Sukhoi Su 30MKI

[Anikastha]

Astra test Fired..

www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/astra-testfired/article7228907.ece
Two indigenously-developed Astra missiles were successfully launched from a Su-30 MKI fighter jet at

Chandipur in Odisha on Wednesday.

DRDO scientists plan to conduct another trial on Thursday to prove the long range capability of the missile.
After postponing twice, the indigenously-developed beyond visual range air-to-air missile, Astra was successfully launched from Su-30 MKI fighter jet in two developmental trials conducted at the Integrated Test Range, Chandipur, Odisha on Wednesday.

In the first trial, the supersonic missile was released when the fighter jet was performing a “very high-g manoeuvre”. In the second trial, the manoeuvre was higher than in the first exercise.

A Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) missile technologist told The Hindu that extreme conditions were simulated for the missile’s launch in both the trials when it was released at very low and very high altitudes. DRDO scientists plan to conduct another trial on Thursday to prove the long range capability of the missile.

With Wednesday’s tests, seven developmental trials were conducted and the missile is expected to be inducted by 2016 after few more tests, including pre-induction trials.

Once inducted, India would join select group of nations which possess this kind of stat-of-the-art weapon, said the scientist. He said it is the first state-of-the-art air-to-air missile developed and validated by DRDO. “It is one of the most modern, stand-off beyond visual range air-to-air missiles (BVRAAM)”, he added.

The 3.8-metre tall Astra is a radar homing missile and one of the smallest weapon systems developed by DRDO.

Various laboratories of the DRDO, including the missile complex at Hyderabad, CEMILAC and DGAQA collaborated with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) and the Indian Air Force in developing Astra

 

[SajeevJino]

India to review safety of Su-30MKI fighter fleet ''

India is to conduct a safety assessment of its fleet of Sukhoi S030MKI 'Flanker' fighters following the loss of an aircraft on 19 May, national media has reported.

A high-level review of the more than 200 Su-30MKI aircraft fielded by the Indian Air Force (IAF) is due to be held in the coming days, with Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar discussing the issue with IAF head Air Chief Marshal Arup Raha and other senior officers.

The review follows the crash of an Su-30MKI during a training exercise in the far east of the country. Both crew members were reported to have ejected safely.

Since receiving the first of its Su-30MKIs in 2002, the IAF has lost six to accidents. Most recently, the fleet was grounded following a double uncommanded ejection that occurred in October 2014. The findings of an investigation into that incident have not been disclosed.

With the Su-30MKI making up nearly a third of the IAF's fast jet fleet, Parrikar was quoted by India's Zee News as saying, "We are not grounding the fleet (...) We can't ground the fleet after every accident."

According to IHS Jane's World Air Forces, the IAF has received 205 of an expected 270 Su-30MKI aircraft, with deliveries set to run through to 2019. Of these 270, 222 are being assembled by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) in India. Some 10 squadrons have so far been equipped with the type.

With many of the IAF's older types slated for retirement, the Su-30MKI will soon become the service's most numerous combat aircraft. In future, it will comprise the backbone of IAF's combat capability along with the Dassault Rafale and the indigenous Tejas Light Combat Aircraft.

http://www.janes.com/article/51661/india-to-review-safety-of-su-30mki-fighter-fleet

 

[Anikastha]

India to review safety of Su-30MKI fighter fleet ''

India is to conduct a safety assessment of its fleet of Sukhoi S030MKI 'Flanker' fighters following the loss of an aircraft on 19 May, national media has reported.

A high-level review of the more than 200 Su-30MKI aircraft fielded by the Indian Air Force (IAF) is due to be held in the coming days, with Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar discussing the issue with IAF head Air Chief Marshal Arup Raha and other senior officers.

The review follows the crash of an Su-30MKI during a training exercise in the far east of the country. Both crew members were reported to have ejected safely.

Since receiving the first of its Su-30MKIs in 2002, the IAF has lost six to accidents. Most recently, the fleet was grounded following a double uncommanded ejection that occurred in October 2014. The findings of an investigation into that incident have not been disclosed.

With the Su-30MKI making up nearly a third of the IAF's fast jet fleet, Parrikar was quoted by India's Zee News as saying, "We are not grounding the fleet (...) We can't ground the fleet after every accident."

According to IHS Jane's World Air Forces, the IAF has received 205 of an expected 270 Su-30MKI aircraft, with deliveries set to run through to 2019. Of these 270, 222 are being assembled by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) in India. Some 10 squadrons have so far been equipped with the type.

With many of the IAF's older types slated for retirement, the Su-30MKI will soon become the service's most numerous combat aircraft. In future, it will comprise the backbone of IAF's combat capability along with the Dassault Rafale and the indigenous Tejas Light Combat Aircraft.

http://www.janes.com/article/51661/india-to-review-safety-of-su-30mki-fighter-fleet

What is the meaning of " Whole fleet grounded"???

 

[SajeevJino]

What is the meaning of " Whole fleet grounded"???

whole Su 30 MKI fleet,

Which means if any accidents happens and leaving questions..! makes the fleet unfit for Flying until the Solution provided

 

[sob]

What is the meaning of " Whole fleet grounded"???

This means that routine sorties are cancelled for that particular type of aircraft till the exact cause of the accident is not found.

It does not mean that the aircraft will be kept unprepared.

 

[Compersion]

What happens when a J-11 from PRC air force crash (sure it is another issue that we dont hear and read about it).

Is it there are no crash and issues with J-11 for over 17 years. What is the analysis between the two in both countries. (Forget that SU30MKI is far more advanced and complex). Also forget the Russia is more acceptable to see licensing by India and not copy catting by PRC (that means better support provided to India).

Are the production and quality of PRC fighter planes better compared to India .

 

[Anikastha]

This means that routine sorties are cancelled for that particular type of aircraft till the exact cause of the accident is not found.

It does not mean that the aircraft will be kept unprepared.

If 15 intruders from XYZ country enter into our aerospace then grounded fleet will not engage them...others will
I am right???

 

[indiandefencefan]

If 15 intruders from XYZ country enter into our aerospace then grounded fleet will not engage them...others will
I am right???

Yeah ...... the sukhoi is not primarily is not used as an interceptor by the air force they usually they scramble other aircraft like mig-21 or mirage to intercept aerial targets

 

[Anikastha]

Yeah ...... the sukhoi is not primarily is not used as an interceptor by the air force they usually they scramble other aircraft like mig-21 or mirage to intercept aerial targets

Yeah!! Got it dude..Thanks

 

[LETHALFORCE]

If Russia can give Chinese al-31 engines why haven't they given tot to india?

 

[indiandefencefan]

If Russia can give Chinese al-31 engines why haven't they given tot to india?

The AL-31FP and AL-37FU variants have thrust vectoring. The former is used in the Su-30MKI export version of the Su-30 for India & Sukhoi Su-30MKM for Malaysia . The AL-31FP can deflect its nozzle to a maximum of ±15° at a rate of 30°/sec. The vectoring nozzle is utilized primarily in the pitch plane. The AL-31FP is built in India by HAL at the Koraput facility under a deep technology transfer agreement.
-wikipedia

Cant verify if this is correct or not but i hope it helps

 

[LETHALFORCE]

They are still coming in kits last I heard.


http://www.ruaviation.com/news/2013/3/15/1578/

UMPO starts the delivery of 920 AL-31FP engines to India

 

[indiandefencefan]

They are still coming in kits last I heard.


http://www.ruaviation.com/news/2013/3/15/1578/

UMPO starts the delivery of 920 AL-31FP engines to India

Then the TOT must be a partial one.

 

[LETHALFORCE]

Then the TOT must be a partial one.

If they give technology for everything and leave out something like crystal fan blades it makes the agreement useless.

 

[jackprince]

If 15 intruders from XYZ country enter into our aerospace then grounded fleet will not engage them...others will
I am right???

Well, if 15 enemy aircraft intrudes, definitely whole MKI fleet will be ungrounded as when 15 comes in, it is a war; and during wartime no asset which can be used against enemy will be kept grounded. But if 1 or 2 comes in, Mig-29 or Mig-21s can deal with it.

 

[bennedose]

What is the meaning of " Whole fleet grounded"???

When there is a mystery problem that could possibly involve any of the aircraft - the whole fleet is grounded for routine checks.

If, however a crash has occurred because of a problem that is unlikely to involve the whole fleet then the fleet is not grounded.

An early Su 30 crash was because of a manual shut-down of some controls due to an error. The fleet was not grounded. Just before Iron Fist 2013 a bomb exploded on the pylon of an Su 30. The fleet was not grounded and in fact flew in Iron fist and even dropped bombs (see video link)

There was one Su 30 crash because of a fire. The whole fleet was grounded. there was another crash in which the pilots seat ejected on its own. The same problem was observed on the ground as well when a technician was killed as his seat fired off when he was working in the cockpit. The fleet was then grounded.

In the past there have been many occasions when half the air force (or large parts of other air forces) are grounded for checks.

When there was a mystery crash due to failure of tail rotor of Dhruv, the whole fleet was grounded. But when a Dhruv crashed during practice for aero India the fleet was not grounded.

When an engine blade flew off an early variant of A 380 it was grounded for checks.

Grounding the fleet is part of maintenance and will not happen in war.

 

[Khagesh]

Then there was a Sukhoi crash where the pilot 'inadvertently' switched off the auto pilot, during an inspection flight, when the WSO seat had, against express rules, an inspector qualified on a different plane. In that case also there was a lot of hullabaloo. I don't know if that there was a grounding or not but the whole fleet again flew. The grand idea that was used to mitigate the issue was a flap cover for the auto-pilot switch. The inspector had died in that crash.

Then recently the same pilot was again piloting a Sukhoi. In this case too the IAF honchos created a lot of fuss when the Russians had even without the access to blackbox recordings claimed that some of the IAF pilots act like cowboys. And after the blackbox was recovered the whole fleet was flying and the pilot and the WSO are grounded. If you know what that means. It takes a certain degree of 'involvement' when a supplier knows not only his product but also the mentality/usage pattern, of the user.

You really cannot control a person who wants to hear 'all' when he has actually heard 'any'.

 

[indiandefencefan]

If they give technology for everything and leave out something like crystal fan blades it makes the agreement useless.

From what I have heard is that according to the TOT, we are given assembly parts in knocked down kits which we can assemble using the data provided by the ruskies as per the TOT ..... what we havnt been provided is the knowledge on how to make the parts provided to us..... we only know how to assemble the engines.

Someone please correct me if i happen to be wrong.

 

[Khagesh]

That is largely right. The contract was for 49% ToT on engines. We somehow exceeded it, galati se. Galati, choti moti hai so no harm done. Russians wanted to keep some IPR to themselves when the agreement for acquisition was signed.

In any case we still have to master the so called lesser technology. It makes clear sense to not leave gaps in the knowledge base for the given level of technology you already have. Does not help any to start crying for something even more demanding and then carrying over those knowledge-gaps to that next level. The CFD is the key step that enables all the other technologies - DS, SC, Blisk, Ceramics. The metallurgy comes only after that. Better materials do not imply a licence to act stupid / crazy. SC or Blisks are not ajur-amar materials. The knowledge lies in being able to manage all that heat and pressure.

As regards SC blades. The research was first demoed in a lab around 99 and since then they have kept working but only at lab level. Even the SC blades have evolved overtime. So you really have no way of knowing what would be the right maturation point to induct given that nobody in aas-pados is inducting the engines of the level that need to be deterred.

 

[jackprince]

Good presentation... just not in English