One of the stars of the Singapore Airshow flying display is the two-seater twin-engine Sukhoi Su-30MKM, which is a variant of the Russian-built Su-30 multirole fighter built specifically for the the Royal Malaysian Air Force.
The thrust vectoring capability of this aircraft allows it to perform incredible aerobatics, including the famous ‘Cobra’ maneuver. Thrust vectoring involves controlling the alignment of the engine nozzles to direct thrust up or down as a means of controlling the attitude or angular velocity of the aircraft. This allows for maneuverability that isn’t possible by relying on the aerodynamic control surfaces alone.
The Su-30 has a fuselage of almost 72’ in length, with a wingspan of about 48’ and stands a height of 21’. Powered by AL 31fp twin engines, providing a thrust of 55,000lbs with full afterburner, enabling the aircraft to reach a top speed of Mach 2.