Continuing with the introduction of the soviet Sukhoi Design Bureau's combat aircraft, this time introducing the Soviet Union's first full-fledged supersonic interceptor Su-15.
The full text is about 2600 words, mainly from the development overview, main characteristics, model categories, service status, actual combat applications and basic performance, etc., to make a brief panoramic depiction of the Su-15 fighter-bomber. Much of the content is excerpted from various public information both abroad and at home.
Su-15 "fine-mouth bottle" Flagon
Overview of development
The Su-15 was the Soviet Union's first full-fledged all-weather supersonic interceptor developed by the Soviet Sukhoi Design Bureau in the late 1950s. NATO nicknamed "Flagon".
At the end of the 1950s, the Soviet Air Force requested an all-weather interceptor with a relatively large combat radius, good climb performance, and a speed of 2.5 times the speed of sound, which was used to replace the Su-9 and Su-11 interceptors that had just appeared at that time but the performance indicators were no longer enough.
The Su-9 interceptor, which looks like a large MiG on the side
In March 1960, the Sukhoi Design Bureau began work on a new type of interceptor, project number T-58, which was later officially designated Su-15. At the beginning of 1961, the development work was completed. On May 20, 1962, the prototype T-58D flew for the first time. It was delivered to the troops for testing in August of the following year.
Both prototype and pre-production models of the Su-15 used large swept-angle delta wings, and subsequent production models used improved double delta wings
After a long period of test flight and improvement, it was officially put into mass production in 1966. In 1967, it entered the service of the fighter aviation of the Soviet Air Defense Force, gradually replacing the Su-9 as the main force of the fighter aviation until the 1990s. The Soviet Union considered it to be advanced in performance, kept it highly secretive, and never exported it to the outside world. Production was discontinued in 1977, with more than 1,400 units produced.
Main features
The Su-15 uses a double delta wing (prototype and pre-production version is a delta wing), the conventional layout of the air intake on both sides of the pointed nose, taking into account the needs of low-speed flight and high-speed flight. The leading edge of the outer wing segment of the wing is bent downwards to improve maneuverability, and the wing blade is mounted on the upper surface at 70% outward of the wing root. The outer wing segment of the rear edge of the wing has ailerons and the inner wing segment has flaps. The full-motion horizontal tail is mounted slightly lower on the main wing, with an upper and lower angle, and the wingtip is equipped with a shock-proof counterweight bar. The front of the horizontal tail wing is flanked by two gear plates on either side. The bottom of the vertical tail is equipped with a deceleration parachute cabin.
The nose is set up as a radar cabin, the radome is tapered or pointed, the size is huge, and the radar cabin is followed by a closed single-seat cockpit. The stamping intake tracts are located on both sides of the cockpit, the air intakes are wedge-shaped, the intakes are equipped with adjustable slant plates, and the auxiliary air intakes are opened on the outside. The air intake method changed the original way of air intake in the nose of the Soviet fighter, mainly for the installation of a huge fire control radar on the nose. The rear fuselage has an afterburner cooling inlet. When the flight speed exceeds M1.8, the aircraft relies on an automatic stabilization system to provide directional stability.
Close-up of the nose and front of the intake tract of the Su-15
Su-15 nose and intake tract details
The su-15 has a relatively large thrust weight, a small wing load, good flight and maneuverability, and high safety. Compared to its contemporaries, the Su-15 had a shorter range, imperfect electronics, and poor cockpit horizon.
Model category
Su-15: "Fine-mouth bottle"-A, pre-production version, for qualification and test flight, installed with two R-11F2-300 engines (maximum thrust 45.1 kN, after-thrust 60.8 kN), wings with exactly the same large swept angle delta design as the Su-11.
Su-15VD: "Fine-mouth bottle"-B, stub-off and landing test type, code-nameD T-58VD, not put into production, in July 1967, publicly exhibited at the USSR Aviation Festival. In the middle of the fuselage are three lift engines developed by the Kolesov Design Bureau. The wingspan increased by 1.5 meters, and the wing area increased as a result. There are small surface-layered wing blades two-fifths of the outside of the wing, and the amount of oil loaded inside the aircraft is greatly reduced due to the lift engine taking up the internal space.
Su-15T: "Fine-mouth bottle"-D, the first mass-produced version, the nose radome is conical, the wing is changed to a double delta wing design, the outer wing segment swept angle is reduced, the wingspan is increased, the low-speed flight and take-off and landing performance of the aircraft is improved, and the range is increased.
Su-15UT: "Thin-mouthed bottle" - C: T type trainer type, fuselage lengthened by 0.45 meters, added flight instructor cockpit, no radar and combat capabilities, but retained weapons hanging points.
Su-15TM: "Fine-mouth bottle"-E, the second mass-produced type, with the addition of a 23 mm cannon, replaced by a "Typhoon"-M radar, the radome was changed to an arc vault, the electronic equipment was improved, the oil load was increased, the total weight was increased, and the landing gear was strengthened. It entered service in 1971.
Su-15TM: "Fine-billed bottle"-F, known in some Western countries as the "Su-21", this is the last batch of improved models, producing the largest number of all models. With the new Typhoon-M radar, the nose radome end became thicker. The R-60 (AA-8) short-range air-to-air missile and the R-23 (AA-7) medium-range air-to-air missile are used. Later, some Su-15s could also use UPK-23-250 pods equipped with GSh-23L double-barreled 23 mm cannons.
Su-15UM: "Fine-mouth bottle"-G, TM type instructor type, the amount of oil carried in the aircraft and the reduction of electronic equipment.
Status of service
The Su-15 was one of the soviet highly classified aircraft, deployed only on the Soviet mainland for air defense, and was not stationed in other Warsaw Pact countries and was not exported. About 400 were still in service in 1988. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, part of it remained in Ukraine. In 1993, it was retired from the Russian Air Defense Forces, and in 1996, the last batch was retired from the Ukrainian Air Force.
The early Su-15 model, which was stored intensively with other combat aircraft after retirement
Practical applications
The Su-15 is best known for two of the most famous incidents during its service — the hitting of two "civil airliners" and both belonging to South Korea's Korean Air Lines. One crashed, one crashed.
On the afternoon of April 20, 1978, Soviet early warning radar suddenly spotted a South Korean Air Boeing-707 airliner approaching its northern border from the northwest, entering Soviet airspace northeast of the northern military port of Murmansk and continuing south. Soviet air defense forces immediately took off a Su-15 to intercept it, intending to force the airliner to land for inspection. The Su-15 reached the side of the airliner and shook its wings in a gesture, but the plane made a U-turn and headed in the direction of Finland. The Su-15 was then given instructions to shoot down the target. So the Su-15 launched two missiles, one of which hit the target, the airliner did not crash, descended from an altitude of 10,000 meters to 1,000 meters, and then flew for nearly 2 hours, and finally successfully landed on a frozen lake.
Painting depicting the Su-15 shooting down a Korean Air airliner
In the early morning of September 1, 1983, a Korean Air Boeing-747 passenger plane flying from New York, USA to Seoul, South Korea, deviated from its course during the flight and entered the coastal area of the Soviet Union's Far East, about to fly to the nuclear submarine base on the Kamchatka Peninsula. Two Su-15TM fighters of the Soviet Air Defense Force took off in an emergency to intercept them. The Su-15TM first used a cannon to warn of firing, but the Boeing-747 airliner continued to fly, followed by the firing of 2 K-8M air-to-air missiles. The airliner was hit, exploded, and crashed into the Sea of Japan. A total of 269 people were reportedly on board the plane, all of whom died. It was also reported that the plane was a US spy plane, there were no passengers on board, and the departure course was to reconnoiter the Soviet Military Base in the Far East.
Basic Performance (Su-15TM)
Dimensional data
Wingspan: 9.43 m
Length: 19.56 m (excluding airspeed tubes)
Height: 4.84 m
Wing area: 36.6 m2
Wing swept angle: 53° (inner segment)
37° (outer section)
Wingspan ratio: 2.38
Weight data
Empty weight: 10874 kg
Normal takeoff weight: 17100 kg
Maximum takeoff weight: 17900 kg
Maximum oil capacity: 5550 kg
Maximum bomb load: None
Flight performance data
Maximum level flight speed: 1300 km/h (sea level)
M1.8/2230 km/h (11000 m altitude, interception mount)
M2.5 (11000 m altitude, no mounting)
Cruising speed: 980 km / h
Practical ceiling: 18100 meters
Limit overload: +5g
Maximum climb rate: 225 m/s
Combat radius: 725 km
Maximum range: 1780 km
Transit range: 2420 km
Power plant
Two sets of R-13F-300 turbojet engines developed by the Tumansky Design Bureau have a maximum thrust of 40.2 kN and an afterburner thrust of 64.7 kN.
On-board equipment
RP-26 Typhoon-M fire control radar, SOD-57M air traffic control/selection identification device, SRO-2 friend or foe identifier, "Siren" radar alarm system.
weapons
In the later stage, it can be mounted with a UPK-23-250 gun pod and a GSh (Gryazev-Shipunov)-23L 23 mm double-barreled cannon.
It can carry 2 K-8M (AA-3) medium-range air-to-air missiles, 2 R-60 (AA-8) short-range air-to-air missiles, or 4 R-60 short-range air-to-air missiles.
Su-15 with 2 medium-range and 2 close-range bombs
This article is a personal original and purely amateur. Data, data and photos from domestic and foreign websites public information, the content may have a little error, welcome the majority of military fans to comment on the message to discuss and exchange.