The Sukhoi Corp. has developed a family of two-seater multirole fighters from the Su-27 Flanker that can form the core of Russia's combat aviation in the 21st century.

This goal will be reached with a comprehensive MiG and Su modernization program, Yury Balyko, head of a Defense Ministry research institute, said in mid-November.

He said the Su-24 Fencer tactical bomber, Su-25 Frogfoot assault plane, and MiG-29 Fulcrum and Su-27 Flanker fighters would be upgraded to give them the multiple capability to engage both ground and air targets.

An example of such modernization is the Su-34 Fullback, which, Balyko said, can use all types of ammunition, including precision weapons, and hit any ground, air or sea targets at any time of day or night, in any weather and within any geographical region.

An important function of modern aircraft is their ability to operate against sea targets away from their air fields. This is needed to fight global terrorism, which is turning into a serious problem of the 21st century: There are about 500 secret terrorist organizations in the world today.

Especially dangerous is maritime terrorism. It can easily knock out an economy depending on the magnitude of sea supplies of energy and materials. A supertanker, if sabotaged in, say, the port of Rotterdam, could disrupt life in several European countries economically dependent on the functioning of the port.

Western sources say Osama bin Laden has even built a naval flotilla of his own consisting of 16-19 small vessels with a displacement of 200 to 300 tons armed with quick-firing automatic cannons, large-caliber machine guns and handheld antiaircraft missile launchers.

Therefore, Russian Su-34s or their naval versions Su-32FN and Su-32MF, armed with high-precision weapons, can effectively deal with a terrorist threat on the high seas, acting on their own or as part of an international coalition force.

The effect of airstrikes against sea targets is well illustrated by the Falkland conflict of 1982. At that time, the British command underestimated the capabilities of the Argentine air force's anti-ship weapons. The era of high-precision weapons was just dawning.

On May 4, 1982, the Argentine patrol aircraft Neptune noticed a squadron of British ships at a distance of 120 miles. Five Super Etendard assault planes took off from Rio Grande Air Base, more than 500 miles away.

Within 28 miles of the ships, the pilots switched on their on-board radars for 30 seconds, their screens showing blips of two targets: the guided missile destroyer Sheffield and the frigate Plymouth.

An air-to-surface missile fired by one of the planes crashed through the destroyer's side about 6 feet above waterline but did not explode inside because the delay-action fuse failed.

However, the remaining rocket fuel set fire to electric cables and paint. The compartment was soon filled with poisonous fumes, causing the threat of the ship's ammunition exploding.

After five hours of efforts in vain to put out the fire, crew members abandoned ship.

The Plymouth fared better: Its air defense unit timely released chaff to jam the attack, and the missile meant for the frigate fell into the sea.

But on May 25 a couple of Super Etendards taking off from Rio Grande and refueling in mid-air attacked the British aircraft carrier Hermes. The missiles, however, were knocked off course by aircraft carrier jammers and instead "locked on" the British transport Atlantic Conveyor 3.6 miles away, sinking it together with 15 Wessex and Chinook helicopters aboard.

These days no chaff can fool missiles with television or laser guidance installed on the Su family of aircraft.

(Andrei Kislyakov is a political commentator for RIA Novosti. This article is reprinted by permission of RIA Novosti. The opinions expressed in this article are the author's and do not necessarily represent those of RIA Novosti.)

(United Press International's "Outside View" commentaries are written by outside contributors who specialize in a variety of important issues. The views expressed do not necessarily reflect those of United Press International. In the interests of creating an open forum, original submissions are invited.)

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