Su-34 Air To Air?

Is there a way to make the Su-34 do air to air combat? I know it's not designed for it, but it's certainly capable of it.

With scripting you can give any task to any aircraft, so for example CAP/Fighter Sweep on the Su-34. I've not assigned tasks through scripting, perhaps someone else has an example script.

Sure, tasks can be pushed via scripting... but will those Su34s actually execute them?

I'm not sure they will... I might test it if I get the chance

Sukhoi claims the phased fire control set can identify a periscope in open ocean at 400km and retains the Su-27 air to air capabilities so I'd say it's definitely capable of it.

A lot of people don't know about the Naval Aviation version used as a side by side trainer for Flanker carrier ops. It obviously has different capabilities, the main physical difference being the nose of the Su-34 is flattened out and has phased array whilst the Navy trainer has the same radar as the Su-33 on the airframe of an Su-34. It comes from back when the airframe was first being played with and Sukhoi made an Su-27IB version (fighter-bomber) which became the Su-34 and a trainer version for Naval Aviation with a different equipment fit.

The main thing that actually makes the Su-34 (Su-27IB) a deep penetration strike fighter, aside from merely taking advantage of the Su-27 excellent fuel load and engine efficiency, is the cabin essentially built onto a Flanker airframe, it has two seats, a bunk bed, a galley and a toilet. Aside from that it's really just a Flanker with AESA and a slight speed and manoeuvrability reduction.

In fact I wouldn't be surprised if you saw Su-34 on an intercept patrol in the arctic circuit in the future, on a pure air to air mission. Both pilots and local commanders of the northern sectors always complained about fighters that fatigued pilots too much on those long, arctic patrols. The basis of the Tu-128 as an interceptor was crew fatigue on long patrols being more concern than high Mach capabilities in the arctic sectors. Ostensibly the Flanker and Foxhound replaced all the Cold War PVO interceptors and the regiments were folded into a restructured VVS. But the design qualities of the Tu-128 were never really replaced, the concern still present and the perfect airframe to fill the gap is the Su-34. At the moment I think they're completely depending upon Kuznetsov and its 20-odd Su-33 for the entire remote arctic combat patrol zones, doing it with the Northern Fleet rather than long range land based interceptors, probably looking for boomers more than bombers but still, think B-2.

A lot of great information, thanks! I know it can do air to air, my question was how to make it do so in DCS, as it can't be given any A/A tasks. My solution so far is to use CAS, with the advanced waypoint action 'Search Then Engage', as that covers air targets, allowing it to take the offensive. If someone knows a better solution, I'd be happy to hear it!

ROE weapons free should give it more freedom to attack whatever it wants.