SE “Odesa Aircraft Plant” is engaging with the Ukrainian Air Force over a potential programme to upgrade the Sukhoi Su-24MR heavy tactical reconnaissance aircraft, dumskaya.net reported on 31 May.

According to a statement, the SE “Odesa Aircraft Plant, a subsidiary of UkrOboronProm, presented a new direction of its activities related to the modernization of combat aviation.

At an international conference held a few days ago, in which NATO military attaches took part, the representatives of the plant management presented to foreign partners a prospective project for an upgrade to reconnaissance aircraft Su-24MR, which are currently in service with the Ukrainian Air Force.

SE “Odesa Aircraft Plant” has developed two variants of modernization of the reconnaissance aircraft, including:

– increasing the range of ground targets’ detection;
– ensuring compliance of navigation, communication, landing equipment with ICAO / NATO requirements;
– increasing the quality of objective control of on-board systems;
– prompt receiving of intelligence information.

To date the first stage of development work is completed at the plant, the first prototype of a new product will soon appear.

More: KADEX 2018: Kazakhstan orders new batch of Su-30SM fighters

“If we go through all the approvals and the machine will please our military, we will be able to seriously load the plant’s capacity with this product,” says Vitaly Yukhachev, the plant’s general director. – The complete replacement of all tactical reconnaissance equipment with new, more sophisticated electronics implies the general repair of the airframe. This is a serious, painstaking and skilled work, and we have specialists capable of carrying it out. ”

More: Russian Su-30SM fighter jet crashes in Syria

The Su-24MR (Fencer-E) is a dedicated tactical reconnaissance variant. It entered service in 1983.This reconnaissance aircraft can carry two R-60 (AA-8 Aphid) air-to-air missiles for self-defense. Production of the Su-24MR ceased in 1993. At least a hundred of these tactical reconnaissance aircraft were built.