How many Sukhoi 30 MKIs is India going to have?

[sandeepdg]

Is not China the most potent threat?

We are already placing Sukhoi-30 MKIs for that reason in NE. The MMRCA will act as force multipliers.

 

[p2prada]

What do you think about the one plane model of France? One plane, one logistics trail, fewer but more multi-mission platforms?

Numbers matter to arrive at that. If we are looking for just one type, then we would have had a small air force with 6 or 7 squadrons like Britain or France. If we are looking at an air force with 40 squadrons, it will have to have more than one type. Even the US employs F-15, F-16, F-18, F-22, (F-35) and A-10.

The Russians have Su-27, Su-30(Su-33), Mig-29, Mig-31, Su-25, (Su-35) and (Su34).

China has a million types. India is the same. We have bigger needs. All the above air forces are the 4 biggest in the world. US, Russia, China and India.

Unlike the other 3, India is going for multi mission platforms for all types in the future. MKI, LCA, MRCA, FGFA and AMCA. All will be multirole or you could say omnirole aircraft.

 

[SATISH]

Sorry for not quoting source, its on mobile i'm doing it
@satish
I too did come under the $ 108 million when vishal tharpar made the report. But the fact is just before that the previous lot of additional 40 su-30 had cost only $ 48 million. The present 40 costing $ 108 million are exclusively for carrying brhmos just like su-34 is a different variant of su-27, so is this plane a variant of su-30 mki. The present high price is due to program cost feeding unit production costs as well. If 80 more of these super Su-30 are ordered, the costs will come down to $ 83 million a piece not to mention the accompanying $ 2.7 million brahmos too would drop to reasonable levels, which will be less or equal to the twin-engined fighters in mmrca upgraded to IAF requirements. The only problem is sukoi and HAL engineers in Russia are waiting for IAF to send two test bed aircraft.
Mmrca for eastern front? su-30 are already in eastern front, they have longer legs than mmrca, thus better suited for the job.
Lca tejas being placed in south is attributed to what, the sri lankan threat of invasion? They are better suited for western theatre. The myth that mmrca will come faster than mk-1 lca is also what it is- a myth. Though certified in their own countries mmrca themselves will have to be certified in India too for IOC and FOC. So if mmrca IOC takes to 2016 will u scrap it, just like asking for scraping tejas mk-2. On every interview HAL chairman is stressing Lca production can be enhanced with more orders. They are willing to get over with the hawks to ramp up lca production, cause they know inspite of deal with bae, hawk is dead as a dodo. Its only Iaf thats riding it into the sunset. just transfer funds from mmrca to tejas for another production facility, accept mk-1 as an process that leads to the solution not a quick fix . This way a whole lot of trouble can be avoided.

Well Icecool. Shiv and other reporters have been wrong many of the times. The sukhoi costs more than $108 mil now. And you are making a big fuss...look at the eastern front...any valid strike or air interdiction will take place deep inside the enemy territory and thus the long legs.

Hawk is an AJT but I propose the LCA trainer to become a LIFT.

Well there are 2 sets of aircrafts in India for the SU 30s...one is from Irkut and other from HAL...and you know which is cheaper.

 

[civfanatic]

Is not China the most potent threat?

Well, the likelihood of war with Pakistan is much higher than China...

If MMRCAs will directly replace MiG-21 squadrons, then most of them will actually be going to the Western Front.

 

[Armand2REP]

Numbers matter to arrive at that. If we are looking for just one type, then we would have had a small air force with 6 or 7 squadrons like Britain or France. If we are looking at an air force with 40 squadrons, it will have to have more than one type. Even the US employs F-15, F-16, F-18, F-22, (F-35) and A-10.

The Russians have Su-27, Su-30(Su-33), Mig-29, Mig-31, Su-25, (Su-35) and (Su34).

China has a million types. India is the same. We have bigger needs. All the above air forces are the 4 biggest in the world. US, Russia, China and India.

Unlike the other 3, India is going for multi mission platforms for all types in the future. MKI, LCA, MRCA, FGFA and AMCA. All will be multirole or you could say omnirole aircraft.

Using Russia as the example, do you really want an air force like VVS? They have so many types and logistics problems, only half of them are serviceable on a good day. The pilots only get 70 hours a year on average and that is because they got rid of half their excess pilots. Russia is learning to consolidate aircraft types, focusing on the Flanker as its base model. But it is only buying 130 aircraft over the next 5 years when it needs over 500. Out of the five types you listed for IAF, only one is ready. Placing a force structure on so much uncertainty seems to be a problem India gets into a lot.

 

[sandeepdg]

Out of the five types you listed for IAF, only one is ready. Placing a force structure on so much uncertainty seems to be a problem India gets into a lot.

Out of the five types listed by P2P, 1 is ready (MKI) 2nd and 3rd one (MMRCA & LCA) will be ready in 2-4 years, FGFA and AMCA are still being worked upon. THE MMRCA aircraft already exist, they just need some changes to suit our requirements, so does the LCA. But, after another 15-20 years, the main component of the IAF will be FGFA & MCA, LCA will act as force multipliers, according to me, that is.

 

[p2prada]

Using Russia as the example, do you really want an air force like VVS? They have so many types and logistics problems, only half of them are serviceable on a good day. The pilots only get 70 hours a year on average and that is because they got rid of half their excess pilots. Russia is learning to consolidate aircraft types, focusing on the Flanker as its base model. But it is only buying 130 aircraft over the next 5 years when it needs over 500. Out of the five types you listed for IAF, only one is ready. Placing a force structure on so much uncertainty seems to be a problem India gets into a lot.

Of course not. We want an air force like Russia's with a 90%+ serviceability rate.

I have not counted Jaguars, Mig-23 and Mig-21Bison into it. So, the rest are replacements. If they come these will go. So, similar numbers.

Russian economy does not relate to our own ability to maintain Russian aircraft. US was surprised to see a well serviced Mig-29 outside of Europe in 2004.

 

[agentperry]

270 sukhois in total. 230 of MKI, but as 2 are lost in crashes 2 yrs back so GOI ordered 42 sukhois but they will be more advanced then mkis, they are termed super-30, they wil be able to carry nirbhay and brahmos. so 228 mki + 42 super-30. i hope its clear. 15 squadrons.

 

[black eagle]

Hey what happened to the Ks?? were they upgraded???

 

[black eagle]

By looking at the cleanliness of the tarmac i can only thank god that it is being towed...

 

[black eagle]

 

[smartindian]

Hey what happened to the Ks?? were they upgraded???

it as been upgrade to mki standard long back

 

[black eagle]

it as been upgrade to mki standard long back

Here is a sat image of 2010 showing 14 ks parked in an unused area of an airbase in Pune.... please clarify this for me, will you??

 

[black eagle]

Again a sat pic of the Bareily airbase taken in 2009 shows what seems to be Su-30Ks.. 3 canberras can also be seen...

 

[Parthy]

i think the total no. of su-30 mki is going to be around with this latest order is 310.i think india should drop the plans for mmrca and go or more upgraded su-30(of a standard equal to su-35) and run its production line till 2020 to a total of 500 su-30 mki instead of low tech mmrca since we already plan to induct tejas mk-2 in large no. which will be bigger than tejas mk-1 and of comparable technologies as the competitors in mmrca competition.

Its not about only technology and numbers.. You know very well that operational cost is major factor in mmrca deal!! do you think it is going to be cost efficient to operate 500 su 30 mki??

first we have to understand the strategic plan, IAF has and people who design the strategic policy has the better long view than us...

272 - was the approved strength which will be more sufficient for deep strike..

Mki can be mainly used for air superiority.. mmrca for multi-role switching between air dominance and ground attack.. LCA can be used mainly for ground attack - But this decides upon the LCA's response in IAF..

You can't use your CAR for getting vegetables from the shop which were near by your house!! we use only bi-cycles..

 

[SHASH2K2]

LCA can be used mainly for ground attack - But this decides upon the LCA's response in IAF..

If I am corerct then as of now LCA is mainly suitable for role of interceptor and IAF will be using it for same role.

 

[Parthy]

Sorry for not quoting source, its on mobile i'm doing it
Lca tejas being placed in south is attributed to what, the sri lankan threat of invasion? They are better suited for western theatre.

IAF has very little operational capabilities in southern operational command. They wanted to renew the coastal survillance and any relatively smaller threats... Thats the main idea and they chose Sulur initially and plans to extend the airport in tuticorin.

On every interview HAL chairman is stressing Lca production can be enhanced with more orders. They are willing to get over with the hawks to ramp up lca production, cause they know inspite of deal with bae, hawk is dead as a dodo. Its only Iaf thats riding it into the sunset. just transfer funds from mmrca to tejas for another production facility, accept mk-1 as an process that leads to the solution not a quick fix . This way a whole lot of trouble can be avoided.

If you are developing a product, it is obvious that you cry aloud for selling it.. Do you think IAF is tat dumb to invest so heavily in Tejas? Everybody knows the time management from HAL and Tejas Mk1 has better avionics and not greater aerodynamics structure..

I agree that, we should concentrate more on indigenous products and also we should keep the time frame taken by each defence organization in mind..

And also, I will not agree that the Armed forces are more fantasied towards Western technologies.. They guard our country and they do rightly know which suits better them for a better protection...

 

[Kunal Biswas]

The no of MKIs will effect the no of MRCA in future..............

 

[Blackwater]

we need 1000+ SU -30

1000+ LCA

300+ PAKFA

300+ MMRCA

100+ bombers

100+ C -130

25+ C-17

 

[Armand2REP]

we need 1000+ SU -30

1000+ LCA

300+ PAKFA

300+ MMRCA

100+ bombers

100+ C -130

25+ C-17

You need 1500 Rafale, 300 PAK FA and 150 A400M