Sukhoi Su-56 SuperManeuverability Flanker-D

Top view of Su-35 (Su-27M)

When the Sukhoi Design Bereau designed the Su-27 "Flanker" (real name "Zhuravlik" or Crane), it set a precedent unheard of in Russia. The "Flanker" was sleeker, meaner than any current airplane in the Russian military. It also featured newer systems, making the older aircraft sluggish compared to the Su-27. Along with the Mig-29 "Fulcrum", these were Russia's newest generation fighters, giving NATO military commander new headaches. These threw any future combat into balance in Russia's case. The Su-27 later on spawned a new family of fighters (currently Su-27/30/30MK/32FN/33/34/35/37) that were just as potent as Western fighters. Many were exported, with sales high and licenced version produced. Later on, the Sukhoi OKB reworked the Su-27 into the Su-33, slightly larger and incorporating forward canards to improve the already superb maneuverability of the plane. This was reworked into the Su-35, which incorporated a larger radome and improved cockpit controls, including four MFDs (despite what most people think, some aircraft still have the old analog dials, including the F-15, which is still one of the premier fighters around today). The forward canards were introduced in front of the main wing to give more energy in flight. Called Close Coupled Canards, they create vortices over the wing, which in turn produces more lift and more energy, generally improving maneuverability and increasing the AoA (Angle of Attack), and reducing the stall speed of the aircraft. This is what is called "tandem triplane" (wings + tailplanes + canards). Then around the early 1990's, Sukhoi introduced vectored thrust engines (2D) to the design. This improved the maneuverability considerably. The first appearance of the "Su-37" (tail code right now "711"), as it became known, at the Farnborough Airshow in 1996. It demonstrated also in 1997, at the Paris Air Show, and reportedly was the only one to get an applause (even the mostly French crowd applaused, more than when the Rafale [Squall] did it's routine). The most important feature of the engines was the thrust vectoring itself. This allowed the Su-37 to achieve phenomenal turn rates, and maneuvers that most aircraft would rapidly deteriorate and "flame out". The engine was also modular, allowing succesive variants as well as current designs to incorporate the system as well. The engine was controlled by the flight computer, and also had a manual switch in case the engines locked up, the pilot could use the switch to return the nozzles at zero degrees (pure horizontal). The engines can move -15 to +15 degrees in pitch (up and down) from zero degrees (pure horizontal). Then in early 2004, Sukhoi introduced three dimensional engines, allowing +10 to -10 degrees in yaw (left and right). Also added in 2035 was the introduction of a passive thermal masking system to reduce the plane’s thermal signature.

The Su-37 proved to very good in it's interception role, and it's secondary ground attack role during the Euro-Wars, and German as well as British pilots learned to respect it through aerial combat. After the Euro-Wars, with Russia's economy shattered, the Russian Air Force couldn't procure any new planes to replace the Su-37. When things started to stabilize, and foreign companies revitalizing the economy, the Su-37 was upgraded to become again one of the most potent aircraft in the skies. The new Su-37, the Su-56 has the newest technology to allow it to perform that role. Internal ECM and ECCM was the main point of the upgrade, allowing the Su-56 SuperManeuverability Flanker-D, as it became known, to carry a full load without having to sacrifice pylons for jammer pods and the use of multiple ejector racks to increase the carrying capacity. A vehicle control rig was installed to give the pilots the needed edge to combat other advanced warplanes. A revamped cockpit streamlined things a bit, making the Su-56 one of the most "user friendly" aircraft today. Added to the main flight computer was a modified terrain following system. Using satellite data, the system projects a "rectangle" along the flight path, with the pilot only having to put the velocity vector in the "box". This allowed the CIS make devestating low level attacks, without thier characteristic high level approaches, which in turn surprised many. Also modified was the canopy, which is enlarged and redesigned to give a full 360 viewing capability, increasing the potency of the airplane by allowing the pilot to use the "over the shoulder" capability to it's fullest. Other additions is a complete HOTAS (Hands On Throttle And Stick), combined with a side mounted stick, similar in style to the Lockheed Martin F-16. Combined with state of the art electronics, the Su-56 SuperManeuverability Flanker-D has yet to make it's mark on the world.

The Su-56 mounts the highly advanced Zhuk-56 multimode radar system. This features Doppler sharpening with a "pulse" mode to reduce it's detectability in combat. The radar will send out different pulses at different frequencies to reduce the chance of detection of it using the radar. The system also has a terrain following mode, but revisions to the autopilot allows it to use data from satellites to allow it to remain in EMCON (Emission CONtrol) mode to make stealthier attacks. It can track up to 24 targets and simultaneously engage seven. It has a range of 120 km, and can detect bomber size targets up to 200 km. This allows it to carry and fire the R-58 long range missile. It also has a ground designating capability, allowing it to designate targets for itself or other friendly units. It has a range of 60 km in this mode. Also mounted in the "stinger" area of the Su-37 was a tail mounted radar, allowing the fighter pilot to "check six". This radar could track up to ten targets and engage six. This involved modification to the "AA-11 Archer" off boresight self defense missile. This is continued in the "AA-105 Assern" missile system. The radar has a range of 30 km. It maintains a detection radius in a 60 degree cone. The Su-56 can mount up to 8,200 kg of weaponry distributed among 12 hardpoints, which can also be increased by the use of multiple ejector racks.

The main radar is backed up by a 56-Sh IRST (Infrared Search and Track) system mounted in a ball in front of the windshield. This can detect targets around 50 km. However, the direction range varies on the attack geometry. Usually it will detect targets 15 km when head on, and up to 50 km from the rear. This of course depends on the ambient temperature and weather conditions. Mounted alongside is a laser rangefinder that has an effective tail on range of 8 kilometers. This is used also to help aim the Gsh-310 cannon mounted in the starboard wing root extension. The system is mounted on an articulated ball that can move in -10 and +60 in elevation, and 60 and 120 degrees respectively for azimuth. This also downloads targeting data to IR missile heads, further enhancing the possibility of a sneak attack. This can also be slaved to the pilot's HMS for use against highly maneuverable targets. The system can be displayed on the pilot's visor, or on one of the MFDs. However in practice, pilots keep the display in the helmet, as they get a better picture of the situation around them, as well as AWACS data from the appropriate systems, or when available. This gives the pilots better reaction time when this is activated, as they know where they are, and where the enemy is.

Along the "spine" of the plane is the SPO-56 Radar Warning System (RWS) and Missile Launch Warning System (MLWS). This projects the launch of a missile to the pilot, which is displayed on his helmet, and allows the pilot to make better counter maneuvers to it. In addition to the SPO-56 system, the SuperManeuverability Flanker II mounts an APP-56 chaff/flare dispenser mounted near the rear of the body. It holds 32 flare and 32 chaff cartridges. The system can fire "bursts" of 4 chaff/flares should the pilot decide to do so. However, it must be stressed that evasive maneuvering should be included to further fool the missile. The SPO-56 has sensors mounted around the plane to achieve the best coverage possible.

Variants:

Su-56UB: The Su-56UB is the two seat trainer variant of the Su-56. It has full combat capability as the standard Su-56.

Su-61: The Su-61 is the navalized version of the Su-56, serving on Russia’s two carriers. The only difference between them is that the Su-61 has folding wings to save deck space and the inclusion of an arresting hook for carrier landings. The Su-61UB is the navalized trainer variant.

Handling	Speed	Accel	Body	Armor	Signature	Load	Autonav	Pilot	Cost
2	150/2,000*	150	7	16	6	8,000 kg	4	4	36,022,350¥

Seating: 1 bucket ejection seat (1 + 1 for two seat version)
Access: 1 canopy
Economy: 0.3 km per liter
Cargo: 2 underseat (+ 2)+ 2 storage
Fuel: 7,500 liters (7,100 for two seat)
Sensors: Military II (9)
ECM/ECCM: Military I (8)/Military I (8)
Landing/Takeoff Profile: STOL
Other Features: APPS, Life Support (10 man hours), EnviroSeal (gas), Datajack Port, Rigger Adaptation, Gunnery Recoil Adjuster (6), Tandem Triplane Layout, Thrust Vectoring Engines (Three-Dimensional), Smartlink II integration Kit, SuperCruise Engines, Battletac FDDM Receiver.
Armament: One internal hardpoint mounted Victory rotary cannon with a 250 round belt. Available is one inner wing hardpoint with 12 CF capacity, two outer wing hardpoints with 6 CF capacity, and four fuselage hardpoints with 5 CF storage each, and wingtip hardpoints have 2 CF capacity.
Quality Factors:

Master Workmanship (2)

Ruggedness (2)
*Increase max speed to 2,700kph on afterburner, and Economy is 6 liters per kilometer. Economy on SuperCruise is 3 liters per km, and max speed is 2,350 kph.

With the development of more sophisticated aircraft compared to their own, the CIS (Commonwealth of Independent States) decided to upgrade the old Su-37 fighter/bomber. The Su-56 has the same look of the 20th century Su-35 Super Flanker, but upgraded with 21st century technology.

TThe fighter incorporates a variable geometry engines (not like the Federated Boeing Eagle, or the Harrier) to give it horrendous maneuverability. This gives an additional -2 modifier to all maneuvers when used. The canards automatically give the pilot a -2 modifier, when combined with the engines, it gives a total -4 modifier to all Handling Tests when necessary. When using the 56-Sh IRST, the pilot gets an additional -1 modifier to his/her attacks. Also, the pilot gets an additional +2 to their Reaction due to the data presented from the SPO-56 and other sensors. This can be applicable even while rigged. The SPO-56 system contains sensors that detect the launch of missiles, and warns the pilot of the impending attack. Give the pilot an added + 2 to reaction when faced with a missile threat, GM’s discretion of course. Due to the sophistication of the Zhuk-56 radar, any sensor system trying to detect it receives a +2 to all target numbers. All flight systems are redundant, and the tires are designed to operate in rough ground (for game rules it simply means it can operate off of a forward airfield provided it still has enough road length or whatever is needed) and has special anti-FOD (Foreign Object Damage) systems as well. Provisions are made for upgradable systems, or any special necessities needed. The two seat version is the same, but has an extra seat, for training or "Wild Weasel" threat suppression missions. This version is known as the Su-56UB.

Su-61 On the deck of the TAKR Kuznetsov (Actually an Su-33)

The fighters weapon loadout is large, usually it carries AAMs for the air intercept role, carrying a large assortment of weapons. The pilot has a "padlock" capability added to the flight helmet of the aircraft. What this means that the pilot uses a sight to enclose your aircraft in a box, and the missile (typically AA-105 "Assern" missiles) can make the intercept when in full ACM. Note that the long range missiles can also be padlocked, however they are restricted by the panning limits of the radar, which is 70 degrees to either side. As well s the tail "stinger" maintains a cone of 60 degrees behind the plane. Note this can also work with most AGMs, excepting the Kh-305 "Tomahawkski", with the pilot either simply looking or using it to direct the radar. Unless the pilot is flying straight and level, add a +2 modifier to any actions that the pilot needs to make. Ground attack missions usually allow a laser designator mounted somewhere, and it carrying bombs or AGMs. Also, the Su-56 can carry two Sorbitsya-SM1 ECM/ECCM, ED/ECD pods, with one carrying an ECM/ED jammer and the other the ECCM/ECD electronics, these have a total rating of Military III (10)/Military III (10) and the ED/ECD having ratings of Military I (4)/Military I (4). Note that the wingtip hardpoints cannot use any weapons on these points.


And on Russian Aviation in general: Russian Aviation Page.
And information on the real Su-35.
Information on Pugachev's Cobra
Just how maneuverable is it? click here, which is better if you have an MPEG player to be truly amazed!
A page on the engines that the Su-37 uses.
Su-35 vs F-22?.



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Me. Last updated: 26-08-97