The Su24 Fencer had been in servce since 1976. It is a heavy strike aircraft that has many similarities with the F-111. Since the deployment of the basic Fence there have been a number of developments and variants deployed.
Su24M (FencerD) This is a theater attack aircraft. Using developments in the Russian Aviation industry it was able to use a terrain avoidance radar allowing very low level attacks. It had a longer nose for the additional avionics. A in-fligh-refueling probe was fitted centerally forward of the windshield, along with a laser range finder and designator aft of the nose wheel bay. This expanded the guided weapons range to include laser guided weapons.
Su24MR (FencerE) The Su24MR is a reconisance version of the SU24M. The attack capability has been removed. Equipment includes, Shtik side-looking airborne multimission radar in a shortened radome, Zilmar IR reconissance system, Aist-M TV reconnisance system with both panoramic and oblique lenses. A Shiplar laser pod can be carried on the centerline hardpoint with Tangazh electronic intelligence pods or Efir-1M radiation detector pods on swivelling pylons. Two R-60 short range defence missiles are carried. Data aquired through the sensors can be transmitted 'real time' to command centers on the ground through a secure digital data link.
Su24MP (FencerF) This is an electronic warfare (EW) variant similar to the EF-111 Raven aircraft. Only 12 of these aircraft were built. They were able to carry four R-60 AAMs and had a centerline EW pod.
| Specifications for the AL-21F-3A | Data |
|---|---|
| Thrust, (sea level, static, dry), (kg) | Not Avaliable |
| Thrust, (sea level, static, after burning), (pounds) | 24 690 |
| In flight refueling provision | Present |
| Specification | Measurement |
|---|---|
| Wing Span when spread | 57 ft 10.5 in |
| Wing Span when swept | 34 ft |
| Length (excluding nose probe) | 80 ft 8 in |
| Height | 30 ft 3.75 in |
| Aircraft State | Weight |
|---|---|
| Empty | 49 163 lb |
| Maximum take-off | 87 235 lb |
| Action | Data |
|---|---|
| Max speed at height | Mach 1.35 |
| Max speed at sea level | Mach 1.08 |
| Ceiling | 57 400 ft |
| Take off run | 4 265 ft |
| Landing run | 3 120 ft |
| Comabt radius (lo-lo-lo) | > 200 miles |
| Combat radius (hi-lo-hi) with 6 615 lb of weapons and two external tanks | 650miles |
| Number and Category | Type |
|---|---|
| One 23 mm cannon | 150 rounds |
| 2 Air to Air missiles | R-60 (AA-8 "Aphid") |
| 17 857 lb of air-to-surface weapons including | TN-1000 (tac nuke) |
| TN1200 | |
| up to 4 | TV or laser guided bombs |
| conventional bomb loads | |
| unguided rockets | |
| gun pods | |
| guided air-to-surface missiles |
Copyright © 1996 Andrew Juniper
