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Russia Upgrades Su-34 With Sych Recon Pods for Deep-Strike Surveillance in Ukraine
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Russian Rostec, state-owned conglomerate specializing in defense, aerospace, and advanced technology and the United Aircraft Corporation announced the integration of the Sych universal reconnaissance pod onto the Su-34 Fullback (NATO reporting name for the fighter-bomber), enabling the fighter-bomber to conduct stand-off radio-technical, radar and optical surveillance missions in contested airspace, as was reported by Army Recognition group on July 10.
Since entering service in 2014, the Su-34 has proven its strike capability across multiple conflicts. The retrofit equips each aircraft with up to two Sych pods—variants tailored for signals intelligence, synthetic-aperture radar and electro-optical imaging—while preserving its full payload capacity and range.
This modular approach echoes Cold War practices of repurposing fighters like the RF-4 Phantom II for reconnaissance, but leverages modern digital sensors and real-time datalinks to provide commanders immediate battlefield awareness.
The Su-34 hybrid role is expected to streamline Russian intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) operations by reducing reliance on slower, specialized platforms.
Equipped with advanced electronic-warfare suites such as Khibiny and Sorbtsiya-S, the Su-34 can operate deep within contested zones, detect and classify ground emitters at distances exceeding 100 km, and transmit encrypted feeds to ground stations for rapid targeting. Pilots will receive specialized training in emitter triangulation and synthetic-aperture radar interpretation to maximize the pod’s capabilities.
Production of the reconnaissance-capable Su-34s will begin at the Novosibirsk Aircraft Production Association in late 2025, with frontline squadrons slated to deploy along Ukraine’s eastern front by early 2026.
Russian doctrine now envisions mixed packages of Su-34 recon variants, electronic-warfare escorts and air-superiority cover, forming layered mission sets designed to suppress Ukrainian air defenses and support combined-arms operations.
Earlier, a Russian Lancet loitering munition, guided by a reconnaissance UAV, struck an evacuation bus near Bilopillia in the Sumy region, killing nine civilians and wounding at least four others.
