Russia suspends flights of Su-27 fighters after crash
MOSCOW. January 16. KAZINFORM. Russia has suspended SU-27 Flanker fighter jet flights until the cause of a deadly crash earlier in the week is determined, a Defense Ministry official told RIA Novosti on Saturday; Kazinform refers to RIA Novosti.
The fighter had been performing a scheduled flight on Thursday and was about 30 km away from the Dzemga airbase in Russia's Far East when it disappeared from radar screens. The body of the pilot was discovered earlier on Saturday.
"Until the reason for the SU-27 crash in the Khabarovsk Territory becomes clear, all flights by this type of aircraft have been suspended," the spokesperson said.
The plane's flight data recorder has also been located and sent for analysis.
The Su-27 is a Mach-2 class air-superiority aircraft designed as a direct competitor for the heavy fourth generation Western fighters, such as the F-15 Eagle; Kazinform cites RIA Novosti. See www.en.rian.ru for full version.