https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sukhoi_Su-15
The Sukhoi Su-15 (NATO reporting name: Flagon) was a twinjet supersonic
interceptor aircraft developed by the Soviet Union. It entered service in 1965
and remained one of the front-line designs into the 1990s. The Su-15 was
designed to replace the Sukhoi Su-11 and Sukhoi Su-9, which were becoming
obsolete as NATO introduced newer and more capable strategic bombers.
Recognizing the limitations of the earlier Su-9 and Su-11 in intercepting the
new Boeing B-52 Stratofortress, particularly in terms of radar and aircraft
performance, the Sukhoi OKB quickly began the development of a heavily revised
and more capable aircraft. A variety of development aircraft evolved, including
the T-49, which shared the fuselage of the Su-9 (including its single engine),
but used cheek-mounted intakes to leave the nose clear for a large radome for
the RP-22 Oryol-D ("Eagle") radar (NATO "Skip Spin"), and the T-5, essentially a
heavily modified Su-11 with a widened rear fuselage containing two Tumansky R-11
engines.
The Su-15 had maximum speed of Mach 2.5 and a rate of climb of 228 m/s (very
important parameter for an interceptor aircraft). Take-off and landing speeds
were comparatively high, with a take-off speed of 395 km/h (245 mph) for early
delta-winged 'Flagon-A's and 370 km/h (230 mph) for the larger-winged
'Flagon-F'. While the controls were responsive and precise, the aircraft was
unforgiving of pilot error.
Despite its powerful radar, the Su-15, like most Soviet interceptors before the
late 1980s, was heavily dependent on ground control interception (GCI), with
aircraft vectored onto targets by ground radar stations. It was fitted with the
Lazur-S datalink system, which transmitted instructions to the pilot to
accomplish the interception. The later Su-15TM had a Vozdukh-1M datalink and
SAU-58 (sistema automaticheskogo upravleniya, automatic control system) capable
of carrying out completely automatic, 'hands-off' interceptions until the last
moments of the interception.
Role
Interceptor aircraft
National origin
Soviet Union
Manufacturer
Sukhoi
First flight
30 May 1962
Introduction
1965
Retired
1996 (Ukraine)
Status
Retired
Primary users
Soviet Air Defence Forces
Ukrainian Air Force
Produced
Number built
1,290
The Su-15 formed a significant part of the V-PVO's interceptor force, and was
designed to intercept easier targets such as the American B-52 and U-2, and the
British V bombers, leaving the more difficult targets such as the XB-70 and B-58
to the faster MiG-25P. The Taifun radar of the Su-15TM was optimised for
counter-countermeasure operation, as opposed to range. As an interceptor, the
task of the Su-15TM was to fly under autopilot, using GCI commands sent through
the datalink. The radar would only be turned on as the interceptor approached
the target in order to provide targeting parameters for the radar homing
K-8/R-8/R-98 missiles, the high power of the radar allowing it to 'burn through'
enemy ECM signals. If all else failed, IR homing versions of the K-8 would
provide a last opportunity to shoot down the intruder, along with any gun pods
the Su-15 might be carrying.
The Su-15 was optimised for the high-altitude interception role with its fast
climb-rate and high speed at high altitude but lacked look-down/shoot-down
capability, even with the Su-15TM's more sophisticated Taifun radar. This
eventually led to the MiG-23P, which did have look-down/shoot-down capability,
becoming the preferred asset of the V-PVO, especially once NATO switched to
low-level penetration tactics. Even so, the Su-15 remained an important part of
the V-PVO until the fall of the Soviet Union.
As one of the V-PVO's principal interceptors, the Su-15 was involved in several
attacks on foreign aircraft that inadvertently crossed into Soviet airspace:
* One such attack was in 1978, when Korean Air Flight 902 veered into Soviet
airspace and was attacked over Murmansk by a PVO Su-15. Although the civilian
aircraft survived the missile hit, two passengers were killed, and the damaged
plane subsequently made a forced landing on a frozen lake.
* In a 1981 incident, a Georgian-based Su-15 collided with an Argentine Canadair
Briton aboard) which was delivering arms from Israel to Iran after it strayed
into Soviet airspace. The Soviet pilot said the collision was intentional, while
Western aviation experts believed it accidental.
* In the Korean Air Flight 007 incident in 1983, a Korean Boeing 747 was shot
down near Moneron Island, after it veered into restricted Soviet airspace, by a
Su-15TM based on Sakhalin, killing all 246 passengers and 23 crew.
The Su-15 was also credited with shooting down five reconnaissance balloons sent
to spy on Soviet territory in 1975.
A close supersonic fly-by of Yuri Gagarin's MiG-15 by a Su-15 led to Gagarin's
death in 1968. Computer models show that the Su-15 passed "within meters" of the
MiG.
Although it was produced in large numbers (1,290 of all types), the Su-15, like
other highly sensitive Soviet aircraft, was never exported to the Warsaw Pact or
any other country due to its sophisticated systems. Some Su-15 were reported to
be deployed in Egypt in 1972 but were used with Soviet crews. At one point, the
Su-15 was considered for use as a strike fighter, but proved to be too
specialised as an interceptor to be used in that role.
Specifications (Su-15TM)
General characteristics
Crew: 1
Length: 19.56 m (72 ft 3 in)
Wingspan: 9.43 m (30 ft 11 in)
Height: 4.84 m (15 ft 10 in)
Empty weight: 10,760 kg (23,720 lb)
Loaded weight: 17,200 kg (37,920 lb)
Max. takeoff weight: 17,900 kg (39,460 lb)
each
Thrust with afterburner: 70.0 kN (15,730 lbf) each
Performance
air-to-air missiles at an altitude of 12,000 m (39,370 ft)
Combat radius: 725 km (450 mi; 390 nmi)
Combat range: 1,380 km (860 mi; 745 nmi)
Ferry range: 1,700 km (1,060 mi; 920 nmi)
Service ceiling: 18,100 m (59,380 ft)
Rate of climb: 228 m/s (45,000 ft/min)
Maximum g-load: 6.5 g
Armament
each on fuselage pylons
Hardpoints: 6 hardpoints with a capacity of up to 1,500 kg (3,300 lb) and
provisions to carry combinations of: Rockets: UB-16 rocket pods for S-5 rockets
Missiles:
Bombs: FAB-500 general-purpose bomb
Avionics
low-flying targets: 15 km
Lock range: high-flying targets: 45 km
low-flying targets: 10 km
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