Russian jet vanishes over Ukraine; F‑16 shootdown suspected
During a drone-missile attack on Ukraine, a Russian Su-30SM disappeared from radar. Unofficial Ukrainian sources suggest that the aircraft may have been shot down by an F-16. In the area where the Russian aircraft likely fell into the sea, an oil slick was observed, and Russian helicopters are hovering nearby.
The Russian Su-30SM aircraft disappeared from radar on the night of September 9th, while likely escorting a Su-35, during a Russian attack on Ukraine. During its mission, the Russian aircraft was supposed to attack Odessa with Kh-31P missiles. It is known that it managed to fire four of the six missiles it carried before it vanished.
The aircraft's last known position was recorded northwest of Crimea, about 47 miles (75 km) from the Ukrainian coast. A fuel slick was observed floating on the water there, and the area of the alleged crash is being patrolled by Mi-8 and Ka-27 helicopters, likely searching for the two-person Sukhoi crew.
First victim of Ukrainian F-16s?
Although Russia has not confirmed the loss of the aircraft, Ukrainian media reporting on the fighting have released information that the Russian aircraft fell victim to a Ukrainian F-16.
Considering the location of the alleged crash 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 from Defence24, shooting down the Russian Su-30SM by an F-16 is just one possible scenario. Another scenario involves the use of the Patriot system, whose range would also allow for the destruction of the Russian aircraft.
The aircraft could have also crashed due to a malfunction. After launching four Kh-31P missiles, a failure of the fifth missile during firing could have led to the loss of the aircraft.
Su-30SM – Russian multirole aircraft
The Su-30SM is a variant of the Su-30 fighter, developed based on the Su-30MKI version intended for India. The version for the Russian air force was created based on the Indian variant. The Su-30SM is characterized by very good maneuverability, achieved through canards (front control surfaces) and thrust-vectoring engine nozzles.
The aircraft is equipped with an in-flight refueling 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 payload capacity reaches 16,000 pounds (8 metric tons).
