Sukhois to get closer to Pakistan border

[Blackwater]

New Delhi, July 30
For the first time, India's frontline fighter aircraft, Sukhoi-30-MKI, will be based very close to the Indo-Pak border, only around 150 km away, at Halwara, near Ludhiana.

Sources in the IAF said the runway reconstruction at the Halwara airbase was nearing completion and the first squadron of the Sukhois would move there by the end of the year or at best early next year.

The twin-engined Russian-origin Sukhois, which are now produced under licence in India, are one of the leading warplanes of the world. These are set to become deadlier with the slated fitting of super-sonic cruise missile BrahMos under its belly.

A Sukhoi-30-MKI flying at top speed of around two mach, about 2,450 kmph, will be able to reach the western border of India within 4 minutes of the take-off from Halwara.

The original plan was to have Sukhois at Halwara at the start of this year itself, however, it was held back due to the runway reconstruction project. The stationing of the warplane is significant as it can travel up to 5,200 km in one go and carry around 8,000 kgs of weaponry. As part of the beefing up of operations in eastern India, some Sukhois have been stationed at Chabua and Tezpur.

The warplane will provide additional capability to the IAF, which has a Sukhoi-30-MKI base at Bareilly in western Uttar Pradesh.

Over the past few months, the entire lot of 62 Russian-built MiG-29s has been deployed at Adampur, near Jalandhar. All three squadrons, around 62 fighters, are now based at Adampur which is nation's second largest IAF base and had MiG 29s for long. Now all the MiG 29s from across Gujarat have been moved to Adampur, around 100 km away from the Indo-Pak border and less than 250 km from the Chinese border on the eastern side. The MiG 29s are under the process of being upgraded to carry better weapons, a state-of-the-art radar and advanced avionics.

Another important addition would be midair re-fuelling capability. A more powerful and latest series-III version of the existing RD 33 engine of the MiG 29 will be housed in the upgraded planes. A multi-functional radar will guide weapons with better precision. It will also enable the pilot to "see" even small targets like unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). A new weapon-control system will enable better targeting of aims and also upgrade the weapon delivery system. The existing flying range of the MIG-29 is around 2,100 km. Post add-ons, it will go up to 3,500 km.

After the upgrade, the MiG-29s, inducted in the late 1980s, will be just a shade lower than the Sukhoi-30-MKI in strike capability.

Meanwhile, the IAF has launched a major drive to fill vacancies of pilots. As per latest figures, the IAF has a shortage of 1,016 officers out of which 400 are the vacancies of pilots. The IAF has a sanctioned strength of 12,211 officers. It will be adding newer warplanes in the next 6 to 8 years as the supply of the 126 MMRCA fighter planes will start while the supply of the fifth generation fighter aircraft (FGFA) is expected to commence in 2019.



n The warplane will provide additional capability to the IAF, which has a Sukhoi-30-MKI base at Bareilly in western UP

n The twin-engined Russian-origin Sukhois are one of the leading warplanes of the world

n These are set to become deadlier with the slated fitting of super-sonic cruise missile BrahMos under its belly

n The fighter aircraft flying at top speed about 2,450 kmph will be able to reach the western border of India within 4
minutes of the take-off from Halwara

n The stationing of the warplane is significant as it can travel up to 5,200 km in one go and carry around 8,000 kgs of weaponry

The Tribune, Chandigarh, India - Nation

 

[Tshering22]

That's idiotic. It would be more rational if they can save the Western border for Tejas, MiG-29UPGs, Mirage 2000H (upgrade) and Jaguars and MiG-27s which are more than enough to deal with the Land of the Pure. The MKIs and MRCAs should be stationed as close to LAC as possible. Even if stationed in Ladakh or Himachal or Uttarakhand, it won't take more than 7 minutes to reach the western theatre of warfare if needed.

This Pakistan-centric development is still not worn off from GOI despite contrary claims.

 

[Yusuf]

While they station MKIs there, develop a new policy of combat air patrol as well to keep those scums in check.

 

[Tronic]

That's idiotic. It would be more rational if they can save the Western border for Tejas, MiG-29UPGs, Mirage 2000H (upgrade) and Jaguars and MiG-27s which are more than enough to deal with the Land of the Pure. The MKIs and MRCAs should be stationed as close to LAC as possible. Even if stationed in Ladakh or Himachal or Uttarakhand, it won't take more than 7 minutes to reach the western theatre of warfare if needed.

This Pakistan-centric development is still not worn off from GOI despite contrary claims.

China border was the first place to get MKI squadrons. The fact that the MKIs just got a frontline Pakistan postured base, after so many years, shows that the development is not all Pakistan centric. Second point is, Mirages, Jaguars, Mig-27s, even Tejas, are different aircraft each designed for a different role and mission. They cannot replace the MKI's role. Another point is, you cannot say that with close to 150 aircraft and over 200 planned, MKIs should be kept away from Pakistan's borders. The first MKI squadrons went to China postured bases, so the development is not entirely Pakistan centric. The forces deploy their assets where they are needed and in what roles they are needed. This MKI squadron being so close to the border, I reckon, must be there for deep operations within Pakistan.

 

[Blackwater]

That's idiotic. It would be more rational if they can save the Western border for Tejas, MiG-29UPGs, Mirage 2000H (upgrade) and Jaguars and MiG-27s which are more than enough to deal with the Land of the Pure. The MKIs and MRCAs should be stationed as close to LAC as possible. Even if stationed in Ladakh or Himachal or Uttarakhand, it won't take more than 7 minutes to reach the western theatre of warfare if needed.

This Pakistan-centric development is still not worn off from GOI despite contrary claims.

Don't worry Yaar we got enough for china .Yk do bheeekh mango par laga de