- Side
- EgyptSyria
Egyptian and Syrian Su-20/Fitter aircraft saw combat in the 1973 war; AirVectors describes Egyptian Su-20 losses and Syrian low-level strikes on Israeli targets with FAB bombs and RBK-250 cluster bombs.
Aircraft & UAVs
Su-17
Also known as
- Sukhoi Su-17
- Su-17 Fitter
- Fitter-C
- Su-17/-20/-22
The Su-17 Fitter is a Soviet variable-sweep wing fighter-bomber developed from the fixed-wing Su-7B and exported through the Su-20 and Su-22 lines. Designed for ground attack and bombing with rockets, bombs, missiles, gun pods, and 30 mm cannon armament, the family is documented in Soviet, Iraqi, and Syrian conflict use from Afghanistan to Syria.
Role in Conflicts
- Side
- Libya
Libyan Su-22s saw action in Chad during the 1980s; AirVectors specifically notes Fitter operations there before Libya withdrew the type from service in the 1990s.
- Side
- Soviet Union and Afghan government forces
Soviet forces used Su-17 Fitter aircraft in Afghanistan for fighter-bomber attacks against suspected mujahideen strongholds before air-assault operations; AirVectors also describes Su-17M3R reconnaissance and flare-dropping support during the war.
- Side
- Iraq
A declassified DIA assessment states that Iraqi Su-22/Fitter aircraft attacked Iranian troops with chemical weapons in August 1983 and that Su-17/22 Fitters were among Iraq's documented fixed-wing chemical-delivery systems during the war.
Syrian Su-20s and Su-22Ms saw combat against Israeli forces in southern Lebanon in 1982, while Su-22MR aircraft carrying KKR-series reconnaissance pods flew sorties over southern Lebanon.
- Side
- Iraq
Iraq still fielded Su-22 aircraft during Operation Desert Storm; an Air Force historical study lists four Iraqi Su-22s among the aircraft shot down by USAF pilots between January and March 1991.
Role details- Side
- Russia
Russian Su-17M3 aircraft saw combat in the First Chechen War as the post-Soviet Russian air force was drawing the Fitter fleet down.
- Side
- Peru
Peruvian Su-22M3 aircraft conducted dozens of sorties in the 1995 Cenepa border war, with AirVectors noting two losses to Ecuadorian Igla MANPADS.
Syrian government forces fielded the Su-22 export variant for ground-attack missions; CENTCOM reported a Syrian regime Su-22 dropping bombs near SDF fighters south of Tabqah on June 18, 2017, before a U.S. F/A-18E shot it down.
Role detailsProfile / Specs
Profile
- Origin
- Soviet Union
- Built by
- Sukhoi
- Built in
- Soviet UnionRussia
- Type
- Variable-sweep wing fighter-bomber / ground-attack aircraft
- Service note
- Cold War design with export variants still appearing in later conflicts
- Designer
- Sukhoi Design Bureau
- Designed
- 1960s variable-geometry development from the Su-7B
- Produced
- 1970-1990, with later Su-22M4 production reported into 1991 by the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force
- Developed from
- Su-7B
Specifications
- Crew
- One
- Role
- Ground attack and fighter-bomber missions
- Length
- 61 ft 6 in (18.76 m), per FAS Su-17/Su-22 reference data
- Wingspan
- 45 ft (13.8 m), per FAS Su-17/Su-22 reference data
- Payload
- About 3,500 kg in FAS reference data; NMUSAF lists 9,370 lb of stores for the Su-22M4
- Armament
- Bombs, rockets, missiles, gun pods, and 30 mm cannon armament depending on variant
- Engine
- Lyulka AL-21F-3 turbojet on the Su-22M4, with 24,700 lb thrust with afterburner
- Maximum speed
- NMUSAF lists 1,550 mph (Mach 2.09) for its Su-22M4 reference
- Wing
- Variable-sweep wing with fixed positions for low, intermediate, and high-speed flight
- Wing sweep
- NMUSAF lists three fixed positions: 28 degrees for low speed, 62 degrees for high speed, and one intermediate setting
- Designation structure
- Su-17 is the Soviet domestic family; Su-20 and Su-22 are export designations in FAS and museum references
Variants
The Su-17 was the Soviet-service swing-wing Fitter line; Su-20 and Su-22 were export designations, with later marks adding updated engines, avionics, radars, weapons fits, and trainer or reconnaissance configurations.
| Variant | Configuration | Designation notes |
|---|---|---|
| Su-17M / Su-17M2 / Su-17M3 | Soviet strike variants | FAS lists the Su-17M, M2, and M3 among the main production modifications of the variable-sweep Fitter family. Sources: Su-17, -20, -22 Fitter |
| Su-17M4 | Late Soviet attack variant | FAS identifies the Su-17M4 as a later low-altitude subsonic bomber modification within the Su-17 line. Sources: Su-17, -20, -22 Fitter |
| Su-20 | Export designation | FAS describes the Su-20 as an export designation for the Su-17 family, distinguishable with the Su-22 by a deeper dorsal spine. Sources: Su-17, -20, -22 Fitter |
 | Export family member | FAS and the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force both treat the Su-22 as an exported Fitter-family derivative; NMUSAF's Su-22M4 example represents the Fitter-K generation. Sources: Su-17, -20, -22 Fitter, Sukhoi SU-22M4 |
| Su-17UM / Su-22UM | Trainer variants | FAS includes the Su-17UM trainer among the family modifications, while export trainer designations belong to the Su-22 branch. Sources: Su-17, -20, -22 Fitter |
Carried Munitions
Reference loadout sources tie the Su-17/Su-22 Fitter family to general-purpose bombs, unguided rockets, and later air-to-surface missiles; this section links only catalog records with source-backed compatibility.
| Carried item | Item type | Carriage evidence |
|---|---|---|
 | 100 kg general-purpose bomb | CMO-DB lists Su-17M-3 Fitter H strike loadouts carrying FAB-100M-62 general-purpose bombs. Sources: CMO-DB Su-17M-3 Fitter H |
 | 250 kg general-purpose bomb family | CMO-DB lists Su-17M-3 Fitter H loadouts with FAB-250M-54 and FAB-250M-62 bombs, while Weaponsystems.net identifies Su-17 and Su-22-class aircraft as FAB M54 platforms. Sources: CMO-DB Su-17M-3 Fitter H, FAB M54 | Weaponsystems.net |
 | 57 mm unguided rocket | CMO-DB lists Su-17M-3 Fitter H loadouts carrying S-5K 57 mm rockets for strike missions. Sources: CMO-DB Su-17M-3 Fitter H |
 | Air-launched standoff missile | Forecast International reports Kh-59M deployment on Su-17/22 Fitter aircraft; this is a family compatibility note, not a claim that every operator carried the missile. Sources: Russian Strike Missiles |
Timeline
Su-17 Key Events
Public demonstration of the swing-wing Fitter
FAS describes the Su-17's first public demonstration in 1969 after Sukhoi adapted the Su-7B fighter-bomber with variable-sweep outer wing panels.
Sources: Su-17, -20, -22 Fitter
Long production run begins
FAS lists Su-17-family production from 1970 to 1990, with multiple Su-17M-series and export variants built during the run.
Sources: Su-17, -20, -22 Fitter
Fitter-K generation identified
The National Museum of the U.S. Air Force notes that Western analysts first identified Fitter-K aircraft, represented by its Su-22M4 example, in 1984.
Sources: Sukhoi SU-22M4
Late Fitter production winds down
NMUSAF states that Fitter production continued until 1991, while FAS lists the broader Su-17/Su-20/Su-22 production span as 1970-1990.
Sources: Sukhoi SU-22M4, Su-17, -20, -22 Fitter
Syrian Su-22 shot down near Tabqah
CENTCOM reported that a Syrian regime Su-22 dropped bombs near SDF fighters south of Tabqah before a U.S. Navy F/A-18E shot it down.
Sources: Coalition Defends Partner Forces from Syrian Fighter Jet Attack
Related Weapon Systems
Sources
Sukhoi SU-22M4Publisher: National Museum of the United States Air Force | Note: Supports Su-22M4 background, variable-sweep design context, exported Fitter family details, technical specifications, and public-domain U.S. Air Force image provenance. | Accessed: 2026-07-01Su-17, -20, -22 FitterPublisher: Federation of American Scientists | Note: Supports Su-17/Su-20/Su-22 family background, role, export designations, user countries, and reference specifications. | Accessed: 2026-07-01RAF Air Power Review Soviet Air Force AfghanistanPublisher: Royal Air Force Centre for Air and Space Power Studies | Note: Supports 1979 Soviet-Afghan War direct use: Soviet Su-17/Fitter aircraft were used for fighter-bomber attacks against suspected mujahideen strongholds before air-assault operations. | Accessed: 2026-07-01Sukhoi Su-17 / 20 / 22Publisher: AirVectors | Note: Supports Su-17/Su-20/Su-22 family development, export variants, operational service, and direct conflict-use context for Middle Eastern, African, Russian, and Peruvian Fitter operators. | Accessed: 2026-07-01CMO-DB Su-17M-3 Fitter HPublisher: CMO-DB | Note: Supports Su-17M-3 loadout relationships for FAB-100M-62, FAB-250M-54, FAB-250M-62, and S-5K rockets. | Accessed: 2026-07-01FAB M54 | Weaponsystems.netPublisher: Weaponsystems.net | Note: Supports FAB M54 family platform context, including Su-17 and Su-22-class aircraft. | Accessed: 2026-07-01Russian Strike MissilesPublisher: Forecast International | Note: Supports Kh-59M missile family background and Su-17/22 Fitter deployment context. | Accessed: 2026-07-01GulfLINK DIA Iraq Air Force Chemical DeliveryPublisher: U.S. Department of Defense GulfLINK | Note: Supports 1980 Iran-Iraq War direct use: Iraqi Su-22/Fitters attacked Iranian troops with chemical weapons in 1983 and Su-17/22 Fitters are listed as Iraqi fixed-wing chemical-delivery systems. | Accessed: 2026-07-01Air Force History What Happened to the Iraqi Air ForcePublisher: Air Force Historical Research Agency | Note: Supports 1990 Gulf War direct use: four Iraqi Su-22s are listed among aircraft shot down by USAF pilots during Operation Desert Storm. | Accessed: 2026-07-01Coalition Defends Partner Forces from Syrian Fighter Jet AttackPublisher: U.S. Central Command | Note: Supports 2011 Syrian Civil War direct use: a Su-22 was fielded by Syrian government forces and used to drop bombs near SDF fighters south of Tabqah on June 18, 2017. | Accessed: 2026-07-01