Venezuela’s economic conditions have repeatedly undercut the ability of its military to maintain the planes in its fleet.
If there was one word to describe the otherwise-shambolic resistance movement mounted by the Venezuelan government against the United States, it would be “defiance.” That’s precisely what the Chavismo regime of Nicolas Maduro has been doing since taking power in 2013. One of the most defiant—and important—things that Venezuela’s government has done has been to defy the many sanctions upon Venezuela, without compromising what Maduro views as Venezuela’s national interests.
Enter the Russians to offer aid.
Moscow and Caracas Make a Deal
In 2006, when the Venezuelan regime was on its last legs, the Russians moved in to assist Caracas’ ailing military. At the time, the U.S.-provided F-16 Block A and D warplanes were getting old, and maintenance was becoming impossible, because Washington had cut Venezuela off from the supply chain supporting the F-16 program.
That year, Russia delivered around 24 Su-30MK2s to Caracas. Valued at over $1 billion, the Su-30MK2 is an important export variant of the Su-30 family that has been tailored for multirole missions. The Venezuelans chose this plane over China’s J-10, due to its proven performance and Russia’s willingness to provide financing and technical support. Venezuela is a strategic partner for Russia, offering access to Latin America’s natural resources and proximity to the United States.
The delivery of the Su-30MK2s was completed in 2008. Although the official price tag was $1 billion, given that Venezuela required infrastructure and technical support to get their Su-30MK2s going and to maintain them, some estimates place the true price tag of the deal with Russia at around $2.2 billion.
Russia’s Su-30MK2 is an export variant of the Sukhoi Design Bureau’s popular Su-30 family. It is a multirole warplane. Captain Manuel Ríos Airbase was the primary location of where the Su-30MK2s were based, and additional operations for the Su-30MK2 originated out of the Luis del Valle García Airbase in Barcelona, Anzoátegui.
The Su-30MK2 is a derivative of the Soviet-era Su-27 “Flanker” (NATO designation). It has been upgraded for export with an enhanced avionics package and mission flexibility.
All About the Su-30MK2
An Su-30MK2 is a twin-engine, two-seat fighter with a maximum takeoff weight of around 76,000 pounds and a combat range of approximately 1,864 miles without the need for refueling. Of course, that’s the only range that matters, since Venezuela’s Air Force lacks tanker aircraft. This bird possesses thrust-vectoring engines, based on the Russian AL-31F engine, giving the plane excellent maneuverability while in combat. Because of these thrust-vectoring engines, the Su-30MK2 can perform tight turns and conduct high-angle-of-attack moves, meaning that it is a formidable dogfighter.
The Su-30MK2 can carry up to 17,600 pounds armaments across 12 hardpoints. Among its capabilities, the Su-30MK can carry the Kh-31 supersonic anti-ship and anti-radar missile that has a range of up to 68 miles. There has been some speculation that the Su-30MK2 will be integrated with the Klub anti-ship missile, though there is little confirmation on whether Venezuela is even capable of making such an integration, given its limited military capabilities and failing economy.
A Failure to Maintain
But as always, the Venezuelan regime has been forced to skimp on these planes. While they are one of the more advanced systems the Venezuelans have at their disposal, two have been lost in training missions.
The plane’s deployment history as part of the Venezuelan Air Force has been intriguing, though. These birds were first deployed during the now-forgotten Andean Diplomatic Crisis that erupted in 2008 between Venezuela (and its Ecuadoran partner) and U.S.-backed Colombia. The Su-30MK2 was used for air superiority missions against Colombia.
Caracas has deployed these planes into the Caribbean basin as well, relying upon the Su-30MK’s aforementioned anti-ship capabilities to assert Venezuelan power across the sea. With tensions between Venezuela and their oil-rich, U.S.-backed neighbors in Guyana simmering, one can assume that the Su-30MK will form a vital component of whatever military operation Maduro might be planning.
No Plane Will Save the Maduro Regime
Ultimately, the Su-30MK, while certainly the most advanced warplane in Venezuela’s limited arsenal, is not a major threat to the U.S. or its partners in the region. That’s not because of the Su-30MK, which is a decent warplane. It is because Venezuela’s economic conditions have repeatedly undercut the ability of its military to maintain the warbirds. In fact, the Russians have repeatedly withheld timely sales of spare parts for the Su-30MKs specifically because of unspecified payment issues, which further grounded Venezuela’s Su-30MK fleet. One U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) report from 2019 suggested that only half of Venezuela’s Su-30MK fleet remained operational.
The fact of the matter is that Venezuela is a shell of a state, held up by illicit narcotic and oil money as well as Chinese, Russian, and Iranian support and posing no realistic threat to the United States. No amount of advanced Russian warplanes will change that.
About the Author: Brandon J. Weichert
Brandon J. Weichert, a Senior National Security Editor at The National Interest as well as a Senior Fellow at the Center for the National Interest, and a contributor at Popular Mechanics, consults regularly with various government institutions and private organizations on geopolitical issues. Weichert’s writings have appeared in multiple publications, including the Washington Times, National Review, The American Spectator, MSN, the Asia Times, and countless others. His books include Winning Space: How America Remains a Superpower, Biohacked: China’s Race to Control Life, and The Shadow War: Iran’s Quest for Supremacy. His newest book, A Disaster of Our Own Making: How the West Lost Ukraine is available for purchase wherever books are sold. He can be followed via Twitter @WeTheBrandon.
Image: Shutterstock.