Myanmar Completes Delivery of Russian Su-30SME Fighter Jets Under $400 Million Deal

Myanmar’s Air Force has completed the delivery of Russian-made Su-30SME fighter jets, marking the final stage of a multi-year procurement program agreed with Moscow.

According to Global New Light of Myanmar on March 18, the final two aircraft—tail numbers “1901” and “1902”—were officially presented during a ceremony at Meiktila Air Base, where they were inducted into service. The report confirms that the country has now received the full batch of aircraft under the contract.

The deal, signed in January 2018 with Russia’s state arms exporter Rosoboronexport, covers at least six Su-30SME fighters. The aircraft were produced by the Irkutsk Aviation Plant, part of Russia’s United Aircraft Corporation under Rostec. Unofficial estimates place the contract value at approximately $400 million, reportedly financed through a Russian state-backed loan.

Deliveries began in 2022, with subsequent aircraft handed over in stages. According to earlier reporting cited by regional defense observers, two additional jets were delivered in December 2023, while the final pair had reportedly arrived earlier but were only formally commissioned into service during the recent ceremony.

Myanmar remains the first and, so far, only known export customer of the Su-30SME—a variant derived from the Su-30SM platform used by Russia’s Aerospace Forces. The aircraft are reportedly assigned to Myanmar’s central operational sector, including deployments linked to the Naypyitaw Air Base.

The Su-30SME is a twin-engine, multirole fighter categorized as a 4+ generation aircraft. It is designed for air superiority missions as well as strikes against ground and maritime targets, with a reported payload capacity of up to eight tons. Variants of the platform used by Russia are also believed to carry long-range air-to-air missiles such as the R-37.

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In parallel, Myanmar has also expanded its cooperation with Russia in the rotary-wing segment. According to Myanmar state media, the country received three Mi-38 helicopters, becoming the first foreign operator of this model. The delivery included two Mi-38T transport helicopters and one VIP-configured variant, under a contract estimated at around €80 million signed prior to 2021.

The Mi-38 is positioned by Russia as a next-generation medium transport helicopter intended to replace older Mi-8 and Mi-17 platforms, offering increased payload capacity, extended range, and updated avionics.

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