The Su-7 was first flown in 1958, with deliveries to the Soviet Air Force beginning in the same year. It could be seen as the Soviet contemporary of the F-100 Super Sabre. The original high-speed, highly-maneuverable single-seat fighter was developed in several versions and produced in large numbers for the VVS and Warsaw Pact countries during the 1960s.

It was developed in the late 1960s with a completely new variable-sweep wing as the Su-17 fighter-bomber, again further modified during its long life to take on many other roles including reconnaissance, training and so on. The Su-22 was an export version of the Su-17, and the 'Fitter' family has served with many air forces in Europe, Libya, Peru, Vietnam and Syria.