Why is the SU30MKI MLU programme so delayed

The Maverick

Regular Member
Joined
Jul 26, 2020
Messages
93
Likes
215
Country flag
Guys.

The MKI induction has virtually finished we have some 260 fighters almost half the fleet.

The plane is supreme in some cases but needing a MLU to keep it relevant .

To upgrade even half the fleet will cost over $50 million a each and take a decade to complete.

We need a new 3D TVC engine thats more efficient less hours in workshop.
Desperately need AESA radar
EW suite in class of rafale spectra
far superior stand off weapons especially a 200km BVR
finally we need to reduce the RCS signature

I fear that the block 3 thunders and especially the newer PLAAF have the upper hand on our monster

is their any news ????????????????
 

Brood Father

Senior Member
Joined
Jun 27, 2015
Messages
3,466
Likes
14,630
Country flag
Paisa nahee hai Bhai ..we have to spend on Rafale and Tejas ..we don't have money for upgrade ..
 

The Maverick

Regular Member
Joined
Jul 26, 2020
Messages
93
Likes
215
Country flag
Paisa nahee hai Bhai ..we have to spend on Rafale and Tejas ..we don't have money for upgrade ..
INCREDIBLE

We have 60 billion dollar budget. But no $7 billion to upgrade 120-130 su30mki

i realise $20 billion is swallowed in pensions and wages annually.

DID you know our budget is bigger than UK and FRANCE now
 

Assassin 2.0

Senior Member
Joined
Aug 13, 2019
Messages
6,087
Likes
30,705
Country flag
fear that the block 3 thunders and especially the newer PLAAF have the upper hand on our monster
It's more of a Awacs killer.
It's heavier and have limited no escape zone it's not something like meteor which have class leading no escape zone. PL-15 is like bigger R-77 with much more fuel. If it's launched from D-max range Su-30 can out maneuver that missile anyways Astra is already equal or more capable than AMRAM - 120c. Which is better than most of the Chinese bvrm that's why porks use that missile as spearhead against india. Btw Astra Mk-2 and SFDR will totally change the game in up coming year's.
The electronics of Chinese Bvrrm are also doubt worthy.
 

Brood Father

Senior Member
Joined
Jun 27, 2015
Messages
3,466
Likes
14,630
Country flag
The most crucial point in sukhoi upgrade is it's engine upgrade ..any upgrade other than engine is a jugaad. Its radar is also inferior and it do not have any good BVR .
Something changed after 27th Feb and looks like IAF has now completely abandoned this program and is not interested in it's upgrade..
 

DocK

Regular Member
Joined
Feb 16, 2019
Messages
269
Likes
1,487
Country flag
The most crucial point in sukhoi upgrade is it's engine upgrade ..any upgrade other than engine is a jugaad. Its radar is also inferior and it do not have any good BVR .
Something changed after 27th Feb and looks like IAF has now completely abandoned this program and is not interested in it's upgrade..
Recently I saw a video from Abhijit Iyer Mitra where he said Su 30 MKI was a folly that IAF wants to hide. The Israel radar, Russian weapons and Indian / western Litening Pod work against each other instead of in Tandem. This unsolvable problem had to be overcome by buying Nuclear Deterrent capable Rafale in quantity enough to hide SU 30 MKI issues without losing face.
With nearly half fleet for upgrading IAF may ask for 3D TVC technology transfer which the Russians may not want to part with as we know from PAK FA debacle.
Also why not ask MLU to include integration with UTTAM AESA instead of Ruskie or Israeli radar?
Your views?
 

fire starter

Tihar Jail
Banned
Joined
Jan 14, 2020
Messages
9,609
Likes
84,137
Country flag
Recently I saw a video from Abhijit Iyer Mitra where he said Su 30 MKI was a folly that IAF wants to hide. The Israel radar, Russian weapons and Indian / western Litening Pod work against each other instead of in Tandem. This unsolvable problem had to be overcome by buying Nuclear Deterrent capable Rafale in quantity enough to hide SU 30 MKI issues without losing face.
With nearly half fleet for upgrading IAF may ask for 3D TVC technology transfer which the Russians may not want to part with as we know from PAK FA debacle.
Also why not ask MLU to include integration with UTTAM AESA instead of Ruskie or Israeli radar?
Your views?
Mitra is a wannabe defence expert don't take him seriously even if there are such issues they can be easily sorted out by doing upgrade. Regarding radar Scaled up version of uttam will be used.
 

operatorgrumby

Regular Member
Joined
Jun 3, 2020
Messages
150
Likes
531
Country flag
INCREDIBLE

We have 60 billion dollar budget. But no $7 billion to upgrade 120-130 su30mki

i realise $20 billion is swallowed in pensions and wages annually.

DID you know our budget is bigger than UK and FRANCE now
Indeed our defence spending is bigger than that of the UK & France but then again we have more manpower and a much larger inventory... It's the same like our GDP is bigger than them but they are developed and we're still developing i.e Bigger population & much lower GDP per capita 🤨
 

The Maverick

Regular Member
Joined
Jul 26, 2020
Messages
93
Likes
215
Country flag
The most crucial point in sukhoi upgrade is it's engine upgrade ..any upgrade other than engine is a jugaad. Its radar is also inferior and it do not have any good BVR .
Something changed after 27th Feb and looks like IAF has now completely abandoned this program and is not interested in it's upgrade..
That is impossible to believe I'm sorry.
The plane is in service and was ordered in 4 batches.
It has been in training exercises with typhoon f16 f15 rafale for a decade.
We have known the strengths and weaknesses for years.
The guys leading our air force need shooting they have been complacent and lacking foresight into changing threat perception being Indian they know we take twice as long as rest of man kind to make a decision.
They should be banging on mod doors early to resolve this issue .

Get the engine
Add the ew suites
Change the bvrs.
If Russia will not play ball get Lockheed Martin in or French or Israel
Get this done
 

Akula

Senior Member
Joined
Apr 24, 2019
Messages
2,895
Likes
10,850
Country flag
Recently I saw a video from Abhijit Iyer Mitra where he said Su 30 MKI was a folly that IAF wants to hide. The Israel radar, Russian weapons and Indian / western Litening Pod work against each other instead of in Tandem. This unsolvable problem had to be overcome by buying Nuclear Deterrent capable Rafale in quantity enough to hide SU 30 MKI issues without losing face.
With nearly half fleet for upgrading IAF may ask for 3D TVC technology transfer which the Russians may not want to part with as we know from PAK FA debacle.
Also why not ask MLU to include integration with UTTAM AESA instead of Ruskie or Israeli radar?
Your views?
He himself contradicted his points by saying that Chinese jets are way behind Western and Russian counterparts. But than said Jf17 block 1 is way better than Tejas mk1A.
 

Brood Father

Senior Member
Joined
Jun 27, 2015
Messages
3,466
Likes
14,630
Country flag
He himself contradicted his points by saying that Chinese jets are way behind Western and Russian counterparts. But than said Jf17 block 1 is way better than Tejas mk1A.
Iyer Mitra is a wannabe...Sometimes he is a spy as he boast about his China stays and how he know more about China than babus
Sometimes he is a aviation expert ..he claimed that radar of F35 has range of 1600 Km..
Sometimes he becomes a intellectual
Sometimes he becomes a babudom critic (he is right though )
Other times he gives some outlandish theory that soldiers in galwan fought because china stopped water (debatable but still very hard to believe)

Though his heart is in the right place but we should always take his comments with a truck load of salt .
 

Poseidon

Senior Member
Joined
May 28, 2011
Messages
2,000
Likes
6,457
Country flag
Engine upgrade is not going to happen (except overhaul and TTLE).
Sukhoi upgrade will be:

A) AESA Radar

B) EW suite

C) New datalinks and comms

D) New BVRs and SOWs

E) New RWR (ongoing)

And possibly some cockpit upgrades, HMDS and fibre optic towed decoys and hopefully MAWS.
 

Brood Father

Senior Member
Joined
Jun 27, 2015
Messages
3,466
Likes
14,630
Country flag
Engine upgrade is not going to happen (except overhaul and TTLE).
Sukhoi upgrade will be:

A) AESA Radar

B) EW suite

C) New datalinks and comms

D) New BVRs and SOWs

E) New RWR (ongoing)

And possibly some cockpit upgrades, HMDS and fibre optic towed decoys and hopefully MAWS.
Without engine upgrade everything else is a hogwash ..Sukhoi engine are unreliable and underpowered ..God know what will happen if we include all these upgrades without changing the engine .. we have just came out of flying coffin's era .
 

A chauhan

"अहिंसा परमो धर्मः धर्म हिंसा तथैव च: l"
Senior Member
Joined
Oct 10, 2009
Messages
9,507
Likes
22,493
Country flag
Uttam based scaled up radar for Su30Mki will eat another 7-8 years.
 

Poseidon

Senior Member
Joined
May 28, 2011
Messages
2,000
Likes
6,457
Country flag
Without engine upgrade everything else is a hogwash ..Sukhoi engine are unreliable and underpowered ..God know what will happen if we include all these upgrades without changing the engine .. we have just came out of flying coffin's era .
Unreliable but not underpowered
 

Chandragupt Maurya

Tihar Jail
Banned
Joined
Jun 23, 2020
Messages
3,564
Likes
9,414
Country flag
If Su30mki uses UTTAM AESA Radars then it will be able to carry meteor missiles and integration Israeli systems will also be easier
 

Chandragupt Maurya

Tihar Jail
Banned
Joined
Jun 23, 2020
Messages
3,564
Likes
9,414
Country flag
India should go ahead and start modifying Su30mki with or without Russia upgrading the engines should be first priority then the Radars rest everything will fall in line
 

Latest Replies

Global Defence

New threads

Articles

Top