The Ukrainian Armed Forces showed a spectacular video of the destruction of a $40 million Su-30SM fighter jet using a Stinger MANPADS - the Russian equivalent of the F-35 Lightning II spectacularly exploded in the field

September 24, 2022 was one of the black days for Russian military aviation. It lost several aircraft, including a Su-30SM fighter jet worth some tens of millions of dollars.

Here's What We Know

The Russians (and no one else) call the Su-30SM the equivalent of the fifth-generation F-35 Lightning II fighter jet. In what it definitely tries not to be inferior to the American aircraft, it is in the price. The cost of the export version in some cases is more than $80 million, but the standard price is $40 million.

The Su-30SM is equipped with Khibina-U radioelectronic system. It includes the SAP-518 Regata active noise jamming station, which can create interference to enemy's air defense system. The Ukrainian Armed Forces recently managed to seize such a station - it survived the destruction of the aircraft.

On September 24, the Su-30SM was shot down by a Stinger portable air defense missile system. In this regard, the radio-electronic system "Khibina-U" was unable to protect the fighter.

Source: @horevica