Myanmar junta inducts new Su-30 and K-8 fighter jets in Meiktila to bolster air superiority amid rising civilian casualties

Mizzima

At a regional air force base in Meiktila on 12 March, the Myanmar military junta commissioned four new combat aircraft into its fleet. This latest induction included two Russian-made Sukhoi Su-30 multirole fighter jets and two K-8 Karakorum light attack aircraft, co-developed by China and Pakistan.

This was confirmed to Mizzima by Ko Naung Yoe, a military research officer at the Myanmar Defence and Security Institute (MDSI).

The induction ceremony comes more than four months after the military also inducted two Y-8F 200WB aircraft and three Mi-38 helicopters in November 2025.

During the ceremony, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing emphasized that a formidable air force is essential for maintaining “air superiority” and defending national interests, a statement that comes as the military intensifies its aerial campaigns to retake territories lost to revolutionary forces.

He added that possessing aircraft and helicopters alone is not sufficient, stressing the need for supporting systems, maintenance, and logistics capabilities, as well as training systems.

The K-8 light attack aircraft currently in service can reach a maximum speed of about 800 kilometers (500 miles) per hour and operate at altitudes of up to 13,000 meters (over 42,000 feet). They have a range of around 2,200 kilometers (over 1,300 miles) from their base.

The aircraft can carry 250-pound and 500-pound bombs and 57-mm unguided rockets and are armed with a 23-mm cannon. They can carry up to about 2,200 pounds of munitions and are used by the military both for pilot training and airstrike missions.

The Su-30 is currently the most advanced fighter jet in the junta’s air force, equipped with advanced avionics, modern radar systems, and sophisticated missile capabilities.

It can conduct interception missions, long-range reconnaissance, precision airstrikes, and missile attacks. The aircraft can be equipped with beyond-visual-range missiles, guided bombs, and anti-ship missiles, carry up to eight tons of weapons, and has a range of about 3,000 kilometers (1,800 miles).

While the Military Commission continues to strengthen its air force capabilities, civilian casualties from airstrikes across the country have also increased.

According to the Nyan Lin Thit Analytica research group, from the time of the Myanmar coup d’état in February 2021 through August 2025, the military conducted more than 5,800 airstrikes.

These attacks killed more than 3,400 civilians and injured over 6,000 people, according to a report released in October 2025.