KAZAKHSTAN
Сухой Су-27, Су-27УБМ (Sukhoi Su-27, Su-27UB)
Сухой Су-27M2, Су-27УБМ2 (Sukhoi Su-27M2, Su-27UBM2)
Сухой Су-30СM (Sukhoi Su-30SM)
August 2024
Қазақстан Республикасы / Qazaqstan Respulïkası (Republic of Kazakhstan)
Қазақстан Республикасы Қарулы Күштерінің Әуе қорғанысы күштері (Air Defense Forces of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Kazakhstan).
Former Kazakh Soviet Socialist Republic, independence in 1991. Kazakhstan obtained Su-27 and MiG-29 from Russia as a form of payment for Russian debts, also for using by Russia the Baykonur Space Centre and for Tu-95MS returning to Russia (from Semipalatinsk air base). Kazakhstan is a member of Collective Security Treaty Organization with Russia, Belarus, Armenia, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan.
1996-2009/2010: Su-27, Su-27UB
December 2009 / June 2010: Su-27M2, Su-27UBM2
Since April 2015: Su-30SM
about 1996: unknown number of Su-27 + Su-27UB.
Informations are unclear, aircrafts may be up to 20.
April 2015: four Su-30SM (same version as Russian Air Force): 01 02 03 04
December 2016: two Su-30SM (same version as Russian Air Force): 05 06
December 2017: two Su-30SM (same version as Russian Air Force): 07 08
December 2018: four Su-30SM (same version as Russian Air Force): 09 10 11 12
November 2020: four Su-30SM (same version as Russian Air Force): 14 15 16 17
December 2020: four Su-30SM (same version as Russian Air Force): 18 19 20 21
January-August 2024: Six Su-30SM (same version as Russian Air Force): 51 52 53 54 55 56
The well-known aviation resource ‘Scramble’ reported that the Air Defence Forces of Kazakhstan ‘recently’ received from Russia six Su-30SM fighters newly built by the Irkutsk Aviation Plant (IAZ, part of the United Aircraft Corporation). The Su-30SM aircraft have red flight numbers 51 to 56 and are part of the 602nd air base in Shymkent (kaz. Шымкент), replacing MiG-29 fighters decommissioned in 2023.
Expected: up to 36
16 April 2021 Kazakhstan Air Force Sukhoi Su-30SM crashed on approach to Balkhash Airport (BXH/UUAH) in Karaganda region. Both pilots ejected safely.
In November 2023, Kazakhstan decided to purchase 10 Su-30SM aircraft. One aircraft, numbered 54, was photographed in June 2024 while flying to Kazakhstan. It officially denied that Kazakhstan would buy Rafale aircraft from France - there were no such plans, because Rafale is too expensive.
KnAAPO and IAPO - Su-27/27UB
IAZ - Su-30SM
2005-2009 aircrafts were overhauled and repainted in Belarus (Baranovichi) (contracts Sept. 2007), Russia and Ukraine (Zaporizhzhya).
2009-2010: upgrade/modernization to Su-27M2/Su-27UBM2:
In 2009 Belarusian РУВП 558-ы авіяцыйны рамонтны завод (558th Air Repair Plant) in Баранавічы (Baranovichi) won a tender for upgrade ten of the kazakh Sukhois. December 2009: first two modernised aircraft are Su-27UB #50 and Su-27 #05 with satellite navigation systems and expanded weaponry, delivered to Талдықорған (Taldykorgan).
- Upgrade was completed in June 2010. Su-27 were modernized to Su-27M2 standard (version of not-realised Belarusian Su-27M1 standard) and Su-27UB to Su-27UBM2 (extended Belarusian Su-27UBM1 standard realised between 2004 and 2005).
- Belarusian X-range jamming pod Сателліт-М (Satellite-M) (it's a version of Russian МСП 418К; Smalldimensional Jamming Station MSP-418K from Федеральное государственное унитарное предприятие "Центральный научно-исследовательский радиотехнический институт имени академика А.И Берга", Цнирит, CNIRTI = Central Radiotechnical Scientific Research Institute named after A. I. Begr)
Israeli airborne day/night navigation & targeting pod Litening-III (Rafael Advanced Defence Systems Ltd, Haifa, Israel)
- Weapons:
R-37ER, R-27ET, R-73 and RVV-AE;
Kh-25ML, Kh-29T, Kh-29L, Kh-31A, Kh-31R;
KAB-500L, KAB-500Kr, KAB-1500L, KAB-1500Kr (only Su-27UBM2);
S-8, S-13, S-25 - Improved N001 radar (only Su-27UBM2)
- Target data link between aircrafts and ground control
Unclear is a role of Ukrainian Запорізький державний авіаційно ремонтний завод „МіГремонт” (Zaporizhzhya/Zaporozhye State Air Repair Plant) in modernization program, maybe only light overhaul and technical repair of Sukhois, incl. installation of satellite navigation system SN-3307.
2010: Kazakh Su-27, MiG-31 and MiG-29 were overhauled in Belarus, Russia and Ukraine, incl. engines.
2019: Kazakh Su-27UB (#52) was overhauled in Belarus.
Su-27s:
Military Unit 21751 (604th Air Base) @ Талдықорған (Taldykorgan, Taldy-Kurgan) near Almaty, eastern Kazakhstan. In service is about 12-14 aircrafts.
Regiment is called Барысы Жетысу (Barysy Zhetysu), it means "Snow Leopards from Zhetysu".
Barys = Panthera uncia = snow leopard
Zhetysu = historical name of the region Seven Rivers in Kazakhstan
Bort numbers red outlined yellow
Su-27: 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 14 15 16 17
Su-27UB: 50 51 52 53
Su-30SM:
numbers are red with yellow outline
Taldykorgan 604th Air Base
01 02 03 04 (at the end of 2020 shifted to Karaganda)
05 06 07 08
09 10 11 12
14 15 16 17
Karaganda (Карагандa) 610th Air Base (since 2020)
01 02 03 04 (at the end of 2020 shifted from Taldykorgan)
18 19 20 21
54 (since June 2024)
