Reports from Myanmar confirm that Russia delivered the first two Sukhoi Su-30SME Flanker fighters in an order of six to the country in March.
The Irrawaddy news site said that in addition to the appearance of two Su-30SMEs parked at Naypyidaw airport, Russian technicians and pilots also appeared in this area and Mandalay city.
Experts from Russia will stay to support and maintain the Su-30SME during the warranty period.
Myanmar previously signed a contract to buy six Su-30SMEs from Russia in 2018. They also signed a contract to buy the Yakolev Yak-130 model during a visit by Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu to Myanmar.
Currently, the Su-30SME is the most modern fighter model owned by the Myanmar Air Force. The country’s fleet mostly uses aircraft provided by China and Russia.
Earlier, Myanmar was rumored to have used Sukhoi Su-30SME fighters in the fight with the opposition forces in this country, but there was no real evidence. It is possible that the source then confused the Su-30SME model with the Mikoyan MiG-29 Fulcrum fighter from the Soviet era.
The sale is part of a plan to tighten military cooperation between Myanmar and Russia. It is known that Russian military government officials have regularly visited and worked in Myanmar for the past three years, and Myanmar has also openly supported Russia in the conflict in Ukraine.
