Myanmar’s military regime has taken delivery of six additional Su-30 fighter jets ordered from Russia, according to a report by The Irrawaddy, citing the Army Recognition Group (ARG) defense publication.
The final two jets in this shipment were officially commissioned at Mandalay’s Meiktila Air Base during a ceremony held on December 15, marking the 77th anniversary of the Myanmar Air Force. Junta leader Min Aung Hlaing presided over the event.
The six Su-30SME multirole fighter jets, valued at $400 million, were part of a 2018 contract funded through a Russian loan. Lieutenant General Alexander Fomin, Russia’s Deputy Defense Minister, told Russian news agency TASS that these Su-30 jets would serve as Myanmar’s primary aircraft for safeguarding territorial integrity and countering terror threats.
Junta media also confirmed the commissioning of additional warplanes and helicopters during the December ceremony, though the specific models were not disclosed. Reports noted that a post-fourth-generation Su-30 jet participated in the air parade.
During the ceremony, Min Aung Hlaing emphasized the need to improve air campaign effectiveness through consistent training to fully leverage the capabilities of aircraft, helicopters, and weapon systems.
Min Aung Hlaing remarked that these jets would enhance the regime’s air superiority and praised Air Force pilots for their efforts in battles in northern Shan State. However, nearly all of northern Shan State fell to forces led by the Brotherhood Alliance in subsequent months.
Since the 2021 coup, the junta has intensified airstrikes against rebel forces and ethnic armed groups, targeting civilian areas, including schools, healthcare facilities, displacement camps, and religious sites.
International condemnation has done little to curb the escalation, with at least 814 deaths and 1,639 airstrikes reported from January to August 2024, according to Nyan Lynn Thit Analytica, a group monitoring junta abuses.
Despite its air superiority, the military regime has lost significant territories in ethnic states and central Myanmar, along with hundreds of junta positions, including two regional commands in northern Shan State and Rakhine.
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