Sukhoi Su-7

Soviet aircraft

Also known as: Fitter, SU-7

Written by

The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last updated

July 14, 2026

Quick Summary

The Sukhoi Su-7 was a Soviet fighter-bomber developed in the 1950s. It was one of the early supersonic jet fighters designed by the Sukhoi bureau, known for its swept-wing design. The aircraft was extensively used by the Soviet Air Force and other Warsaw Pact countries. The Su-7 was characterized by its high speed and was capable of carrying a significant payload of rockets and bombs, making it effective in ground-attack roles. It served as a foundation for later Sukhoi designs, embodying the concept of incremental development in Soviet aircraft engineering.1

Summary created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

2 Britannica Sources

Ask Britannica AI about this topic

Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.

attack aircraft
…West by the NATO-assigned name Fitter), a single-seat, single-engine aircraft that entered service in the late 1950s and was progressively improved after that time. Soviet development efforts culminated in the late 1970s and ’80s with the MiG-27 Flogger-D and the Sukhoi Su-25 Frogfoot, both of which remained staples in the…
Read More
…West by the NATO-assigned name Fitter), a single-seat, single-engine aircraft that entered service in the late 1950s and was progressively improved after that time. Soviet development efforts culminated in the late 1970s and ’80s with the MiG-27 Flogger-D and the Sukhoi Su-25 Frogfoot, both of which remained staples in the…
Read More