Su-27SM

This page is about the Russian jet fighter Su-27SM. For other versions, see Su-27 (Family).

Su-27SM

Su-27

Su-27SM

Su-27

USSR

VIII Rank

Battle rating:

AB	RB	SB
13.7	13.7	13.7

Class:

Fighter

Jet fighter

Research:420 000

Purchase:1 120 000

Show in game

Description

After the dissolution of the USSR, the Russian Federation cancelled many future aircraft projects meant to replace the existing inventory, such as the Su-37 and MiG-1.44. Due to the tight budget of the post-Soviet era, it was instead decided to upgrade existing aircraft with modern avionics and weaponry. The first of such upgrades was the Su-27SM (NATO reporting name: Flanker-B). The Su-27SM upgrade focused primarily on avionics, fire control, and flight control systems, with the primary upgrades being a new cockpit overhaul featuring HOTAS controls, multiple new multi-function displays replacing the old analog instruments, an entirely new navigation system using GLONASS (the Russian equivalent to GPS), a new fire-control system with an improved radar and electro-optical sighting system (IRST) allowing compatibility with new missiles such as the R-77 and slaving of weaponry such as the Kh-29 to the air-to-ground modes in the radar, and a far more advanced mission computer. Finally, the defensive suite was also overhauled, with the SPO-15 Beryoza being replaced by the modern Pastel radar warning receiver, and the famous Sorbtsiya wingtip jamming pods were also replaced by the more modern Khibiny system. The first Su-27SMs began trials in the late '90s and started entering service shortly after the turn of the century. The Su-27SM standard would receive various upgrades throughout its life, culminating in the modern day Su-27SM3 variant.

Introduced in Update "Seek & Destroy", the Su-27SM will be very familiar and is in most aspects similar to the previous Su-27 in the tech tree. The primary differences are its armament, as the Su-27SM has access to the new R-77 Active Radar Homing missile to increase its lethality in air combat. More importantly, the Su-27SM offers guided ordnance options over its predecessor, in the forms of the KAB-500 TV guided bombs, the Kh-29TD medium range TV guided missiles, and the unique KAB-1500Kr, one of the largest TV guided weapons in-game. The Su-27SM unfortunately does not fix the main shortcomings of its predecessor against its contemporaries, such as the insufficiently low amount of countermeasures, the sub-par radar system, or the unstable flight dynamics. All in all, the Su-27SM serves as a step up from its predecessor, and in the right hands, can prove to be a dangerous aircraft in both air-to-air and air-to-ground engagements.

General info

Flight performance

Air brakes

Allows you to dramatically reduce the flight speed by releasing special flaps

Drogue parachute

Reduces braking distance when landing on any runway

Max speed

at 12 000 m2 498 km/h

Turn time23 s

Max altitude16 000 m

Engine2 х Saturn AL-31F

Type

Cooling systemAir

Take-off weight46 t

Describe how the aircraft behaves in the air. Speed, manoeuvrability, acceleration and allowable loads - these are the most important characteristics of the vehicle.

Characteristics	Max speed (km/h at 12000 m)		Max altitude (metres)	Turn time (seconds)		Rate of climb (metres/second)		Take-off run (metres)
	AB	RB		AB	RB	AB	RB
Stock	2401	2357	16000	24.5	25.0	186.7	174.6	750
Upgraded	___	___		__._	__._	__._	__._

Details

Features
Combat flaps	Take-off flaps	Landing flaps	Air brakes	Arrestor gear	Drogue chute
✓	✓	✓	✓	X	✓

Limits
Wings (km/h)	Gear (km/h)	Flaps (km/h)			Max Static G
		Combat	Take-off	Landing	+	-
0	700	___	___	___	~__	~__

Optimal velocities (km/h)
Ailerons	Rudder	Elevators	Radiator
< ___	< ___	< ___	-

Engine performance

Engine			Aircraft mass
Engine name		Number	Basic mass		Wing loading (full fuel)
Saturn AL-31F		2	_,___ kg		___ kg/m2
Engine characteristics			Mass with fuel (no weapons load)			Max Gross Weight
Weight (each)	Type		_m fuel	__m fuel	__m fuel
1,520 kg	Afterburning low-bypass turbofan		_,___ kg	_,___ kg	_,___ kg	_,___ kg
Maximum engine thrust @ 0 m (RB/SB)			Thrust to weight ratio @ 0 m (___%/WEP)
Condition	100%	___%/WEP	_m fuel	__m fuel	__m fuel	MGW
Stationary	___ kgf	___ kgf	_.__	_.__	_.__	_.__
Optimal	___ kgf (_ km/h)	___ kgf (_ km/h)	_.__	_.__	_.__	_.__

Survivability and armour

Flares/Chaff

Aircraft countermeasures to distract IR and radar-guided missiles and also AA radar

Crew1 person

Speed of destruction

Structural0 km/h

Gear700 km/h

Examine the survivability of the aircraft. Note how vulnerable the structure is and how secure the pilot is, whether the fuel tanks are armoured, etc. Describe the armour, if there is any, and also mention the vulnerability of other critical aircraft systems.

Modifications and economy

Repair costBasic → Reference

AB2 946 → 4 469

RB8 476 → 12 858

SB9 989 → 15 153

Total cost of modifications318 000

483 000

Talisman cost3 300

Crew training320 000

Experts1 120 000

Aces3 800

Research Aces1 430 000

Reward for battleAB / RB / SB

90 / 320 / 500 %

262 / 262 / 262 %

Modifications

Flight performance	Survivability	Weaponry
Compressor Research: 11 000 Cost: 17 000 450 New boosters Research: 10 000 Cost: 15 000 410 Wings repair Research: 16 000 Cost: 24 000 660 Engine Research: 17 000 Cost: 26 000 700	Fuselage repair Research: 11 000 Cost: 17 000 450 G-suit Research: 10 000 Cost: 15 000 410 Airframe Research: 10 000 Cost: 15 000 410 Cover Research: 16 000 Cost: 24 000 660 EFS Research: 17 000 Cost: 26 000 700	GSh_301_belt_pack Research: 11 000 Cost: 17 000 450 Flares/Chaff Research: 11 000 Cost: 17 000 450 S-8KO Research: 11 000 Cost: 17 000 450 FAB-250 Research: 11 000 Cost: 17 000 450 R-27T/R-27ET Research: 10 000 Cost: 15 000 410 GSh_301_new_gun Research: 10 000 Cost: 15 000 410 S-25 Research: 10 000 Cost: 15 000 410 FAB-500 Research: 10 000 Cost: 15 000 410 R-73 Research: 16 000 Cost: 24 000 660 B-13L Research: 16 000 Cost: 24 000 660 KAB-500Kr Research: 16 000 Cost: 24 000 660 R-27R/R-27ER Research: 17 000 Cost: 26 000 700 R-77 Research: 17 000 Cost: 26 000 700 40px Kh-29TD Research: 17 000 Cost: 26 000 700 KAB-1500Kr Research: 17 000 Cost: 26 000 700

Armaments

Ballistic Computer
CCIP (Guns)	CCIP (Rockets)	CCIP (Bombs)	CCRP (Bombs)	EEGS

Offensive armament

The Su-27SM is armed with:

• 1 x 30 mm GSh-30-1 cannon, wing root-mounted (150 rpg)
• 96 x large calibre countermeasures

Suspended armament

The Su-27SM can be outfitted with the following ordnance:

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10
100 kg OFAB-100 bombs		1	6	6	6	6	6	6	1
250 kg FAB-250M-62 bombs			1, 2	1	1	1	1	1, 2
250 kg OFAB-250-270 bombs		1	1, 2, 6	1, 5	1, 4	1, 2	1, 5	1, 2, 6	1
250 kg OFAB-250Sh bombs			1, 2	1	1	1	1	1, 2
500 kg FAB-500M-62 bombs			1, 2	1	1	1	1	1, 2
500 kg FAB-500Sh bombs			1, 2	1	1	1	1	1, 2
500 kg KAB-500Kr bombs			1	1			1	1
1,500 kg KAB-1500Kr bombs					1
ZB-500 incendiary bombs			1, 2	1	1	1	1	1, 2
S-8KO rockets			20, 40					20, 40
S-13OF rockets			5, 10					5, 10
S-25O rockets			1, 2					1, 2
S-25OF rockets			1, 2					1, 2
S-25OFM rockets			1, 2					1, 2
Kh-29TD missiles			1	1			1	1
R-27ER missiles			1	1	1	1	1	1
R-27ET missiles			1					1
R-27R missiles			1	1	1	1	1	1
R-27T missiles			1					1
R-73 missiles	1	1	1					1	1	1
R-77 missiles			1	1	1, 2	1, 2	1	1
Maximum permissible weight imbalance: 1,500 kg

Default weapon presets

Without load 2 x R-73 missiles + 2 x R-77 missiles 6 x R-73 missiles 2 x R-27T missiles 6 x R-27R missiles 2 x R-27ET missiles 6 x R-27ER missiles 6 x R-77 missiles 80 x S-8KO rockets 20 x S-13OF rockets 4 x S-25O rockets 4 x Kh-29TD missiles 38 x 100 kg OFAB-100 bombs (3,800 kg total) 30 x 250 kg OFAB-250-270 bombs (7,500 kg total) 8 x 250 kg FAB-250M-62 bombs (2,000 kg total) 8 x 250 kg OFAB-250Sh bombs (2,000 kg total) 8 x 500 kg FAB-500M-62 bombs (4,000 kg total) 8 x 500 kg FAB-500Sh bombs (4,000 kg total) 4 x 500 kg KAB-500Kr bombs (2,000 kg total) 1 x 1,500 kg KAB-1500Kr bomb (1,500 kg total) 8 x ZB-500 incendiary bombs

Usage in battles

Describe the tactics of playing in the aircraft, the features of using aircraft in a team and advice on tactics. Refrain from creating a "guide" - do not impose a single point of view, but instead, give the reader food for thought. Examine the most dangerous enemies and give recommendations on fighting them. If necessary, note the specifics of the game in different modes (AB, RB, SB).

Pros and cons

Pros:

• Very effective dorsal airbrake
• Deadly at close range when using the R-73/R-77
• The largest amount of A2A missiles mounted on a jet, at 12
• Access to the largest GBU in game, the KAB-1500Kr
• Can carry 4 Kh-29TD guided missiles

Cons:

• Poor energy retention, effective turn rate between 400-850 km/h below ≈3,500 m
• R-77's have practically half the range of its adversary, the AIM-120 AMRAAM
• Can only datalink two targets, making it hard to keep up with its contemporaries

History

Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the aircraft in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too long, take it to a separate article, taking a link to the article about the vehicle and adding a block "/History" (example: https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Vehicle-name)/History) and add a link to it here using the main template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <ref></ref>, as well as adding them at the end of the article with <references />. This section may also include the vehicle's dev blog entry (if applicable) and the in-game encyclopedia description (under === In-game description ===, also if applicable).

Devblog

The modernization program for the aging Su-27s in the Russian Air Force fleet was developed at KnAAPO at the end of 2002. This program aimed to qualitatively improve the combat qualities of the aircraft, improve flight performance and expand its capabilities. The Su-27 received a new RWR, an updated weapons control system and an updated radar for operating R-77 missiles, air-to-surface missiles and KAB-500Kr and KAB-1500Kr guided bombs. The first serially modernized Su-27SM were put into service in 2003, where it's currently in service with the Russian Air Force.

Media

Videos

The Shooting Range #417 - Metal Beasts section at 00:24 discusses the Su-27SM.

See also

Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:

• reference to the series of the aircraft;
• links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.

External links

• [Devblog] Su-27SM: Ferocious Flanker!

Sukhoi Design Bureau (Сухого Опытное конструкторское бюро)
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