium alloys and when the compressor blades ignite ^{[Comm. 1]} . there was a rapid burnout of the engine body, the destruction of the engine in the air and the release of a burning melt on the power structure of the airframe ^[6] . When the cause of the titanium fires was established, the Saturn Design Bureau redesigned the compressor. The weight and size of the engine increased slightly, but its reliability and traction also increased significantly.

On the basis of the aircraft, modifications were made to the scout and jammer. Su-24M / MR / MP / M2 are equipped with air refueling system.

Tests of the Su-24 were carried out in more than 2000 flights ^[7] . GSI Su-24M conducted from December 1976 to May 1981. By a government decree of June 22, 1983, the Su-24M aircraft was adopted ^[5] .

Produced at NAPO and KnAAPO . Serial production of all modifications was discontinued in 1993. In total, about 1,200 of these machines were produced.

The upgraded Su-24M2 made its first flight in 2001. The preliminary test phase began in 2004. In 2006, the modernized aircraft was at the final stage of testing ^[8] . In 2007, the first two Su-24M2 were transferred to the Lipetsk center for combat use . The delivery of all the first Su-24M2 ordered for the Russian Air Force was completed in December 2009 ^[9] .

The aircraft is a twin - engine high - wing with a variable sweep wing . Depending on the flight mode, the front parts of the wing (console) are installed in one of four positions: 16 ° for take-off and landing, 35 ° for cruising subsonic flight, 45 ° for combat maneuvering, and 69 ° for flying in transonic and supersonic speeds. On the plane three-post retractable landing gear .

The fuselage is semi-monocoque , the cabin is double. The pilot and the navigator are located side by side, "shoulder to shoulder", dual control. Ejection seat type K-36DM . The power set of the fuselage consists of frames , spars and stringers . Consists of a front part up to 16 frames: of a radiotransparent radome of an antenna for an aiming and navigation system and equipment compartments, a cockpit compartment, a cockpit compartment with a niche of the front landing gear, an cockpit compartment with a wheel niche, flaps of a niche of the front landing gear, a cabin lamp including a fixed front part and two flaps up and down. Under the radial nose fairing are the antennas of the Orion front-facing radar station and the Relief warning radar for collision with natural ground-based obstacles. In the nose part of the fairing, an antenna of the front hemisphere of the antenna-feeder system “Peony” from the set of short-range navigation system ( RSBN ), an air pressure receiver PVD-18 and the antenna system of the passive radar station (PRS) “Filin” are installed. To access the antennas, the fairing hinges on the hinges to the left. Antennas are mounted on a swing frame, which leans to the hinges to the right, providing access to radio units and electronic equipment installed deep in the front compartment.

Behind the bow compartment of the equipment, limited by the 4th frame, there is a double sealed crew cabin with a pilot and navigator landing nearby. Under it there are three podkabinny compartments: two side, in which blocks of electronic and aircraft equipment are installed, and the middle compartment of the niche of the front landing gear. The cockpit compartment closes the head of the fuselage, where the main volume of special equipment and part of the units of aircraft systems are located. For access to them, there are easily removable hatches on the right and left, and an operational well with a hatch on the lower surface of the fuselage is made along the axis of the aircraft. In the garrot, on the upper surface of the fuselage, hard wiring of the aircraft control system, fuel pipelines and communications of other aircraft systems are laid. It has a forkil with an air intake for cooling generators (from aircraft No. 15-28). Four weapons suspension points are located on the lower surface of the middle part of the fuselage: No. 3, No. 4, No. 7 and No. 8, the last two - in tandem along the axis of symmetry of the aircraft (the 7th and 8th suspension points were installed on aircraft with No. 8-11 )

The middle part of the fuselage, frames 16 to 35, consists of three fuel tank compartments, compartments of electronic equipment and components of aircraft systems, engine air ducts, a garrot, the front of the engine compartments, niches of the main landing gear with sashes and niches for cleaning the root parts of the rotary consoles wings with sealing flaps. The power frame of the compartment consists of 19 frames and 6 spars. The front fuel tank compartment (tank No. 1) is located on the axis of symmetry of the aircraft and has a through rectangular cutout in the rear to accommodate the cartridge box of the built-in cannon mount. The fuel tank compartment No. 2 is an expendable one, in the front part it consists of a central and two side parts connected in one piece behind a power frame to which the main landing gear mounts are attached. Above these tanks are equipment compartments, in particular the air conditioning system, whose air-to-air radiator intake is placed on the top panel of the garrott . Fuel tank compartment No. 3 consists of two parts: the front, bounded above by a cylindrical inclined plateau, and the bottom and sides — milled panels, and the rear, located between the engines and formed by milled panels. Two compartments of aircraft equipment are located above the inclined cylindrical plateau of tank No. 3: in one there are hydraulic motors for driving the rotary consoles and control systems for wing mechanization, in the second, hydraulic units are installed on removable panels. Between tanks number 2 and number 3 is the power beam center section. The niches of the main landing gear are divided among themselves in the plane of fuselage symmetry by the vertical wall and the central part of fuel tank No. 2. Both niches are closed in flight by three wings (side, central and rear), as well as a brake flap. The niches of the rotary wing consoles are designed to clean their root parts by increasing the sweep angle over 16 ° and are placed on both sides in the upper part of the fuselage. When the wing sweeps 16 °, the niches are closed by leaflets spring-loaded from the inside; with an increase in sweep, the root parts of the consoles, pressing the wings, go inside the niches. The front of the engine compartments has hatches used when removing and replacing engines. On them at the external corners are installed the front parts of the ventral ridges.

The center section is used to mount the rotary wing consoles, mounted at the top of the middle part of the fuselage and consists of a power beam with struts and two compartments, which are fixed parts of the wing. The upper and lower zones of the power beam are made of stainless steel VNS-5 at the same time with the eyes of the hinge and are bolted to the walls, the support of the hinge assembly and struts. The walls of the beam inside the fuselage are made of AK4-1 aluminum alloy, and outside it is made of 30KhGSNA steel and form a closed box section with belts. The struts are made in the form of I-beams made of 30KhGSNA steel, having cut-outs for the passage of screw jacks of the rotary consoles and placing the console socks in the minimum sweep position. On the lower surface of the center section compartments, pylons are installed to suspend arms holders (1st and 2nd suspension points). The tail section of the center section consists of upper and lower panels connected to the hinge beam. The tip of the upper panel is made in the form of a rotary shutter, which is pressed against the rotary console by a spring mechanism. The center-wing sweep angle along the leading edge is 69 °; it has a zero installation angle and a negative transverse angle of V −4 ° 30 '.

The tail of the fuselage (behind the frame No. 35) consists of the rear compartments of the engines, the garrot and tail coca. The compartments are equipped with AL-21F-3 engines, as well as steering units for stabilizer consoles control. The rotary halves of the stabilizer, the keel and the rear parts of the ventral ridges are attached to the tail. The power scheme of the rear fuselage includes 11 frames. The power frame consists of a keel and two side beams, two stabilizer axles and a lower part. Gargrot compartment is a continuation of the gargrot of the middle part of the fuselage and has the same purpose. Starting from aircraft No. 15-28, the fuselage tail section is set. The engines are separated from each other by a fire barrier. Inside the motor bays, one of the frames serves as an additional transverse firewall, behind each engine is enclosed in a cylindrical casing.

Engine air intakes - lateral, flat, with a vertical arrangement of the braking wedge. After a series of experiments on serial aircraft (starting from No. 21-26), they stopped installing movable panels and other elements of the control system for the passage section of the air intake duct, leaving only feed flaps whose operation is tied to the flap exhaust / retraction system. In the rear of the air intakes between their lower surface and the air channels are equipment compartments.

Wing and plumage

The wing consists of a center section and rotary parts of the wing. The power unit of the rotary console is a caisson with a power set of four spars and six ribs. The wing mechanization includes four-section slats, three-section double-slotted flaps (in the later series of the aircraft - two-section) and spoilers . The mechanization control system provides first the release of slats at an angle of 27 °, and then the release of flaps at an angle of 34 °, and when flaps are removed, the flaps are first removed, then the slats are removed. The drive of both of them is carried out by the general two-channel hydraulic drive RP-60-3 through the transfer mechanism.

The rotary unit allows you to rearrange the wing at any angle from 16 to 69 degrees, the SPK-2-3 system is made of two-channel, the wing is driven by a two-channel hydraulic motor (RP-60-4 steering drive), the rotation of the shafts of which is transmitted to the rotary nodes through screw converters VP -four. Interceptors are used to increase the lateral control efficiency when the wing sweep is less than 53 °, their total deviation angle is 43 °. On the wing consoles below, there is one swivel suspension pylon installed, which at any sweep angle is always parallel to the aircraft construction axis.

An all-turning stabilizer is used for longitudinal control of the aircraft and its balancing. The stabilizer halves are hung on the power frame of the rear of the fuselage and are deflected by two hydraulic combined units controlled at angles from + 11 ° to −25 °. The sweep angle of the 3/4 chord line is 55 °. The vertical plumage consists of a keel and two ventral crests; the keel sweep along the 3/4 chord line is 55 °. The rudder is mounted on 4 attachment points, is controlled by a hydraulic steering unit and can deviate by angles of ± 24 °. The steering wheel is weighted using three load balancers installed in its nose.

Chassis and brake parachute.

On the plane mounted three-post landing gear with front and two main racks. Two brake wheels KT-172 with tires 950 × 300 mm and normal charging pressure pneumatics 12 kgf / cm2 (1.2 MPa) are installed on the main racks. The front support is equipped with a pair of non-brake wheels KN-21 with tires 660 × 200 mm, and a turning mechanism that allows you to control the aircraft when driving along the airfield. Also, a dust shield is installed on top of the rear wheels of the front support, preventing debris from entering the engine air intakes. The chassis is cleaned and discharged using a hydraulic system; in the event of a malfunction, the chassis is discharged from an emergency pneumatic system, with the front support coming out first, and then the main ones. In the retracted position, the racks are held by mechanical locks with hydraulic control, in the released position - struts (braces and ring locks). Wheel braking is performed from the main pneumatic system of the aircraft, emergency - from the emergency pneumatic system.

The front pillar niche closes with a folding front and two side flaps. The niches of the main supports are equipped with three wings and a brake flap. Track gauge 3.31 m, base - 8.51 m.

The PTK-6 parachute-brake installation consists of a round container with two wings, two exhaust and two main cruciform parachutes, release and release locks. Initially, the container was located in the upper part of the fuselage, starting from aircraft No. 15-28 was moved under the rudder. Brake parachutes are regularly used at every landing.

Power point.

Two ALD-21F-3 turbofan engines (product “89”) were installed on the aircraft with 2 × 11,200 kgf thrust on the afterburner (at ground level) and 7,800 kgf at maximum afterburning mode. Kerosene grades ТС, Т-1 and their mixtures are used as fuel. A feature of the aircraft are electric ore, without mechanical connection with the engines.

Structurally, the engine consists of:

• axial 14-speed compressor with rotary vanes of the guide apparatus;
• straight-through tubular-annular combustion chamber;
• three-stage axial turbine;
• direct-flow three-stabilizer afterburner;
• an adjustable all-mode jet nozzle with an expanding part;
• turbostarter with units of the autonomous launch system;
• unit drive boxes;
• regulation systems and fuel automation;
• engine power systems for fuel and oil, electrical equipment and anti-icing.

The fuel system consists of three internal fuselage tank compartments (the second tank is a consumable tank) and has a capacity of 11,860 liters (on airplanes up to No. 8-11 - 11,200 liters). Fuel is under an overpressure of 0.2 kgf / cm3 (20 kPa) provided by a drainage and pressurization system. It is also possible on a plane to suspend three additional suspension tanks - two wing PTB-3000 and fuselage PTB-2000, which increases the capacity of the fuel system by another 8000 liters. To ensure the required range of alignment, fuel is produced automatically in a certain sequence. Under the action of near-zero and negative overloads, fuel to the engines comes from the storage tank, from where it is squeezed out by air. To control the fuel supply on the aircraft installed fuel and flow meter equipment. Refueling of fuel tanks is carried out centrally through a standard fuel nozzle, in the absence of an airfield tanker - by a dispensing gun through the filler neck of tank No. 1 and the neck of the hanging tanks. An emergency fuel drain system is provided on the aircraft; drain pipelines are led out behind the tail fuselage cockpit.

The fire-fighting equipment of the aircraft consists of a control and fire extinguishing system, as well as a neutral gas system. The latter is intended to protect the aircraft's fuel tanks from explosion during lumbago and damage, as well as to maintain excess pressure in them at all flight modes by boosting them with gaseous nitrogen. Nitrogen is under pressure of 210 kgf / cm2 (21 MPa) in four cylinders of UBTS-16 with a capacity of 16 liters. Aggregates of the neutral gas system are located in the rear of the fuselage between the engine bays.

The hydraulic system of the aircraft .

To increase reliability and survivability, the hydraulic system consists of three independent autonomous hydraulic systems, each of which has its own power sources (NP96A-2 hydraulic pumps, one on each engine), distribution units and pipelines. The working fluid is AMG-10 oil, the total supply of which on the plane is 65 liters. The working pressure in the hydraulic system is 210 kgf / cm2. To stabilize the pressure and smooth out pulsations in the hydraulic system, piston pneumatic accumulators charged with nitrogen are provided.

The first hydraulic system provides operation of control drives of the rotary stabilizer, rudder and spoilers. The second hydraulic system duplicates the first in the part of the steering surfaces drive, and also provides the operation of the wing console rotation systems, the release and cleaning of the flaps and slats, the chassis, the opening and closing of the feed flap of the right intake duct channel, and provides power to the RM-130 steering units. The third hydraulic system is used to activate the rotation system of the wing consoles, control the mechanization, open and close the shutter for feeding the left channel of the air intake, release the brake flaps, turn the wheels on the front strut, switch the nonlinear mechanism, automatically brake the wheels when cleaning the chassis, and control the photo installation.

The aircraft pneumatic system consists of two autonomous systems, the main and the emergency, and is functionally connected to the hydraulic system. Air for both autonomous systems is contained under a pressure of 180-200 kgf / cm2 (18-20 MPa) in six spherical cylinders with a capacity of 6 liters (three cylinders for each system). The main pneumatic system is designed for braking the wheels, as well as crushing the hydraulic fluid in the tank of the third hydraulic system. The emergency pneumatic system is used for emergency braking of the wheels of the main supports and emergency release of the chassis.

Electrical equipment .

The main sources of electricity on the plane are two GT30P48B alternating current generators with a rated voltage of 200/115 V at a frequency of 400 Hz with a power of 30 kVA, two GSR-ST-12 / 40a direct current generators with a rated voltage of 28.5 V and a power of 12 kW each , and two power three-phase transformers for a voltage of 36 V with a frequency of 400 Hz. The backup DC sources are two 20NKBN-25 nickel-cadmium batteries. The emergency sources of alternating single-phase current voltage of 115 V is an electric machine current transformer PO-750A, three-phase current 36 V / 400 Hz - PT-500Ts. To connect ground-based sources of electricity to the on-board network, there are standard connectors for airfield power supply SHRAP-500K and SHRAP-400.

Management system .

The aircraft control system is dual, made according to an irreversible scheme with two-chamber hydraulic boosters installed directly near the controls. Each half of the stabilizer is controlled by its electro-hydraulic drive - a combined control unit KAU-120. The longitudinal control system includes spring loaders, an automatic load control device and a trimmer mechanism. Serially connected to the system is an automatic control regulator, which changes the gear ratios from the control knob to the stabilizer, depending on the speed head and height.

The transverse control is carried out by a differentially deflectable stabilizer, while the movement from the handle by rigid rods is transmitted to the spool of the combined hydraulic booster through a mixing mechanism that allows you to control the stabilizer both along the pitch channel and the roll channel.

Interceptors are connected when the wing sweep is less than 53 °. The control of the spoilers is remote, with the help of electro-hydraulic drives РМ-120, deflecting each section of the spoilers and receiving electrical signals for movement from the induction sensor, mechanically connected to the control handle in the cab. Also in the lateral control system are loading mechanisms and trim effect.

The rudder is driven by a booster BU-190A-2, connected to the pedals by hard wiring. The steering control system includes a damper steering unit, loading mechanisms and trim effect.

The cabin is airtight, ventilation type, ensures the normal operation of the crew in high-altitude suits over the entire range of flight heights. Workplaces of crew members with ejected seats K-36D (from aircraft No. 9-11 - K-36DM) are located nearby: on the left is the seat of the pilot, on the right is the navigator. The emergency escape system allows you to catapult both individually and forcibly in the entire operational range of heights and speeds, as well as on the ground during take-off / run, at a speed of at least 75 km / h. On the dashboard, panels and panels installed along the sides of the cockpit, there are devices and equipment for controlling and monitoring the operation of aircraft systems, power plants, equipment, weapons, aircraft and engine controls. The crew has 46 indicators, 206 signal lamps and button lamps, more than 20 levers, over 300 switches, gas stations, buttons, switches and other controls. The interior color of the cab: in the first series of the car, the cab is gray, the dashboard is black, later dashboards and consoles began to be painted in blue-green (emerald). Intra-cabin lighting is filled with red light. On airplanes starting from No. 14-11, the cockpit is equipped with light-shielding curtains from light radiation from a nuclear explosion (SZ), which are also used for training flights (the so-called "under the curtain" flights).

The lantern of the cabin consists of a fixed part and two shutters that swing back - to the sides independently of each other. The lantern leaf control system provides operational opening and closing, as well as emergency reset of the flaps during ejection. To protect the glass of the front of the lamp from icing, a system of blowing glass with hot air is installed.

The required temperature, air pressure and ventilation in the cab are provided by the air conditioning system . Sealing the cabin along the perimeters of the hinged parts of the lamp is carried out using air-tight sealing hoses, along riveted seams and bolted joints - sealant applied to the inside of the cabin. Pipelines, control rods and electric harnesses are removed from the cab through sealed leads. The inner surface of the cabin is covered with a heat and sound insulating coating.

Coloring an airplane .

Almost all combat aircraft in the USSR received a light gray color from above and from the sides, the lower surface of the fuselage and planes were painted white (the so-called anti-atomic, which protects the surface from light flashes). Delivered abroad at the request of the customer could have a different camouflage color.

However, a feature of all Su-24s is the chronically dirty fuselage belly, especially in the engine area. An emblem is drawn on the port side of the cab - the manufacturer’s logo. Also in the regiments armed with the Su-24, various drawings and emblems applied to the fuselage gained widespread practice, the so-called “side painting”.

Automatic flight control system SAU-6 .

The aircraft can be controlled via pitch, roll and course channels both by the crew and by the automatic control system SAU-6. This self-propelled gun can operate in stabilization modes of the trajectory, damping, as well as provide low-altitude flight with enveloping the terrain according to the RPS "Relief" information. The signals of the automatic control system are fed directly to the input of the hydraulic booster and electro-hydraulic units deflecting the steering surfaces. In case of failure of self-propelled guns in low-altitude flight mode, special steering units are provided in the longitudinal and lateral control systems, which ensure safe departure of the aircraft from the ground and bring it to zero roll.

Aiming and navigation system PNS-24 "Puma"

The system is designed to solve the following problems:

• round-the-clock all-weather detection and aiming of tactical ground targets with all types of aircraft weapons;
• autonomous and automatic solution of problems of self-driving with programming a given route;
• ensuring safe low-altitude flight with collision avoidance and flying around ground obstacles in a vertical plane;
• ensuring targeted destruction of low-maneuverable air targets (transport, liaison aircraft, etc.) when they are detected visually or using a heat finder.

The PNS-24 “Puma” includes: “Orion-A” front-facing radar (RPO), “Relief” radar for collision warning with ground-based natural obstacles (RPS), “Filin” passive radar direction finder (PRP), electron-optical “Chaika-1” sight, TP-23E heat direction finder , “Arkan” X-23 missile guidance system with “Delta” radio command line and “Taran” television direction finder, DISS-7 Doppler speed and angle measuring instrument , small radio altimeters (RV-3MP ) and large (RV-18A1 "Krona") heights, small inertial MIS-P system, airborne signal system SVS-PN-5-3, automatic control system for aircraft SAU-6, display system with sighting and pilot sight PPV, on-board digital computer system based on the Orbita-10 computer (TsVU-10- 058), communication equipment and a number of other systems. The mass of the system is 837 kg.

Radio communication equipment

• command VHF / DCV radio station R-832M "Eucalyptus"
• short-wave transceiver R-847 "Prism" (or R-846; on airplanes with N15-28 - R-864)
• aircraft intercom SPU-9
• tape recorder MS-61

Radio navigation equipment

• RSBN-6s “rhomb-1K” onboard radio navigation system
• RSDN-10 airborne long-range radio navigation system
• ARK-10 automatic radio compass (on aircraft of later series - ARK-15M)
• aircraft transponder SO-63B,
• antenna-feeder system (AFS) "Pion-GT-6", providing the operation of RSBN-6s, SO-63B and the transponder of the state recognition system.
• marker radio MPP-56P.

Airborne defense complex BKO-2M

• radiation warning station SPO-10 “Sirena-3M”, subsequently SPO-15 “Birch”
• jamming station "Lilac-F" (or newer "Geranium" or "Gardenia")
• heat locator "Mak-UL" (Su-24M)
• APP-50 jamming automatic machine (“DO” and “LTC” )

And:

• state identification equipment SRZO-2M "Silicon-2M", subsequently replaced by ed. 62 "Password"
• “Tester-U3” objective control equipment (up to the N8-11 aircraft, SARPP equipment was installed)

The armament of the Su-24 includes:

• small arms
• unguided aerial bomber weapons
• unguided missiles
• air-to-surface and air-to-radar guided missiles
• air-to-air guided missiles.

The aircraft has 8 suspension points: four under the fuselage, two under the center wing, and two under the rotary wing consoles. The maximum mass of the combat load of the Su-24 is 7500 kg. To accomplish the tasks of preparing and selecting types of weapons, controlling the launch (discharge) of aviation weapons and fuses with various aircraft loading options, an on-board weapon control system (LMS) is intended.

Small arms armament consists of a built-in cannon mount - a six-barreled gun GSh-6-23 or GSh-6-23M (AO-19, product 9A-620 or 9A-768) of 23 mm caliber, with 500 rounds of ammunition. The gun is located on the lower surface of the fuselage at the junction with the right air intake. The rate of fire of the cannon mount is up to 9 thousand rounds per minute, the initial velocity of the projectile is 715 m / s, the recoil is 4500 kgf (44 kN), the mass of the gun is 73 kg.

In addition to VPU, three removable movable cannon mounts SPPU-6 can be suspended on a plane.

Bombing weapons consist of unguided bombs of caliber 1,500,500,250 and 100 kg, one-time bomb cartridges (RBK-500 and RBK-250), incendiary tanks (ZB-500) placed on external suspensions on beam holders of the 4th and 3rd groups. It is possible to hang 3 FAB-1500 bombs on the plane on BD4-U beam holders, 10 FAB-500M-62 bombs on 2 BD3-USK-B beam holders and 4 multi-castle MBDZ-U2, 14 FAB-250M-62 bombs on multi- castle MBDZ holders -U6-68 (3 on each under the center wing and 2 on the fuselage) or 28 shorter FAB-250M-54 (4x4 fuselage + 2x6 on the center wing, - version with maximum bomb load), 36 OFAB-100-120 on holders MBDZ-U6-68.

Unguided missile weapons consist of 57, 80, 240 and 266/340 (420) mm caliber missiles with fragmentation, high-explosive, cumulative and penetrating warheads, as well as special-purpose missiles. 57 mm unguided rockets of the caliber are used from UB-32A-73 blocks, which have 32 launchers, and are represented by SAR-5M, S-5MO, S-5K, S-5KO (KP) types of high-explosive, high-explosive fragmentation warheads , cumulative and cumulative-fragmentation type, respectively, specialized missiles for lighting (C-5-O) and anti-radar (C-5P) purposes. 80 mm unguided missiles are used from 20-barrel B-8M blocks and can be equipped with cumulative-fragmentation (NAR S-8, S-8V, S-8A, S-8M) or high-explosive penetrating (S-8B) warheads, arrow-shaped striking elements (NAR S-8BC, S-8AC). Heavy unguided missiles of the S-24 (S-24B) type, 240 mm caliber, have a high-explosive fragmentation warhead and are used from APU-68UM2 aviation launchers. 266 mm S-25 unguided missiles have a super-caliber fragmentation warhead (S-25-O) or high-explosive fragmentation (S-25-OF) with a diameter of 420 and 340 mm, respectively, and are launched from disposable devices 0-25. At the same time, up to 6 UB-32 and B-8M blocks, 4 S-24 missiles or 6 0-25 devices with NAR S-25 can be suspended on a plane.

Guided missiles include tactical guided missiles (UR) of the air-surface class X-23 and anti-radar guided missiles X-28 and X-58 . UR X-23 (product "68") has a radio command guidance system with the transmission of control commands over the Delta radio line, the equipment of which is installed on board the carrier aircraft and rockets. On the Su-24 aircraft, it is possible to suspend 4 X-23 missiles on APU-68UM2 launching devices. The guided missile class "air-radar" X-28 (product "D-8") has a passive radar homing head. UR X-58 (product "D-7") has a similar purpose and guidance system. Two X-28 missiles (on PU-28 launchers) or two X-58 (on AKU-58-1 aircraft ejection devices) can be suspended from an airplane. For self-defense, the first series of aircraft used air-to-air missiles with the R-55 GSN (upgraded RS-2US), later on the R-60 (they can be mounted on double nodes of the APU-60-II type ) under rotary pylons moving parts of the wing.

The PNS-24M Tiger-NS sighting and navigation system was installed on the basis of the Kaira-24 laser-television sighting station (from the MiG-27 K), with the TsVU-10-058K BTsVM ; airborne defense complex, more modern radio navigation and communications equipment, the system of objective control and recording of flight parameters has been improved. Also slightly modified electrical equipment and hydraulic system. A retractable refueling rod was installed in flight with the GPT-2 receiver. The fuselage is lengthened by increasing the bow compartment of the equipment. Some changes in the design of the airframe - the shape of the keel, the change in the shape of the LDPE, additional operational hatches, the installation of aerodynamic ridges on the wing, etc.

Radio navigation equipment:

• short-range radio engineering system A-321 or A-324 "Klystron" (instead of RSBN-6s "Rhombus-1K")
• Long Range Navigation Radio Engineering System (RSDN) A-720 “Skip-2”
• ARK-15M "Tobol" automatic radio compass (also installed on the latest Su-24 series)
• marker radio MPP-56P or A-611
• aircraft transponder СО-69 (instead of СО-63Б)
• AFS "Pion-GT-6M (K) 9", which provides the RSBN "Klystron", SO-69 and 6201

The radio communication equipment includes the command MV-DMV radio station R-862 (instead of the VHF radio station R-832M) and the short-wave radio station R-864G (instead of R-847), equipment T-819, SPU-9, MS-61, R-855um

Airborne Defense Complex (BKO) "Karpaty":

• Radio intelligence station SPO-15C "Birch" (ed. L-006S) (also installed on the latest Su-24 series)
• heat locator "Poppy" (L-082)
• Gardenia active jamming station (L-101, 102)
• APP-50 dipole reflector and false thermal target shooting system with two holder blocks of 12 rounds of caliber 50 mm each, located on the upper surface of the fuselage on both sides of the vertical tail
• computing-control device "Neon-F" (ed. L-167)

Thanks to the installation of a new sighting system on the aircraft, it became possible to regularly use ammunition with laser, television and television command guidance - adjustable bombs and missiles:

• 4 missiles X-23 (X-23M) or X-25MR with a radio command guidance system
• 4 X-25 or X-25ML missiles with a semi-active laser guidance system
• 3 X-29 L missiles with a semi-active laser guidance system
• 3 X-29T missiles with a homing television head
• 2-3 X-59 missiles with a television command guidance system
• 6 S-25 L missiles with a semi-active laser guidance system
• 2 X-58 missiles with passive homing radar
• adjustable bombs of the type KAB-500 L, KAB-1500L, KAB-1500TK

All aircraft of the Su-24 type are structurally complex machines and require highly trained both flight and ground personnel. High saturation with electronics and automation reduces the reliability of on-board systems. In the initial period of operation due to failures, the fleet was in poor condition, and numerous improvements were made. However, failures in many aircraft systems are not critical to the safe completion of the flight, which was originally envisaged by the developers.

The emergency escape system, according to the instructions, ensures safe emergency exit of the aircraft in flight, as well as during take-off or run at a speed of at least 70 km / h. However, there is a known case of abnormal triggering of the navigator’s seat in the parking lot (in the process of starting the engines and the pressure in the hydraulic system, the jerked control knob turned into a neutral position and, catching on the catapult holder, triggered the operation of the seat). The seat was ejected with the navigator sitting in it, all the seat systems worked normally and the man’s landing went fine. After this incident, on all aircraft, when turning the aircraft, the all-turning stabilizer was fixed with the halyard thrown over the fuselage, preventing it from moving - while the aircraft was stationary and the pressure on the hydraulic system was not in place, the stabilizer socks spontaneously tended to lower downwards, to be Cabrioled , the ejection seat was also improved.

The following characteristics correspond to the modification of the Su-24M :

Specifications

• Crew : 2 people
• Length : 24.594 m (with LDPE)
• Wing span :
  • at sweep angle χ = 16 °: 17.638 m
  • at sweep angle χ = 69 °: 10.366 m
• Height : 6.193 m
• Wing area:
  • with sweep angle χ = 16 °: 55.16 m²
  • at a sweep angle χ = 69 °: 51 m²
• The coefficient of elongation of the wing:
  • at sweep angle χ = 16 °: 5.64
  • at sweep angle χ = 69 °: 2.107
• Sweep angle on the leading edge: 16 ° / 35 ° / 45 ° / 69 °
• Cross V wing: −4.5 °
• Base chassis: 8.51 m
• Track track: 3.31 m
• Empty weight: 21200 kg
• Curb weight: 22300 kg
• Normal take-off weight: 32,300 kg
• Maximum take-off weight : 39,700 kg
• Normal landing weight: 24500 kg
• Maximum landing weight: 28000 kg
• The mass of fuel in internal tanks: 9800 kg
• Fuel tank capacity: 13,000 l
• Powerplant: 2 × TRDDF AL-21F-Z
  • After- draft : 2 × 7800 kgf (76.5 kN)
  • Afterburner traction: 2 × 11200 kgf (110 kN)

Flight characteristics

• Maximum speed:
  • at an altitude of 200 m: 1400 km / h (without suspensions)
  • at high altitude: 1700 km / h ( M = 1.6)
• Breakaway speed: 360-400 km / h
• Landing speed: 285-310 km / h
• Combat radius: 560 km (at an altitude of 200 m with anti-aircraft missile and normal combat load)
• Ferry range: 3055 km (with PTB)
• Practical ceiling : 11,000 m
• Wing load: 607 kg / m² (at normal take-off weight at χ = ​​16 °)
• Thrust- to-weight ratio: 0.67 / 0.56 (with normal / maximum take-off weight on the afterburner)
• Take-off length: 1150-1250 m (with normal take-off weight)
• Mileage: 950-1000 m (with normal take-off weight and with a parachute)
• Maximum operational overload : + 6.5G

Armament

• Small arms: 1 x six-barrel 23-mm gun GSh-6-23 with 500 rounds
• Combat load: 7000 kg (maximum), 8 weapons suspension units
• Guided missiles:
  • air-to-air missiles : 2 × P-60 (AA-8)
  • air-to-ground missiles :
    • 4 × X-25ML / MR or X-23
    • 3 × X-29L / T or X-59
    • 6 × S-25L
    • - × X-35 ^[10]
    • 2 × X-58
• Unguided missiles :
  • 192 (6 × 32) × 57 mm S-5 in blocks UB-32 or
  • 120 (6 × 20) × 80 mm S-8 in B-8M blocks or
  • 30 (6 × 5) × 122 mm S-13 in blocks B-13L or
  • 4 × 240 mm S-24 or
  • 6 × 266 mm S-25
• Bombs : freely falling and correctable for various purposes, bomb cartridges in different combinations, but not more than 7000 kg:
  • 3 × 1500 kg (FAB-1500, KAB-1500L / TK, etc.) on beam holders BD4-USK-B or
  • 8 × 500 kg (KAB-500L / KR, ZB-500, FAB-500M-62) on beam holders BD3-USK-A (B) or
  • 16 x 250 kg (FAB-250M-62, RBC-250) "or" 28 × 250 kg FAB-250M-54 or
  • 32 × 100 kg (OFAB-100) on holders MBDZ-Ub or
  • 8 × containers KMGU-2
• Gun containers: 3 × SPPU-6 with 23 mm GSh-6-23 gun with 400 shells
• Hanging container "Fantasmagoria" for target designation of X-58 missiles

Afghan war

In the Afghan war of 1979-1989, the Soviet Su-24 was used to a limited extent. They were engaged in combat work only during the Panjshir operation of 1984 and to cover the withdrawal of Soviet troops in 1988-1989. Su-24s were never based in Afghanistan, operating from air bases in Central Asia. There were no combat losses.

Gulf war

The Su-24 Iraqi Air Force did not make any sorties during the Gulf War and was flown to Iran, which appropriated these aircraft after the war ended.

Karabakh war

Airplanes, inherited by Azerbaijan , were used in a limited way during the Karabakh war . For various reasons, 4 aircraft were lost ^[17] .

Tajik Civil War

Since 1992, the Su-24 Air Force of Uzbekistan participated in the civil war in Tajikistan , one machine was shot down.

Chechen conflict

The Russian Air Force Su-24 were used during both Chechen wars - they were used mainly for the use of precision guided weapons. In total, three Su-24s were shot down or crashed in the North Caucasus, and three more were burned at the airfield in preparation for a sortie.

The war in South Ossetia

The Su-24 Russian Air Force was used in 2008 during the war in South Ossetia ^[18] . The official Russian summaries of Su-24 casualties were not mentioned, but some experts pointed to the loss of two ^{[19] [20] [21]} aircraft of this type (see in more detail ). In 2012, Lieutenant Colonel Vladimir Bogodukhov , who received the title of Hero of Russia for combat missions in South Ossetia, said in an interview with the Argumenty i Fakty newspaper that during the war one Su-24 was shot down, the crew of the aircraft ejected and landed at the location of Russian troops ^[22] . Colonel Igor Rzhavitin , who died in a sortie on a Su-24, was posthumously awarded the title of Hero of Russia.

Libyan Civil War

One Libyan Su-24 was shot down by rebel fire during the Libyan civil war in 2011 ^{[23] [24] [25] [26]} .

Armed conflict in eastern Ukraine

The Su-24 Ukrainian Air Force in 2014 was used during the conflict in the east of the country . According to Ukrainian data, on October 4, 2014, two Su-24Ms were shot down from the ground by fire and one Su-24 was lost as a result of equipment failure ^[27] .

Syrian Civil War

Used by the Syrian Air Force in the Civil War . September 23, 2014, a Patriot rocket over Syrian territory shot down a Su-24, which inadvertently invaded 800 meters into Israeli airspace. One pilot died, the second survived ^{[28] [29]} .

Russian military operation in Syria

Since September 30, 2015, the Su-24M has been used by the Russian Air Force in Syria to fight the Islamic State terrorist organization during the Russian military operation in Syria ^{[30] [31] [32] [33]} . They completed almost half of sorties ^[34] .

November 24, 2015 Su-24M was shot down by a Turkish F-16 fighter in the area of ​​the Syrian-Turkish border. Both pilots ejected, but one of them was killed while parachuting.
On October 10, 2017, a second accident occurred in Syria: a bomber crashed during take-off from the Khmeimim airfield; the crew died. The Ministry of Defense called the cause of the accident a technical malfunction ^[35] .

Aircraft were used in the spring of 2016 for bombing ice jams on the rivers of the Urals and Western Siberia. ^[36]

Su-24 is considered quite difficult to pilot a machine and has a high accident rate. Only during flight tests were lost 14 Su-24 and Su-24M. After taking the aircraft into service, 5-6 accidents and catastrophes occurred annually, in particular, during the period 1988-1992, 27 aircraft crashed ^[37] .

According to the Deputy Air Force Commander-in-Chief Viktor Kot, for 1998 the Su-24 was the most emergency aircraft in Russian military aviation ^[38] .

Armed

•   Azerbaijan - 2 Su-24M as of 2017 ^[83]
•   Algeria - 33 Su-24M / Su-24MK and 4 Su-24MR, as of 2017 ^[84]
•   Iran - 29 Su-24MK as of 2017 ^[85]
•   Russia - 70 Su-24M / M2 and 79 Su-24MR as of 2018 ^[86]
•   Syria - 21 Su-24M / M2 as of 2018 ^{[87] [88]}
•   Sudan - 6 Su-24M as of 2017 ^[89]
•   Ukraine - 14 SU-24M and 9 SU-24MR as of 2017 ^[90]

Armed

•   Angola - 1 Su-24 as of 2011 ^[91] In 2017, it is not listed in the ranks.
•   Iraq - part destroyed during the 1991 war, the rest flew to Iran.
•   Belarus - 23 Su-24M and 12 Su-24MR, as of 2010 ^[92] . Discontinued in 2012 ^[93] .
•   Uzbekistan - 23 Su-24 and 11 Su-24MR, as of 2015 ^[94] In 2017, it is not in service.
•   Kazakhstan - 25 Su-24 / Su-24M as of 2015 ^[95] In 2017, it is not in service.
•   Libya - 6 Su-24MK, as of 2010. Destroyed during the Civil War in Libya .

On August 31, 2016, the operation of the Su-24 bombers in the initial version (without the letter in the index) was completed in Russia. The bombers were withdrawn from service ^[96] . Su-24M / M2 should be removed from service by 2020, possibly a little later (Su-24M2) ^{[97] [98] [99]} . The functions of the aircraft will be performed by the Su-34 “Duckling” and the upgraded Su-25 SM / SM3 “Rook” ^[100] .

• Su-34
• F-111
• F-15E Strike Eagle
• Panavia tornado

Footnotes

• Gordon E.I. Terrible "Swordsman" (Russian) // AeroHobby: magazine. - Kiev, 1994. - No. 2 (6) . - S. 2-12 .
• Levin M. Front-line bomber Su-24 and his American "uncle" (Russian) // Wings of the Motherland . - M. , 1994. - No. 10 . - S. 1-5 . - ISSN 0130-2701 .

• Su-24 Fencer configuration detailed . // Flight International : Official organ of the Royal Aero Club. - London: IPC Transport Press Ltd, 16 May 1981. - Vol. 119. - No. 3758. - P. 1369. - ISSN 0015-3710.
• Description of the Su-24 on the website of the company "Sukhoi"
• Su-24 / 24M. Accidents, disasters and combat losses
• SU-24 Front-line bomber // airwar.ru
• SU-24M Front-line bomber // airwar.ru
• SU-24M2 Front-line bomber // airwar.ru
• SU-24MK Front-line bomber // airwar.ru
• SU-24MP Aircraft jammer // airwar.ru
• SU-24MR Front-line reconnaissance aircraft // airwar.ru
• SU-24M (TK) Tactical tanker // airwar.ru