Sukhoi Su 30MKI

Sea Eagle

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India's SU-30MKI fighter-bombers are the pride of its fleet. Below them, India's local Tejas LCA lightweight fighter program aims to fill its low-end fighter needs, and the $10 billion M-MRCA competition is negotiating to buy France's Rafale as an intermediate tier.
India isn't neglecting its high end SU-30s, though.
Initial SU-30MK and MKI aircraft have all been upgraded to the full SU-30MKI Phase 3 standard, and the upgraded "Super 30" standard aims to keep Sukhoi's planes on top. Meanwhile, production continues, and India is becoming a regional resource for SU-27/30 Flanker family support.

India originally received standard SU-30MKs, while its government and industry worked with the Russians to develop the more advanced SU-30MKI, complete with innovations like thrust-vectoring engines and canard foreplanes. The Su-30MKI ended up using electronic systems from a variety of countries: a Russian NIIP N-011 radar and long-range IRST sensor, French navigation and heads-up display systems from Thales, Israeli electronic warfare systems and LITENING advanced targeting pods, and Indian computers and ancillary avionics systems.
Earlier-model SU-30MK aircraft and crews performed very well at an American Red Flag exercise in 2008, and the RAF's evident respect for the SU-30 MKIs in
the 2007 Indra Dhanush exercise
is equally instructive. The Russians were intrigued enough to turn a version with different electronics into their new export standard (SU-30MKA/
MKM), and even the Russian VVS has begin buying "SU-30SM" fighters.
So far, India has ordered 272 SU-30s in 4 stages:
1.50SU-30MK and MKIs ordered directly from Russia in 1996. The SU-30MKs were reportedly modernized to a basic SU-30MKI standard.
2.Another 40 SU-30MKIs, ordered direct in 2007. These machines have reportedly been upgraded to the "Phase 3" standard.
3.A license-build deal with India's HAL that aims to produce up to 140 more SU-30MKI Phase 3 planes from 2013-2017
4.An improved set of 42 HAL-built SU-30MKI "Super 30s". A preliminary order was reportedly signed in 2011, but the final deal waited until December 2012.
The Super 30 represents the next evolution for the
SU-30MKI. Upgrades are reported to include a new radar (probably AESA, and likely Phazotron's Zhuk-AE), improved onboard computers, upgraded electronic warfare systems, and the ability to fire the air-launched version of the Indo-Russian BrahMos supersonic cruise missile.

India may eventually upgrade its earlier models to this standard. For now, they represent the tail end of HAL's assembly schedule, as the assembly of standard SU-30MKIs continues. The big challenge for HAL is to keep that expansion going, by meeting India's production targets.

Based on 3rd party sources, IAF SU-30MKI squadrons currently comprise:
-> 2 Wing's 20 Sqn. "Lightnings" &30 Sqn. "Rhinos", at Lohegaon AFS in Pune (W)
->11 Wing's 2 Sqn. "Winged Arrows", based at Tezpur AFS (NE, near Tibet)
->15 Wing's 8 Sqn. "Eight Pursuits" & 24 Sqn. "Hawks", at Bareilly AFS (NC, near W Nepal)
->14 Wing's 102 Sqn. "Trisonics", at Guwahati AFS (NE, near Tibet)
->34 Wing's 31 Sqn. "Lions", at Halwara AFS in Punjab (NW)
->45 Wing's 21 Sqn. "Ankush", based at Sirsa AFS in Haryana (NW, pending, MiG-21 conversion)

The IAF was scheduled to raise its 8th SU-30 squadron by December 2012 at Sirsa, close to the Pakistani border, but public sources don't show that yet. This is part of a larger balancing of India's force structure. Initial SU-30 MKI squadron deployments had been focused near the Chinese border, but the new deployment will even things out.
A squadron will also reportedly be based at the new airfield in Thanjavur, across from Sri Lanka. The airfield required extensive refurbishment, and was formally opened in May 2013. Its SU-30MKIs will offer India comfortable strike coverage of Sri Lanka, including the major southern port of Hambantota that's being built with a great deal of Chinese help.

India's INR 25 billion "Modernisation of Airfield Infrastructure" (MAFI) project, which is being led by Tata Power's strategic electronics division. It uses Doppler Very High Frequency Omni-directional Radio Range (DVOR), and Category II Instrument Landing Systems (ILS), allowing direction from 300 km and operations in visibility as low as 300 meters.
Bhatinda is MAFI's pilot project, and a SU-30MKI was used to test the system on March 25/14.
The challenge is that they can only upgrade 5-6 bases at any given time. The eventual goal is 30 IAF and navy bases set up by 2016, including 8 along the Chinese border. By the end of 2019, the goal is to expand MAFI to 67 air bases, including 2 owned by the ministry of home affairs. The larger goal is greater tactical flexibility for all fleets, and the SU-30s will be a major beneficiary.


India Ordering, Modernizing SU-30MKIs
 
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AVERAGE INDIAN

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India, Russia to take up upgrading Su-30 jet with radar

The Indian Air Force's advanced Su-30 MKI aircraft may undergo yet another round of upgradation involving its radar in the near future.

Top officials from India and Russia are meeting here for two days beginning on Thursday to chalk out the maintenance plan of several Russian military hardware being used by the Indian armed forces. A Russian proposal on the upgradation of Su-30 MKI is on the table.

The two sides had few rounds of initial discussions on India's front-line fighter jet that needs to be upgraded. "We will demand further improvement in the radar system," a source familiar with the discussions told Deccan Herald.

From warships, submarines, tanks to fighter or transport aircraft, maintenance of a large number of Russian military platforms being used by the armed forces is one of the perpetual problems for New Delhi, which inducted these platforms in the last few decades.

The Indian delegation will be headed by Defence Secretary R K Mathur and will have representatives from three services. The Russian side will have representatives of the military industry and the government.

The discussion between New Delhi and Moscow comes in the wake of Hindustan Aeronautics Limited's admission of critical problems in some of the Su-30 mission computers and head-up display systems, supplied by the Russians.

In February, a HAL official informed Irkut Corporation on multiple cases of "repeated failure of mission computer". The head up display multi-function display too were blanked off in flight. The problems were visible in two configurations of the aircraft.

"As the displays blanking off is a serious and critical issue affecting the exploitation of aircraft, it needs corrective action or remedial measures on priority," wrote the official from HAL's Aircraft Upgrade R&D Centre at Nasik in a confidential letter to Irkut's deputy director of supplies and after sales service division. The Air headquarters was kept in the loop.

When asked, HAL chairman and managing director R K Tyagi said, "Very few aircraft reported problem of mission computer failure and blanking-off HUD which was of initial batch."

"The issue was intermittent in nature and related to old software version. The issue has been addressed by upgrading the software version by Russian side and by replacement of the mission computer and head up display wherever they have been found un-serviceable during ground checks. Till date no such incidence has been reported from any IAF base with upgraded software version," Tyagi said.

India, Russia to take up upgrading Su-30 jet with radar
 

abhi_the _gr8_maratha

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The visit covered indigenisation cell,
manufacturing facilities for 4.5
generation aircraft, newly-established
repair and overhaul facilities, final
assembly of Su-30MKI aircraft and
flight-testing hangar. The Air Chief
appreciated the extent of technology
absorption, indigenisation and the
confidence level to take up ROH of
Su-30MKI aircraft by HAL.
Presently. HAL is manufacturing the
aircraft from the raw material phase
and till date has produced 150 aircraft.
HAL has manufactured approximately
43,000 components in airframe and
6,300 components for engines. Twenty
six special technologies have also been
absorbed and mastered. With this, 70
per cent components are now made in
India by HAL with 100 per cent
technology absorption as per the
contract in airframe and engine. :bhangra:
.
HAL, IAF, ministry working on defence needs | idrw.org
 

Sea Eagle

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Sorry if posted already !!

"The chief was updated on the technology advancements of Nasik division, the nodal agency for integrating supersonic BrahMos missiles on Sukhoi. Currently, one Sukhoi is undergoing system integration tests ahead of flight trials with theair-launched version of BrahMos. The flight tests are set to begin in October and the missile is expected to enter the IAF rolls officially next year," an official said.

IAF Chief Raha to Review Tejas, Hawk Projects Today - The New Indian Express
 

tuneix

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Russia to modify engines of Su-30MKI

New Delhi, August 3 IAF's frontline fighter jet Sukhoi-30MKI will be modified under new specifications laid down by its Russian manufacturers to fix mid-air engine trouble in its fleet.
The move comes after the IAF faced an unusually high number of mid-air engine failures over the past two years (January 2102 onwards) and asked the Russians to rectify the problem in the fighter jet. The Tribune had highlighted this in its July 21 report. The IAF has a fleet of 200 Sukhoi aircraft and another 72 are on their way from Moscow.
The plane is the mainstay of India's air operations to dominate the skies against possible attacks from both western and eastern frontiers.The modification will be carried out on 400 engines of the twin-engine aircraft, besides installation of some spares for emergencies. The Russians will install modified engines on the next lot of 72 jets, sources say.
The modification will primarily be carried out at HAL's Sukhoi engine plant in Orissa. The HAL is a public sector undertaking owned by the Defence Ministry.
The modified engines will first be tested on the aircraft, before being fitted to the entire fleet. The refit will be carried out in batches over the next 18-24 months.
The Russians have assured India that the modifications will eliminate the problem of mid-air engine failure, say sources.
The Russian proposal has been accepted by the top brass of the IAF.
Some of the engines — the AL-31FP — produced by NPO Saturn of Russia have been behaving inconsistently over the past two years. Since the engines powering the jet are still being produced, there is a scope for modification.
The IAF had flagged the Russians after studying each failure in detail between 2012 and 2013. The matter was taken up at a meeting between the two nations in February and later in June.
The instances of single-engine Su-30MKI landings were very high during the period. This was lowering the operational ability of the fleet, besides raising questions about war readiness.
The Su-30MKI is a twin-engine aircraft and can land even if one of its engines fails mid-air. But this limits pilot's ability to attack or withdraw during conflict.
Only four Su-30MKIs have so far crashed since their phased induction in 1997. A pilot had died in the first crash in 2009. At least one of the crashes is attributed to "engine trouble".
Su-30MKI enjoys air superiority because of its engines. In horizontal flight, it can fly at 2,400 kmph or achieve a rate of climb of 230 metres per second. The 'thrust vectoring control' in the engine improves aircraft's manoeuvrability.
The aircraft is now being tweaked to fire the BrahMos super-sonic cruise missile.
While the aircraft is based at Bathinda, Halwara, Sirsa, Bareilly, Jodhpur and Bhuj in the North and West, its two squadrons are based at Tezpur and Chabua in the East.
Another squadron is based in South to augment the Indian Navy's fleet of MiG29-K and Sea Harriers aboard aircraft carriers INS Vikramaditya and INS Viraat, respectively.
 

Dhairya Yadav

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how well does MKI fair against Western fighters like F15,F22 and chinese fighters like J11? Im asking about combat characters like maneuvers,load,range etc. any wargame data? It looks like it is the only capable aircraft in India to counter China...
 

Dhairya Yadav

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No.
MiG-29Upg
Mirage-2000 upgraded
Tejas (whenever the FOC builds enter service)
Not in that sense, I was talking about Air superiority, deep interdiction missions etc. Of course we have a good Air Force, but not capable of obtaining Aerial superiority against China as of now.
 

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