Russian Su‑30SM vanishes near Crimea, Ukraine claims F‑16 strike

During a drone missile attack on Ukraine, a Russian Su-30SM disappeared from radar screens. Unofficial Ukrainian sources suggest that an F-16 might have shot down the aircraft. In the area where the Russian aircraft likely fell into the sea, an oil slick was observed, and Russian helicopters were seen circling nearby.

The Russian Su-30SM aircraft disappeared from radar on the night of 10 September, possibly while escorting a Su-35, during a Russian attack on Ukraine. The Russian aircraft was tasked with attacking Odessa with Kh-31P missiles. It is known that it managed to launch four out of the six missiles it was carrying before disappearing.

The aircraft's last known position was recorded northwest of Crimea, about 47 miles from the Ukrainian coast. An oil slick was observed on the water there, and the presumed crash area is now being patrolled by Mi-8 and Ka-27 helicopters, likely searching for the Sukhoi's two-person crew.

Although Russia has not confirmed the loss of the aircraft, Ukrainian media, which reported on the battles, released information that the Russian machine was a victim of a Ukrainian F-16.

Considering the suspected crash site and the fact that Ukrainian Vipers are armed with AIM-120C AMRAAM missiles, shooting down a target several miles away is possible in this case.

As noted by Maciej Szopa of Defence24, the shooting down of the Russian Su-30SM by an F-16 is just one of the possible scenarios. Another is the use of the Patriot system, whose range would also allow for the destruction of the Russian aircraft.

The aircraft could also have suffered an accident – after launching four Kh-31P missiles, a malfunction of the fifth missile during launch could have led to the loss of the aircraft.

The Su-30SM is a variant of the Su-30 fighter, developed on the basis of the Su-30MKI version intended for India. The model for the Russian Air Force was developed from the Indian variant. The Su-30SM is characterised by very good manoeuvrability, achieved thanks to canards (forward control surfaces) as well as thrust-vectoring engines.

The aircraft is equipped with an in-flight refuelling system and – optionally – the SAP-518 electronic warfare system mounted on the wingtips, allowing, among other things, the generation of false radar images of the aircraft. The weight of the carried armament reaches eight tons.