Sukhoi Holding Company delivered the first Su-34 bomber to the Russian air forces in the network of the state defense order for 2013, the company’s press-service reports.

After the solemn ceremony held at the airfield of Novosibirsk Aviation Plant named after V.P. Chkalov the aircraft departed to its air base. Several Su-34s will be delivered to the Russian air forces soon.

«Novosibirsk Aviation Plant is working on fulfillment of the state defense order for 2013. The enterprise’s management noted that the program is making a good progress granting timely execution of the state defense order in 2013. The large contracts on delivery of Su-34 bombers signed by Russian Ministry of Defense (MoD) in 2008 and 2010 have created a stable workload for the enterprise and defined its development in the long-term», - said in the statement of Sukhoi Company.

The jets manufactured by Novosibirsk Aviation Plant named after V.P. Chkalov are successfully operated by the Russian air forces. According to the representatives of the air forces, the jets manufactured in 2012 are demonstrating outstanding operational characteristics. Sukhoi Company is paying special attention to maintaining the high level of combat readiness and assimilation of tactical employment of the Su-34 jets. The conference dedicated to the operation of Su-34 bombers by units of Russian air forces was held in Voronezh at Baltimor air base in April. Representatives of United Aircraft Corporation (UAC), Sukhoi Company, 1st Command of the Air Forces and Air Defense Forces, military units operating Su-34 aircraft and top-managers of 11 enterprises (developers and manufacturers of the jet’s components) took part in the conference.

“It was confirmed during the conference that the major indicator of the jet’s reliability (time between failures) meets the claimed indicators. Following the results of the conference a protocol was signed. The protocol assumes taking steps in order to improve the jet’s performance, ergonomics and operating characteristics, its condition, reliability and service life”, - the company noted.