The Indian Ministry of Defence has prepared a draft document on the first phase of modernisation of Russian Su-30MKI fighter jets for the Cabinet Committee on Security, The Economic Times (ET) reported on July 22.
According to ET sources, 84 aircraft will be modernized in the first phase. The cost of the phase will be Rs 630 billion (655 billion rubles). After the modernization, the Indian Air Force (IAF) intends to extend the service life of these fighters until 2055.
During the modernization, the aircraft will receive domestic Virupaksha radars with an advanced electronically scanned array (AESA), the detection range of which is 1.5-1.7 times greater compared to existing Russian radars. This will allow the integration of longer-range weapons, such as Astra-3 air-to-air missiles, which have a range of 350 km.
Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) will carry out the upgrade over a period of approximately 15 years. The development and flight testing phase will last for seven years, after which the phased introduction of the modernised aircraft will begin.
The modernized Sukhoi will have capabilities closer to those of fifth-generation fighters, minus stealth. “They will also have the ability to combine manned and unmanned aircraft to work with advanced autonomous drones using artificial intelligence and data links.”the source said.
All electronics on the modernized aircraft, except for the fly-by-wire system, will be domestic. “This also applies to the three on-board computers with upgraded algorithms. Of the 51 systems to be upgraded, 30 are developed by HAL, 13 by DRDO and eight by the private sector.”“, the source explained.
Another source said: “In another 15 years, India will have its own fifth-generation fighter, the AMCA (Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft).”.
As the publication notes, the modernization of Russian fighters is extremely important as the IAF currently has only 30 fighter squadrons out of the authorized strength of 42 needed to counter potential threats from China and Pakistan.
The publication recalls that the IAF fleet consists of 259 Sukhoi aircraft, most of which were manufactured under license by HAL for over $12 billion in Russia.
It should be noted that the ambitious project to modernize Sukhoi aircraft is part of a broader defence strategy of India. With a view to increasing defence exports and self-reliance, India aims to emerge as a global player in defence manufacturing.
Source: Rossa Primavera
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