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Russia’s Deadliest Jets—Su-34 and Su-35S—Use Western Electronics Through Global Supply Loopholes
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A new investigation has found that Russia’s modern fighter jets—the Su-34 and Su-35S, both produced by the Sukhoi Design Bureau—are heavily reliant on Western-made electronics, despite years of international sanctions.
The report, titled Parts of the Problem: Tracing Western Tech in Russia’s Deadliest Jets, was released by the International Partnership for Human Rights, in collaboration with Ukraine’s Independent Anti-Corruption Commission and Hunterbrook Media.
Researchers identified and traced the origin of 1,115 out of 1,119 electronic components used in these aircraft. A significant majority of the parts were found to come from well-known US companies such as Texas Instruments, Analog Devices, Intel, Maxim, Vicor, and OnSemi. Other manufacturers include Murata (Japan), as well as firms based in Germany, Taiwan, and South Korea.
According to the findings, about 68% of the Su-34's electronics originate from the United States, followed by 16.2% from Japan. The rest are sourced from the European Union (7%), Switzerland (4.4%), Taiwan (3.1%), South Korea (0.9%), and other countries.
The component breakdown in the Su-35S is reported to be nearly identical.
Despite sanctions, the parts continue to reach Russia through complex supply chains involving intermediaries and shell companies in jurisdictions such as China, Hong Kong, Turkey, the UAE, and several EU member states.
This follows an earlier alert from October 2024 by the investigative group InformNapalm, which raised concerns about the use of French avionics in Russian Su-30SM aircraft. The equipment, produced by French companies Thales and Safran, is reportedly serviced in Kazakhstan by a firm called ARC Group — a possible loophole allowing maintenance support despite export controls.
As of 2024, Russia is believed to operate around 130 modernized Su-30SM jets, many of which are still equipped with French systems.
Previously, it was reported that Ukraine’s Security Service and Special Operations Forces announced today that they destroyed two Russian SU-34 fighter-bombers and damaged two more during a joint long-range drone strike on the Marynivka airfield in Russia’s Volgograd region.
