Sukhoi Su 30MKI

johnq

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The MKI already has an Indian MC. My preference will be for India to do away entirely with Russian PGMs, which is possible and have a mix of Indian and Western PGMs for this aircraft. Even Chinese imports of the SU-35 are more for bench marking Chinese progress on engine technology which is an area the Chinese lag. The Chinese believe with regards to radar and aam tech, they are already ahead of the Russians. India should aim for the same position but with the added benefit of having access to Western radar and PGMs.
Russian PGMs are quite effective for what they are intended to do, especially the upgraded ones.
The Chinese did not spend billions on the SU-35 imports for "benchmarking." They used the engines for the J-20. Even now the Chinese copies of Russian engines have very short lives. They also copied the SU-35 radar programming for the J-20's radar. Thankfully the Russians gave them a very downgraded version of the SU-35 radar (because they don't trust Chinese), so the J-20's radar is still rather primitive in terms of what it can do, even though it is advertised as an AESA. Its programming (what it can actually do) is limited to downgraded version of Russian PESA technology from the 1990's. The AESA/PESA hybrid radar on the SU-30MKI is more advanced in terms of programming than the radar of the J-20, especially after the recent upgrades.
 
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WolfPack86

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Does India have the local tech to upgrade the Su-30MKI fleet into ” Super 30 ” on its own?

A country which pans to develop its own 5th Generation fighter jet and is already is working on the development of Tejas-Mk2 a 4.5+ Generation fighter and already has developed Tejas Mk1 4th Gen fighter and now plans to develop a Mk1A 4++ Gen fighter is still depended on the original equipment manufacturer for upgradation and modernization of what it calls the backbone of its airforce fleet? , let examine if India has local technology to upgrade them in the first place. Since IAF is only planning to upgrade only its avionics and electronics so this report will focus on this aspect.



AESA RADAR: NIIP N011M Bars radar, which is a passive electronically scanned array (PESA) system will be replaced by a derivative of the N036 X-Band AESA radar used on the 5th Generation Su-57 fighter jet. India’s indigenous Uttam AESA radar under development for the Tejas-Mk2 is a scalable radar that can be scaled up or down depending on antenna size requirement. Uttam AESA radar for Su-30 will require a larger bigger antenna which packs more T/R modules to take advantage of bigger space of the frontal nose cone of the Su-30MKI.




New Mission Computer: The Su-30MKI fleet is equipped with Mission Computer cum Display Processor-MC-486 and DP-30MK developed by India’s very own Defence Avionics Research Establishment (DARE) in 1998. The 32-bit mission computer performs mission-oriented computations, flight management, reconfiguration-cum-redundancy management, and in-flight systems self-tests. In compliance with MIL-STD-1521 and 2167A standards, Ada language was adopted for the mission computer’s software. According to DARE it already has developed Advanced computers for next-generation aircraft and one developed for Tejas Mk1 and Mk2 which are PowerPC based computing architecture which is a 64-bit which is a big improvement in processing power.




Upgraded Su-30MKI Cockpit: India’s HAL already showcased newly upgraded cockpit which now features, Two 230mmx305mm high-resolution LCDs with a multifunction control panel with a wide 20°x30° field of view head-up display which brings it at par with the Cockpit of the Sukhoi Su-35. Samtel/DARE will develop new high-resolution LCDs.




Radar warning receiver (RWR): Su-30MKI fleet are equipped with DARE developed Tarang-Mk2 Radar Warning Receiver (RWR) + High Accuracy Direction Finding Module (HADF). DARE now has developed all digital RWR christened ‘Dhruti’ for the Su-30MKI fleet, based on its experience on D-29 RWR developed for the Mig-29UPG fleet.




Self-Protection Jammer Pods: Su-30MKI fleet are equipped with Russian SAP-518 pods which due to poor performance was supplemented with Israeli Elta EL/L-8222 Airborne Self Protection Jammer (ASPJ) pods, which now have been offered with wideband EL/L-8222WB pods. DARE also has developed DARE’s High Band Jammer (HBJ) which has begun dummy trials in 2019. Infrared image search and track system (IRST): IAF’s Su-30MKI fleet is equipped with Russian OLS-30 IRST which soon will be replaced by India’s Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) developed IRST which will be far more advanced and will be tuned to detect stealth aircraft at long range.


Integrated Radio Communication set (INCOM): Su-30MKI fleet are equipped with HAL developed Integrated Communication suite INCOM 1210A which will be replaced by indigenous Software Defined Radio systems (SDRs) which are being developed by WESEE (Weapons and Electronics Systems Engineering Establishment) jointly with BEL for all fighter jets in IAF fleet. These SDRs will be jam-resistant with secure features




Radio Altimeter: HAL developed RAM-1701 is equipped on the Su-30MKI fleet which likely will be replaced likely by more advanced RAM-2700A which was developed for Jaguar and LCA-Tejas fleet. They are more countless system which can be replaced by Indian made one.
 

WolfPack86

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Sukhoi 30MKI tests mystery Russian Short-range Missile

India successfully test-fires short-range air-to-air missile off Odisha coast. The 10-km range Russian missile fired from frontline aircraft Sukhoi 30MKI destroys an expendable aerial target validating the weapon’s launch envelope. Russian Close Combat Missile (CCM) tested is rumored to be standard R-73 CCM but no media report had confirmed it. India had activated two danger zones off the coast of Balasore in the Bay Of Bengal area, one known for A2A firing, the other a target towing range a few days back, and more A2A firing are being planned from 23 Nov – 04 Dec 2020. Unconfirmed reports, which idrw.org couldn’t verify have said that this is fresh stocks of R-73 CCM that were supplied by Russia. In 2019, IAF had placed a fresh order for both R-73 and R-77 Air to Air Missiles to restock its AAM Arsenal. Some media reports back then that hinted that India had placed orders for upgraded R-73 CCM which is also known as R-74 in Russia which comes with improved IIR Seeker and ±60° off-boresight then its predecessor. IAF had decided to arm its Frontline Sukhoi-30MKI fleet with MBDA developed ASRAAM Within Visual Range (WVR) air dominance missile with a range of over 25km but after R-73 was instrumental in shooting down a PAF F-16 in a Close range dogfighter with Mig-21Bis near Line of Control (LOC) last year, IAF had instead decided to rebuff its R-73 arsenal rather than switch to ASRAAM. R-73 also has been credited with a Pakistani Drone Kill which was shot down near the Rajasthan border last year by a Sukhoi-30MKI.
 

Trololo

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Regarding the Su-30 MKI upgrade, can members please list the following:

1> Definitive set of improvements (equipment and country of origin).
2> Possible set of improvements (....)
3> Missed out improvements.
 

Suryavanshi

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Does India have the local tech to upgrade the Su-30MKI fleet into ” Super 30 ” on its own?
Where there is will there is a way, aside from the engine I don't think there is a sub system we can't develop on our own. If we really want it we can start our own Sukhoi upgrade by 2030.
 

Swiftfarts

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Bars of MKI.

IMG_20201129_183356.jpg


Just imagine a GaN based AESA radar of that size on SU 30MKI using Vivaldi flared notch radiators like RBE 2 AESA. TRM count would be upward of 2500 with same TRM density as Rafale while 3200+ with F 35 radar class TRM packaging. range , LPI, resolution , SAR, ECM, ECCM capabilities will be off the charts.

SU 30 seriously need a decent upgrade.
 

Bleh

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@patriots you asked some weeks ago. These ones?
Screenshot (393).png
Screenshot (389).png
Screenshot (391).png

Bars of MKI.
View attachment 69072

Just imagine a GaN based AESA radar of that size on SU 30MKI using Vivaldi flared notch radiators like RBE 2 AESA. TRM count would be upward of 2500 with same TRM density as Rafale while 3200+ with F 35 radar class TRM packaging. range , LPI, resolution , SAR, ECM, ECCM capabilities will be off the charts.

SU 30 seriously need a decent upgrade.
Thing is unless the BVRs are just as capable, the high-capability AESA will remain redundant.

You can see than at a range, but won't be able to do anything for hundreds of kilometers... Unless ofcourse you sneaky smaller friends with radars-off might be in range farther ahead.
 

Swiftfarts

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@patriots you asked some weeks ago. These ones?
View attachment 69131View attachment 69132View attachment 69133


Thing is unless the BVRs are just as capable, the high-capability AESA will remain redundant.
agree....using let's say a BVRAAM with higher speed than current lot to cover that distance fast. Something like R 37M but with a ramjet + booster combo can do the trick. ( saving weight + more manoeuvrability + speed ) . Something like this but main missile with ramjet and booster.

IMG-3113.jpg


SU 30 massive size allow such experiment.
Fly high fire in a lofted trajectory. Booster will take on provide massive speed to close the distance fast.
SFDR is the way to go in my opinion.
 

Swiftfarts

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I read somewhere russian offered india mig 31 first instead of Sukhoi's. India should have gone for few squadrons along with SU 30.
 

Bleh

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I read somewhere russian offered india mig 31 first instead of Sukhoi's.
Correct... India was a user of Mig-25, as well as the 1st customer of Mig-29 (even before proper FOC) they assumed we'll get more Mig-29 for dogfighting & Mig-31 for intercepting.
 

Neptune

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agree....using let's say a BVRAAM with higher speed than current lot to cover that distance fast. Something like R 37M but with a ramjet + booster combo can do the trick. ( saving weight + more manoeuvrability + speed ) . Something like this but main missile with ramjet and booster.

View attachment 69246

SU 30 massive size allow such experiment.
Fly high fire in a lofted trajectory. Booster will take on provide massive speed to close the distance fast.
SFDR is the way to go in my opinion.

Or India can incorporate the K-77M:

2874E708-E8BB-4450-9AC8-B634B2AC0FB3.png
 

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