A Russian Air Force Su-27 Flanker fighter disappeared off the radar screens in Khabarovsk Territory, a source in the Far East Military District said Thursday.

The Defense Ministry press and information service said the fighter had been performing a scheduled flight and was about 30 km away from the airbase it had taken off from.

A search and rescue operation is in progress but so far there have been no signs of the missing fighter.

"The fighter was being piloted by an experienced, well-trained officer," the ministry said.

The Su-27 is an air-superiority long-range, Mach-2 class interceptor-fighter, in service since 1984.

Last year there were at least two fatal crashes involving an Su-27.

On August 30, 2009, a Belarusian Air Force Su-27 fighter crashed while performing aerobatic maneuvers, killing two pilots.

Two weeks prior to that, two Su-27 planes had collided during preparations for the MAKS-2009 air show outside Moscow, killing one pilot.

KHABAROVSK, January 14 (RIA Novosti)