Indian Su-30MKI: News

Cheap given the amount of work to be done there and completely new avionics installed. Congrats.

New batch of Super30 would consist of how many jets?

Viktor wrote:Cheap given the amount of work to be done there and completely new avionics installed. Congrats.

New batch of Super30 would consist of how many jets?

well bro India intends to upgrade to super sukhoi all of its 272 Su 30mki but wont it be prudent to order su 35 for this amount of 8b$ ? because su30 are still very effective in present form ? we can easily get 100 su 35 for this amount

Depending what the entire package consists of, the upgrade could possibly make super sukhoi better than Su-35S. Looking forward. Maybe Russia may just upgrade to that too.

sepheronx wrote:Depending what the entire package consists of, the upgrade could possibly make super sukhoi better than Su-35S. Looking forward. Maybe Russia may just upgrade to that too.

Hmm yeah lets see what the exact package of upgrades will be when this contract is signed in next 6 months. president Putin has 2 Indian visits lined up in next 5 months so lots of things specially pending and stuck ones are got to move to contract phase now

Pinto wrote:

sepheronx wrote:Depending what the entire package consists of, the upgrade could possibly make super sukhoi better than Su-35S. Looking forward. Maybe Russia may just upgrade to that too.

Hmm yeah lets see what the exact package of upgrades will be when this contract is signed in next 6 months. president Putin has 2 Indian visits lined up in next 5 months so lots of things specially pending and stuck ones are got to move to contract phase now

I thought that the IAF wanted to install Liteing pods and other non Russian gear.

According to trade journal Defense News, India has ‘stepped up negotiations’ with Russia as it seeks to upgrade its front-line fleet of Sukhoi Su-30MKI multi-role fighters. Expected to cost in excess of $8 billion, the upgrade package is intended to bring the aircraft to a ‘fifth-generation level’ and will be carried out on an initial total of 194 jets.

There has long been talk of a proposed or ‘Super 30’ upgrade for the Indian ‘Flanker’ fleet, but the ‘Super Sukhoi’ now seems to have been adopted for the initiative. It seems that urgency has been added by New Delhi’s continued failure to sign off on a deal for 36 Dassault Rafale fighters, as well as growing concerns that the Indo-Russian Fifth-Generation Fighter Aircraft (FGFA) might fall short of requirements.

Based on the latest report, Russian officials visited New Delhi in the last few weeks in order to iron out details of the upgrade. Quoting an unnamed official, Defense News says that the upgrade deal will be ‘finalized in the next four to six months’.

Under a series of contracts (the first of which was signed on November 30, 1996, and the most recent on December 24, 2012), total orders for the Indian Air Force have reached 272 Su-30MKI versions. By early 2016, the IAF had received an estimated 225 aircraft, including 50 delivered in a ‘flyaway’ condition from Russia and 175 made by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited’s (HAL) Nasik facility. At the beginning of 2016 the Indian Air Force initiated the procurement of a batch of 40 more Su-30MKIs.

The latest upgrade package for India will likely be based around a new computing system (reportedly of Israeli design) as well as new or upgraded sensors, primarily the radar. The weapons array is to be enhanced with long-range RVV-BD (R-37M) and medium-range RVV-SD (R-77-1) air-to-air missiles (AAMs), as well as Kh-59MK air-to-surface missiles. India also wants to adapt the aircraft for the carriage of indigenous weapons, including Astra AAMs; an Astra was launched from a Su-30MKI for the first time on May 4, 2014, during trials in India. New self-protection systems are expected, as well as engine compressor blades, wing and empennage leading edges, and cockpit canopy coatings to reduce the radar cross-section. The AL-31FP engine control system will be upgraded. Under a separate project, the Indo-Russian Brahmos-A air-to-surface missile is to be implemented on the Su-30MKI.

At the beginning of this year Yuri Belyi, the head of the Tikhomirov NIIP radar company, complained that talks with India about the upgrade of the Su-30MKI had stalled. It is more likely that Russia’s Su-30SM fighters will be upgraded first. As far as the radar is concerned, two stages of upgrade work are planned: first, the Indian computers will be replaced with indigenous examples, and then the radar performance will be enhanced (longer range, greater jamming resistance, new operational modes). Replacement of the passive electronically scanned array (PESA) with an active electronically scanned array (AESA) unified with the N036/N079 radar antenna of the fifth-generation Sukhoi T-50 fighter was once considered, but this has apparently been abandoned.

It has been suggested that Su-30MKI upgrade will push back the FGFA. This is bad timing for the $25-billion Indo-Russian fighter project — itself based on the Sukhoi T-50 — which has already run into flak in India.

According to Angad Singh, a New Delhi-based defense journalist, ‘The IAF has repeatedly signaled a willingness to sacrifice the FGFA if it means they can shore up fighter numbers in the short term. The hugely expensive MMRCA (Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft) program, and now the government-to-government Dassault Aviation Rafale deal have priority at Air Headquarters, and multiple pronouncements by multiple officers have indicated that they are willing to push back or scale down (or both) the FGFA in favor of a more immediate fourth-generation buy.’


While the Su-30MKI upgrade won’t boost numbers of aircraft on the flight line, it will help ensure that the IAF remains credible despite a drastic decline in fighter numbers (equivalent to 25 squadrons compared to the required strength of 45 squadrons).

Russian officials confirm that once a contract for the Sukhoi upgrade is signed, an initial prototype will be completed in Russia and upgrade will be conducted by HAL in India. This is the same approach that has been taken for India’s ongoing MiG-29 upgrade project.

A full account of the two-seat Su-30 ‘Flanker’ family — including the IAF’s Su-30MKI — appeared in the August issue of Combat Aircraft.

Thomas Newdick
http://www.combataircraft.net/2016/07/28/new-lease-of-life-for-indian-flanker/

If the IAF is still to invest in the FG FA is there much point in attempting to lower the RCS of the Su-30s?

OminousSpudd wrote:If the IAF is still to invest in the FG FA is there much point in attempting to lower the RCS of the Su-30s?

They could use it as a platform to test and work out the kinks and bugs of systems set to be used for FGFA (as well as RAM coatings, RCS shaping skin), like it was done for PAK-FA with the Su-35.....Remember the subsystems on the PAK-FA will be for Russia only, they are too sensitive to just slap on the FGFA, they'll have to create similar but not identical subsystems for FGFA, which will take time to work out the kinks and bugs.

magnumcromagnon wrote:

OminousSpudd wrote:If the IAF is still to invest in the FG FA is there much point in attempting to lower the RCS of the Su-30s?

They could use it as a platform to test and work out the kinks and bugs of systems set to be used for FGFA (as well as RAM coatings, RCS shaping skin), like it was done for PAK-FA with the Su-35.....Remember the subsystems on the PAK-FA will be for Russia only, they are too sensitive to just slap on the FGFA, they'll have to create similar but not identical subsystems for FGFA, which will take time to work out the kinks and bugs.

Oh true, I forgot about the lower RCS on the Su-35s. If they can do it for a worthwhile price, then all power to them I suppose. If achieved the Su-30MKI will certainly solidify itself as a very capable aircraft well into the future.

https://in.rbth.com/economics/defence/2016/07/29/india-to-modernize-194-su-30mki-fighters_616321

India has accelerated negotiations to begin the modernization of 194 Su-30MKI fighters, worth $ 8 billion, with Russia, reports the Defence News portal.

The Indian Defence Ministry plans to upgrade the status of these fighters to 5th generation aircraft. The updated aircraft will be named ‘Super Sukhoi’.

"The Russian delegation visited New Delhi in early July to discuss the modernization of the aircraft. The contract should be signed within the next four to six months," Defence News reported, quoting its source in the Defence Ministry.



The source said India was planning to upgrade 272 fighters in all and appeared confident that the programme "will not hurt the project of joint development of FGFA (fifth generation fighter aircraft) costing $ 25 billion”.

However, retired Air Marshal M Mathesvaran had a different opinion. He said, "the modernization of the Su-30 FGFA will definitely slow down the FGFA project." He believes the Indian Air Force would prefer to "maximize the modernization of the Su-30" rather than the new FGFA, the building of which will cost the country much more.

Another representative of the Indian Air Force believes that a modernized Su-30 cannot be compared with the FGFA, and that both projects will be implemented in parallel.

"The FGFA has a number of features that the Super Sukhoi does not. This includes an internal placement of weapons, improved stealth performance, integrated combat electronic system, cruising at supersonic speed. The Su-30 cannot be converted into a barely visible plane. Any alteration of the aircraft wing and materials to enhance its stealth capability will be very expensive and take a lot of time, and almost cost as much as the new project. The FGFA project as a whole cannot be closed because of the modernization of the Su-30,” he explained.

A Russian diplomat in New Delhi reportedly told the publication that "a contract for modernization of the aircraft version of Super Sukhoi has already been signed. The prototype will be made in Russia, and the modernization will be carried out in the facilities of the Indian state-owned company, Hindustan Aeronautics Limited."

First published by Topwar.ru.

http://sputniknews.com/military/20160730/1043793501/putin-modi-sukhoi-fighter-jets.html


New Delhi and Moscow near an $8 billion deal to upgrade the fearsome Su-30MKI fighter jet into the Super Sukhoi, but the deal does not threaten the joint Indo-Russia fifth-generation fighter aircraft (FGFA) program.


Negotiations between New Delhi and Moscow have ramped up with India planning to upgrade 194 warplanes to become fifth-generation Sukhoi SU-30MKI fighter jets at a cost of more than $8 billion, Defense News reported this week.

Defense News quoted an anonymous senior official at India’s Ministry of Defense who said, "A Russian team was in New Delhi earlier this month to discuss [the] upgrade plan with India, which will be finalized in the next four to six months."

The new planes will be known as "Super Sukhoi" jets with upgrades featuring improved stealth abilities, longer ranger missiles and radars, a supersonic cruise missile and an advanced suite of avionics.

"A major part of the upgrade involves avionics and sensors," said Muthumanikam Matheswaran, a retired Indian Air Force officer. "These are completely new with new systems and new software. Hence it has no relation to old problems with software. Engine issues will have to be dealt with."

According to an anonymous Russian diplomat, a prototype of the plane will be developed in Russia while the actual upgrades will be done at India’s state-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Limited.

The Indian Air Force confirmed that the Su-30MKI upgrade will not impact the proposed Indo-Russian Fifth Generation Fighter Aircraft (FGFA) program – worth $25 billion. Analysts believe, however, that a possible diversion of India’s defense funds towards the Super Sukhoi could delay the FGFA.

India and Russia first signed a Prelminary Development Agreement in 2011 to jointly build the FGFA, but a final agreement which will require a roughly $6 billion payment by New Delhi towards the development of the fighter jet has yet to be inked as the two sides continue to negotiate issues relating to production work share.

Asked about the rationale of pursuing the substantial and costly upgrades to India’s existing SU-30MKI fighter jets rather than purchasing new aircrafts whole, Matheswaran explained, "An upgrade at the maximum will be about half the cost of the original aircraft in Su-30 generation. A new aircraft in place of Su-30 means FGA, which is far more expensive."

Dajit Singh, a retired IAF Air Marshal and defense analyst, explained that there will be significant differences between the upgraded Super Sukhoi and the coming FGFA fighter jet.


"FGFA has some distinct features, which Super Su-30MKI will not have," said Singh. "These include internal weapon-carrying bays to enhance stealth features, integrated internal fit of the electronic warfare suite, super-cruise capability and inherent stealth design."

“Su-30 cannot be redesigned as a stealth aircraft,” Singh continued. "Any changes of the wing design and material to improve stealth would be very expensive and time consuming and would be akin to a different design. Therefore, the FGFA project may not be canceled in total in view of the Su-30 upgrade."

In late June, a modified Su-30MKI fighter jet performed its first experimental flight with a BrahMos missile demonstrator

Russia, India may hold first aircraft launches of BrahMos by year end

In late June, a modified Su-30MKI fighter jet performed its first experimental flight with a BrahMos missile demonstrator

MOSCOW, August 2. /TASS/. Russia and India may hold two launches of BrahMos cruise missiles from a Sukhoi Su-30MKI fighter jet against sea and ground targets at the end of this year, the CEO of Russia’s Research and Production Association of Machine-Building told TASS on

The Research and Production Association of Machine-Building is involved in the development of BrahMos cruise missiles jointly with the Indian side.

"If positive results of the work with the technologically operational missile are received, there are plans to carry out demonstration launches of two organic missiles against a sea and a ground target," CEO of the Research and Production Association of Machine-Building Alexander Leonov said.

In late June, a modified Su-30MKI fighter jet performed its first experimental flight with a BrahMos missile demonstrator, he added.
According to Leonov, a flight with a mock-up equipped with a system of sensors confirmed the calculated data and the results of tests on scaled models in a wind tunnel.

"After fulfilling the program of flights to get operational performance readings, the so-called emergency release of the mock-up is planned to get data on the dynamics of the missile’s safe separation from the aircraft," Leonov said.

Spokesman for the Russian-Indian joint venture BrahMos Aerospace Praveen Pathak earlier told Russian daily Izvestia that the possibility of the missile’s separation from an aircraft would be checked in August. In his estimate, the first launch of a missile from a Su-30MKI may take place in autumn.

India plans to arm three regiments of Su-30MKI fighter jets with BrahMos missiles. For this purpose, the missile has been improved: the airborne version is 500 kilograms lighter and almost half a meter shorter. BrahMos missiles are already operational with the Indian Army and Navy.


More:
http://tass.ru/en/defense/892006

India and Russia made significant progress in the discussions for modernisation of all Su-30 fighters of the Indian Air Force (IAF) during the visit of a Russian team last month. An agreement is possible by the year-end, senior officials say.

“Discussions were held last month, and significant ground was covered. We hope to conclude the deal soon,” a top official told The Hindu.

The upgrade will give the fight jets new avionics and radar, improved stealth characteristics to reduce the radar cross-section, better electronic warfare capability and new weapons. Though the quantum of the deal is not finalised, some officials said it could be in the range of $7-8 billion.

Su-30 are the most modern fighters and the main stay of the IAF. Given the delay in procurement of new fighters, they are crucial for maintaining the combat edge of the IAF. Discussions had been under way for some time for upgrading the aircraft to what was called ‘Super Sukhoi’, but the talks gained momentum recently. “There is nothing called Super Sukhoi, but we have been discussing the upgrade of Su-30 to comprehensively improve their capabilities. Some progress has been made, and we are trying to finalise the technical specifications of the upgrade,” a senior IAF officer said.

India had signed the initial agreement with Russia in the late 1990s for procuring 50 Su-30 multi-role fighter jets in a fly-away condition.

Then, it ordered 272 Su-30MKI fighter jets to be made by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) at Nasik. Most of the aircraft to be made by HAL have been delivered, and the entire lot of 222 aircraft is expected to be completed in the next couple of years. The HAL has a production rate of 10-12 aircraft a year.

No progress on FGFA
This comes in the backdrop of the delay in concluding the final agreement for the Fifth Generation Fighter Aircraft (FGFA) to be developed by India and Russia, besides the delay in concluding an agreement for the purchase of the Rafale fighter jets and in the induction of the indigenous Light Combat Aircraft.

A preliminary design agreement was signed in 2010 between HAL and Russia’s Sukhoi Design Bureau to make the FGFA for use by both countries. So far, both sides have invested $295 million in the preliminary design. However, the final agreement got stuck because of the disagreements over the work share and investment. Several rounds of talks have been held, but there has been no progress.

“The FGFA is a long project. It will take some time,” one officer said.

http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/india-russia-make-progress-in-talks-on-su30-upgrade/article8991493.ece

So what would the modernization affect?

- engines
- avionics
- radar
- ??

Viktor wrote:So what would the modernization affect?

- engines
- avionics
- radar
- ??

avionics and radar are main focus as of now, engine is not yet clear wil be modified or not

1st 180 su30 will be modified to super level as new ones inducted in past 2-3 yrs wont be upgraded with them, they will wait till the first older lot is modified. since the cost of upgrade is being told at 8b$ for 180-194 aircraft may be it includes engine modification too ?

Yes, because of the price I assumed it would be the engines too. Engines are ready anyway.

Do you know the pace of modernization?

Viktor wrote:Yes, because of the price I assumed it would be the engines too. Engines are ready anyway.

Do you know the pace of modernization?

Final deal is expected by end of the year, only then details will be clear. So many stuck Indo-Russian defence deals in line now that no one knows which ones will be signed first. Hopefully by December when annual India-Russia summit takes place things will be more clear

http://www.cassindia.com/inner_page.php?id=53&&task=military

Enhancing potentiality: Super Sukhoi to add punch to IAF

The Sukhoi-30 MKI which is the main stay of IAF fighter fleets will have to undergo upgradation to remain relevant to future air warfare. Although the software is wearing out too fast, the fighter remains a potent combat machine. The IAF’s SU-30 MKIs which look similar to many Sukhoi fighters is significantly different from other SU-30s in terms of capabilities. This time IAF should clearly spell out what it needs in SU-30MKIs by 2020. Often, the upgradation cost of a jet comes pretty close to buying a new one.

Indian Air Force would be significantly enhancing its combat capabilities by upgrading its most formidable SU-30MKI fighters to the approaching level of Fifth Generation Fighter Aircraft, which India plans to develop jointly with the Russian Sukhoi company.

The FGFA and Super Sukhoi would thus form a ferocious combination of multi-role aircraft, which can dominate the skies over the neighboring countries and the entire Indian Ocean area. The FGFA is likely to be inducted in the IAF from 2018 and the Super Sukhois would also begin joining the fleet around same time.

The IAF would have almost 270 Sukhoi-30MKIs by 2017 and the IAF Headquarters plans all them to be upgraded to the near fifth generation level and the IAF has decided to name them as Super Sukhoi.

At present, the IAF has a fleet of five squadrons of SU-30MKIs and the rest are being license produced in Indian HAL, almost 10 per year. This will be for the first time that while an aircraft which is still under induction phase will be undergoing significant upgradation in combat capabilities.

The Super-Sukhois would be maximally close to FGFA claimed Alexei I Fedorov who is President and Chairman of the Board of Irkut Corporation, a Russian Joint Stock Company.

In Moscow during the MAKS-2011 Fedorov talked extensively about the modernization of Sukhoi-30 MKI. According to Fedorov, “our cooperation with India is going on very well. We have very good industrial cooperation with HAL.”

“We began our cooperation with MiG-27. Together with HAL we have supplied IAF 165 MIG-27s.As far as Sukhoi-30 MKI is concerned 15 years ago we launched cooperation with HAL under SU-30MKI project. In the beginning it was delivery of aircraft, and then in cooperation with HAL we together started license manufacture. India remains our largest and biggest partner,” he said.

He added if we speak about product line among SU-30MKI family we began the production of combat trainer Yak-130. Now we are developing many large projects of medium range airliner.

The modernization program

At this stage Irkut is presenting cabin mockup, power plant and the wind box. The wing of this aircraft will be made of carbon fibres. According to Fedorov, India will remain Irkut’s largest and biggest partner in future as well.

This is the first such in Russia and not many foreign countries produce such aircrafts. Irkut is the largest flier of aircraft and aviation products in the market.  

In response to questions, Fedorov informed that “as far as SU-30MKI is concerned, we have two modernization programs. First is the modernization where the cockpit and all systems would be improved. We are moving in the stage of negotiating technical part.”

He hopes that during this financial year Irkut will conclude the project. It is very large program which is several billion dollars. The second part would be the modernization of the aircraft together with Brahmos air-to-ground supersonic cruise missile program.

Now together with Indian Ministry of Defence we are working out how to share work under the modernization program. What will be done in Russia and in India will be finalized. Fedorov hoped, “this year we will come to conclusion.”

Asked what systems are being proposed, Fedorov declined to give details. But said that we are in negotiation for the upgrading of the entire Sukhoi-30 MKI USD 12 billion project for which the cost has gone up by USD 4 billion.

Under our signed contract, escalation of prices has been included, which is changing. Next year we plan to finalize the development work. After the development work we hope that two year time will be required to finish.

Fedorov revealed that the IAF wants that the new upgraded SU-30 MKIs should be called as Super Sukhoi fighter. Irkut is negotiating to incorporate the AESA radar in the Sukhoi-30MKIs.

Our idea is to modernize the SU-30 MKI to bring it to near 5th generation aircraft capability. At present, we are negotiating the upgradation. He asserted, “we are trying to get SU-30MKI maximally to FGFA.”

First of all, Irkut is modernizing the cockpit for pilots. This is so designed that it will be easier for the pilots to shift to Fifth Generation Fighter Aircraft being developed jointly by India and Russia.

The upgraded Super Sukhoi would also have advanced stealth characteristics. The Super Sukhoi can also be equipped with other long range missiles like R-27P (AA-10 D) infrared homing extended range version of 120 km distance.

Besides medium range missiles like R-77 (AA-12) with active radar homing medium range 100 km along with other 80 km medium range missiles can also be added.

At present, the current fleet of Sukhoi-30MKIs in IAF will be upgraded to Super Sukhoi. He expressed confidence that the first Super Sukhoi aircraft will be ready by 2015. First the conversion of initial fleets inducted in the early years of last decade will be undertaken for conversion to Super Sukhoi.

As soon as all the testing is completed the older ones will start getting upgraded. But he refused to answer queries on the costs. But said, “total value will be of several billion dollars. It is difficult to tell you about exact price. SU-30 has good market in South East Asia.”

Export plans

Irkut now plans to export to Malaysia and Indonesia and Algerian Air Forces which will enlarge the order book. Fedorov thus asserted that India will have no role in exporting the SU-30MK aircraft to third country.

In response to a question, Fedorov said that Sukhoi-30 and MiG-35 (offered under MMRCA contract for the IAF) are different aircrafts. SU-30 is a heavy multi role fighter but MiG-35 is a medium fighter.

That is why SU-30 can carry more arms, although technologically they have lot of similarities. In Super Sukhoi, the electronics will be upgraded heavily and the Super Sukhois will carry more weapon loads.

Asked if China has sought the upgradation of the SU-30MKK, Fedorov said that first of all there are basic differences between Indian and Chinese SU-30s as the Power plants do not match. On other counts also the Indian and Chinese SU-30s do not match.

Fedorov revealed that the Super Sukhoi will have same engine as in FGFA. It will enhance the life cycle of SU-30MKIs. However, first aircraft will be upgraded in two years time.

After the contract is signed prototype will be made in Russia after the finalisation of the technical design. When asked if all the 270 SU-30 to be inducted in IAF in the coming years would be upgraded, Fedorov said that, “as far as we know IAF would like to upgrade most of the fleet. Customers want like that.”

Asked about the recent crash of the Sukhoi-30MKI, Fedorov revealed that it was due to pilot error.

Russia would thus be getting another multi billion dollar contract after the almost 30-35 billion dollar deal for the next 20 years from the FGFA project.

Fedorov said that Super Sukhoi program would not be covered under the offset rules of the Indian MoD’s Defence Procurement Procedure, as the upgradation project would be done under an extension of the previous Sukhoi-30 MKI agreement.

An Indian Air Force Sukhoi-30 fighter jet landed at an advance landing ground (ALG) in Arunachal Pradesh on Friday, the first such military movement in the strategic border state since the 1962 Chinese aggression.
The reactivation of the ALG at Pasighat, 198 km east of capital Itanagar, comes weeks after India deployed around 100 T-72 battle tanks in Ladakh, close to the disputed border with China, drawing a sharp reaction from Beijing.

The ALG in Pasighat is 100 km from the nearest point on the 1,080-km border the state shares with China-occupied Tibet. China claims thousands of square kilometres of Indian territory in Arunachal Pradesh.

The Pasighat ALG is one of eight in the frontier state the IAF had taken up for upgradation in 2009 for boosting air defence preparedness in the eastern sector. The total project cost is Rs 1,000 crore.

Three Sukhoi-30s took off from IAF’s Chabua base in eastern Assam’s Dibrugarh district, flew part in a formation before landing at Pasighat about 10 am, officials said.

The ALG was later inaugurated by minister of state for home Kiren Rijiju in presence of Air Marshal C Hari Kumar, chief of the Shillong-based Eastern Air Command.

“The touchdown by a frontline fighter jet of the IAF at the ALF is a historic first in Arunachal Pradesh, which has several ALGs at varying altitudes,” Air Marshal Kumar was quoted as saying.

Rijiju, who arrived in a Border Security Force helicopter, said the ALGs will also help improve connectivity in the landlocked state.

The Pasighat ALG was earlier a small partly-paved and party-grassy strip reinforced with perforated steel plates. It was used in the past for air maintenance sorties and casualty evacuation by the IAF. Commercial helicopter operations were also being undertaken from the helipads that existed earlier.

The other ALGs are at Mechuka, Ziro, Along and Walong, which were inaugurated between March and May this year. Two more, at Tuting and Tawang, are expected to be ready by the year-end.

http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/fighter-jets-touch-down-at-iaf-base-close-to-china-border-in-arunachal/story-TNeu9sCktXdVZUWNutr00H.html

http://rbth.com/news/2016/08/18/russia-india-discuss-modernization-of-su-30-aircraft_622079

Moscow and New Delhi may work out an agreement on modernizing the Indian Air Force’s Sukhoi Su-30MKI multirole fighters before year-end, The Hindu reported on August 17.


According to the newspaper, the parties made considerable headway with their upgrade talks last month, when a Russian delegation came to New Delhi to discuss the military-technical cooperation.
“The consultations took place last month, and good progress was made. We hope for the deal to be made soon,” The Hindu quoted an official who spoke on the condition of anonymity.

The upgrade will equip the fighter jets with sophisticated avionics, radar and weapons and reduce their radar signature.

According to preliminary estimates, the upgrade of up to 200 Su-30MKIs may cost $8 billion.

The upgrade will be handled by India’s state-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd.

The Su-30MKI multirole fighter was developed to meet the requirements of the Indian Air Force.

So no new engine or upgrade being considered in super shukhoi

Pinto wrote:So no new engine or upgrade being considered in super shukhoi

I would still wait for the official deal to know. I have little fate beside general direction on their reporting. But still who knows they may be right.

Viktor wrote:

Pinto wrote:So no new engine or upgrade being considered in super shukhoi

I would still wait for the official deal to know. I have little fate beside general direction on their reporting. But still who knows they may be right.

very true specifically for Indian media, since the opening up of defense deals with US and lingering defence deal of Rafale, the indian (western paid) media has gone over board, Since the up gradation is likely to cost 8b$, it might include at least engine upgrades too(not sure though the deal to upgrade french Mirages 2k costed 3b$ for 60 aircraft).

More su30mki might be ordered as indian fighter strength is falling rapidly because of rafale fiasco or we can call it MMRCA tender

With defence minister Manohar Parrikar determined to increase the efficiency of the existing fighter fleet, state-owned PSU Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) is working on a pact with the air force and the Russian government to set up a spares hub for Sukhoi 30 fighters in India.

The Russian origin aircraft has been facing technical difficulties with several fighter grounded for prolonged periods as the current process of ordering spare parts is time consuming and inefficient. This has resulted in a situation in which at any given point of time, only 50-55 percent of the fleet is ready for operations.

The aim is to increase this to at least 75 percent. Sources have told ET that HAL is looking to invest over Rs 2,000 crore to create a spares hub that will store and deliver all parts needed for the fleet. A long term spares agreement is likely to be signed between India and Russian shortly that will help in reducing the amount of time frontline fighters are grounded due to technical issues.

Senior officials said that as per the new agreement, the Air Force will source all its spares from HAL that will maintain an inventory of parts. As per current practice, spare parts are to be ordered separately with a lengthy process involving license, customs clearance and bank guarantees. The plan is to have a system in place that will ensure that spare parts are delivered within days of the Air Force raising a requirement.

Officials told ET that at times, the bureaucratic processes would lead to even a yearlong waiting time between the Air Force raising a requirement and the spare part getting manufactured. The Su 30 fighter – 272 of the planes have been ordered – is India’s largest fighter fleet with bases in the east as well along the western borders.

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/defence/hal-may-put-in-rs-2000-crore-for-sukhoi-30-spares-hub/articleshow/53919425.cms