Russia's Aerospace Forces To Get 16 Sukhoi Su-34 fighter Jet This year.

Russian Aerospace Forces has plans to receive 16 new Sukhoi Su-34 fighter-bombers by year end and will start modernization process next year.

"This year, we expect additional deliveries of four aircraft and the total order volume for the current year is 16 Su-34s", Russian Deputy Defense Minister Yuriy Borisov said Friday.

He added that nine aircraft are already in the final stages of assembly. The Novosibirsk Aircraft Production Association (NAPO, or NAPA) has a long-term contract with the Russian Defense Ministry on the production of a total of 92 Su-34 strike fighters.

On Thursday, Borisov announced that Russia's Aerospace Forces would receive 17 advanced Su-30SM fighter jets and 10 Yak-130 combat trainers in 2017.

We discussed with the leadership of the plant and the United Aircraft Corporation the plans of work on the aircraft as part of the future state arms program for 2018-2025," he said.

Based on the Sukhoi Su-27 'Flanker', the two-seat Su-34 is designed primarily for tactical deployment against ground and naval targets (tactical bombing/attack/interdiction roles, including against small and mobile targets) on solo and group missions in daytime and at night.

The Su-34s can also perform tasks under favorable and adverse weather conditions as well as in a hostile environment with counter-fire and EW counter-measures deployed, as well as for aerial reconnaissance. The fighter jet entered into service in 2014.

One of the latest performances of Russian Su-34 bombers was in August 2016. The fighter jets carried out strikes from the Hamadan airfield in Iran against targets of the Daesh militant group in the province of Deir ez-Zor in Syria. The Aircraft were carrying high-explosive bombs OFAB-500.

Apart from Russia, Su-34s are also operated by Algeria.