Indian Su-30MKI: News

GarryB wrote:

Can any one identify the missile seen in the mock up on the Intakes of Su-30MKI ?

I suspect they are R-37M missiles... or RVV-BD... It seems to have R-77 missiles on the wingtip.. something I have not seen on other Flankers before... which suggests this might be in air to air configuration for interception duties.

In an exclusive interview with Defenseworld.net, Vitaly Borodich, senior vice-president (military aviation), IRKUT Corp talked about maintenance of Su-30MKI, its future upgrading and recent reports alleging maintenance problems in India.

Questions and Answers

Q : You have been in charge of Irkut Corporation’s combat aviation programs for many years now. From your personal perspective, what is the concept of the Su-30MKI Program?

Vitaly Borodich :

The aim of the Su-30 MKI program is not only on equipping the Indian Air Force (IAF) with state-of-the-art combat aircraft, but also on development of technological cooperation between aviation industries of Russia and India.

With the Su-30MKI Program’s implementation, both countries have been developing their own competitive advantages. Russian developments include modern technologies such as phased array radars and thrust-vectoring engines.

IAF has contributed immensely to the program by developing the ideology of a modern fighter, based on a comhensive analysis of regional conflicts.Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) and the Information Technology industry in India have contributed to the program in a big way.

What is the main achievement of the Su-30MKI program?

Vitaly Borodich :

Su-30MKI multi-role fighters form the backbone of the IAF combat power and will retain this status in future. Once all current contracts are implemented, the IAF will have 272 Su-30MKIs. Of these, 222 aircraft will be co-produced in India with HAL as our main partner.

While implementing the Su-30MKI license production contract, HAL and other Indian companies have mastered new competences and technologies, thanks to the transfer of technology by Russia.

Most recently, India has mastered licence production to the extent that certain critical raw material are sourced locally. You could say that it is Indian industries which actually produce the aircraft now.

addition, hi-tech products of Indian origin such as on-board computers are not only installed on Su-30MKIs, but also supplied as integral parts of Su-30 family of aircraft to Air Forces of Russia, Algeria and Malaysia.

I must emphasize that designers, engineers and the air forces of our countries, have forged a unique alliance, which has become a solid base for the successful development of Su-30MKI program and a number of new bilateral projects as well.

In what way you see a further development of the Su-30MKI Program?

Vitaly Borodich :

The most important step forward in the Su-30MKI program is the deep modernization of the aircraft, which will retain the aircraft’s efficiency and superiority for decades to come. The proposed modernization includes avionics and armaments. Technologies for ‘deep modernization’ are really available and may be implemented within a short period of time.

We are considering integration of two major Indo-Russian programs – Su-30MKI and BrahMos meaning the launch of the BrahMos missile by the Su-30MKI. At this moment, their integration is in the development phase. BrahMos JV has manufactured its aviation sample. An aircraft is being redesigned to mount the BrahMos cruise missile onto its underbelly.

Q : There have been concerns in India over the Su-30 MKI’s maintenance and servicing. What is being done in order to improve the Su-30MKIs serviceability?

Vitaly Borodich :

The immediate task before us and HAL is the setting up of an overhaul facility for Su-30MKIs in India. Necessary documentation and equipment has been shipped to HAL by now. According to plans of the IAF, a certain number of aircraft have to be overhauled during this year which I believe HAL will make this happen and we are there to support its efforts.

A challenge before us is that as the number of IAF bases where the Su-30MKI is deployed increases, mastering of operational serviceability of this complex multi-role fighter on new bases is the challenge.

As of today, Indian and Russian experts are focused meeting this challenge in the shortest possible time.

We are quite ready to discuss new modes of keeping MKI’s serviceability at the desired level so that our common objective of providing to the IAF’s servicing needs is met. As the previous experience of our joint work has proved, we always manage to find out ways to improve the maintenance of aircraft and systems.

In what way has the IAF contributed to the Su-30MKI development?

Vitaly Borodich :

It should be noted that IAF pilots contribute to the fighter’s improvement by providing regular feedback on performance. As top flying aces, they are anxious to find out new ways of taking the Su-30MKI to its maximum potential.

30MKI has become a breakthrough aircraft. example, it is the first serially produced fighter with thrust vector engines which makes the aircraft super-maneuverable.ng combat pilots worldwide, it is the Indians who have mastered it.

Besides, the Su-30MKI’s on-board and radar systems can be used in automatic mode. Adaptation of the aircraft’s new features has dictated new approaches both in manufacturing, as well as in the IAF flying units.

At the moment, together with the IAF, HAL and Indian industries, we are implementing a set of measures aimed at improvement, additional flexibility and optimization of the whole system of technical maintenance and overhaul, supplying the necessary equipment to an increasing number of combat units.

We, in close cooperation with our Indian colleagues are constantly improving the on-board software. Each new version is a step towards increased efficiency of the aircraft and reliability of its systems.

Recently there have been comments in the Indian media on ‘problems in Su-30MKIs’ maintenance. Are you aware of these reports?

Vitaly Borodich :

First of all, we do understand a public concern on issues of the state’s defence matters. But in this case, the criticism about the Su-30MKI Program was not based on full and accurate data. Rather it is supposed to have come from stolen electronic documents.

The documents contained a lot of routine business correspondence between partners. However, only the negative parts within the documents have been highlighted in the mediauspect that it may be part of an operation aimed at discrediting the Su-30 MKI program. I’d better leave it to your readers’ speculations on who gains by this negative projection.

GarryB wrote:

And the latest news is that not 50% of flankers of IAF are down but only 20 out of 200 i.e. a meagre 10% are suffering with some HUD problems, and as we learn in this interview, now Sukhoi/Irkut are looking to fix this problem ASAP.

I thought the HUDs on the Su-30MKIs were French?

...Western aircraft developers have avoided such losses by doing a lot more testing via computer simulation.

nemrod wrote:http://www.asian-defence.net/2014/08/india-grows-desperate-over-unreliable.html


He prove that he does not understand about the engine problem

Sujoy wrote:

nemrod wrote:
He prove that he does not understand about the engine problem

The blog in question is a Pakistani blog. Need I say anything more

IDB wrote:

Sujoy wrote:

nemrod wrote:
He prove that he does not understand about the engine problem

The blog in question is a Pakistani blog. Need I say anything more

Yep its Pakistani blog , they are allergic to anything that you say SU30 can which their super-duper Junk fighter cannot. I wouldnt recommend much attention to the point which was put forth

Can the Sukhoi Su-30 have the edge over U.S. fighters in aerial combat ?
By Dario Leone
Su-30s would beat F-15s every time. But…..

We recently explained how, 10 years ago, Exercise Cope India put the Indian Air Force Su-30 against U.S. Air Force F-15C jets with results that are still open to debate: since the drills took place during F-22 budget reviews, some analysts affirm the Air Force intentionally accepted the challenging ROE (Rules Of Engagement) to gain more Raptors. Others claim this version of the story was invented to try to save face after the Indians achieved an impressive 9:1 kill ratio.

Even if we might never know the truth, it’s undeniable that, at least on paper, the Sukhoi Su-27 Flanker has been one of the best Russian combat planes.

The Su-27 belongs to the same class of the U.S. F-14 and F-15, but unlike the American fighters it can fly at an angle of attack of 30 degrees and can also perform the “Pugachev Cobra”.

In a Cobra, the plane suddenly raises the nose to the veritical position (or beyond) before dropping it back to the normal flight, maintaining more or less the same altitude through the entire maneuver.

The Su-27 and its “Cobra” have been the highlight of many air shows from the end of the 1980s to the middle of the 1990s. But, since then, the Flanker maneuverability has been furtherly enhanced.

The improved multirole Su-30MK is a Flanker variant fitted with both canard forewings and thrust-vectoring nozzles which have improved its agility.

But how can this kind of maneuvers be used in combat?

A clear idea comes from an authoritative source: Aviation Week and Space Technology magazine.

In “Su-30MK Beats F-15C ‘Every Time'” published in 2002 on AW&ST, David A. Fulghum and Douglas Barrie reported that the Su-30 used its maneuverability to beat the F-15 in several engagements conducted in a complex of 360-deg. simulation domes at Boeing’s St. Louis facilities.

According to the article (that is often referenced by Indian media outlets to highlight the presumed Su-30 superiority on the American fighter jets) an anonymous USAF officer explained that in the case of a missed BVR missile (like the AA-12 Adder) shot by the Flanker, the Su-30 could turn into the clutter notch of the F-15’s radar, where the Eagle’s Doppler was ineffective.

As the AW&ST story explained in detail, this maneuver could be accomplished making a descending, right-angle turn to drop below the approaching F-15 while reducing the Su-30’s relative forward speed close to zero: even if this is a very old air combat tactic, the USAF officer said that the Sukhoi could perform effectively this maneuver thanks to its ability to reduce rapidly its speed and then quickly regain it.

If the Flanker driver performed correctly the maneuver, the Su-30 was invisible to the F-15’s radar until the Eagle was inside the AA-11 Archer IR missile range, since the F-15’s Doppler radar relied on movements of its targets.

As pointed out by the USAF officer, this tactic “works in the simulator every time,” however, only few countries have pilots with the required skills to fly those scenarios.

This happened about 10 years ago.

In the meanwhile, American pilots have received their F-22 Raptor stealth planes (facing also some serious problems).

But some unique features, such as the power of its engines and its superb aerodynamics, make the Flanker, in the right hands and in the proper scenario, a great dogfighter and a very tough enemy for every western jet WVR (Within Visual Range).

Moreover the Su-30 could carry the short range IR missile AA-11 Archer which in the ‘90s was the best short-range AAM in the world since it could be linked to the pilot’s helmet fire control system and was capable to be fired at targets until 45 degrees off the axis of the aircraft: both these capabilities were not possessed by the AIM-9M, the main western short range missile at the time (later replaced by the AIM-9X Sidewinder).

Image credit: Wiki

New Delhi: Sukhoi-30 MKI, the most powerful and modern fighter jets in Indian Air Force's stable, has been hit by mid-air engine failures. Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar said in Parliament today that as many as 35 instances of engine failures were reported in 2013-14 - that's nearly three a month.

In all, there are 69 instances of engine failure in the last four years, the minister said. Inquiries by the Air Force have revealed that in as many as 33 instances, the engines failed because of impure fuel, in another 11 cases, the problem was caused by excessive vibration and in eight others, engine failures were reported because of low pressure in the lubricant tanks, the Defence Minister said. About five SU-30 MKI have crashed since 2009.

medo wrote:http://www.ndtv.com/india-news/sukhoi-30-mki-air-forces-most-modern-fighter-jet-plagued-by-engine-trouble-747483

New Delhi:  Sukhoi-30 MKI, the most powerful and modern fighter jets in Indian Air Force's stable, has been hit by mid-air engine failures. Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar said in Parliament today that as many as 35 instances of engine failures were reported in 2013-14 - that's nearly three a month.

In all, there are 69 instances of engine failure in the last four years, the minister said. Inquiries by the Air Force have revealed that in as many as 33 instances, the engines failed because of impure fuel, in another 11 cases, the problem was caused by excessive vibration and in eight others, engine failures were reported because of low pressure in the lubricant tanks, the Defence Minister said. About five SU-30 MKI have crashed since 2009.

India report to have problems with engine failures in their Su-30MKI fleet. Half of failures was because of bad quality fuel and 8 cases of low pressure in lubricant tanks. Interesting is, that Malaysia and Algeria didn't have much problems with the same engines. India will have to improve the quality of their maintenance, quality of fuel and of lubricants they use. Also there could be a question of quality in HAL production and this could be the reason, why Dassault doesn't want to give guaranty on HAL build Rafales, but only on those produced in France.

magnumcromagnon wrote:

medo wrote:http://www.ndtv.com/india-news/sukhoi-30-mki-air-forces-most-modern-fighter-jet-plagued-by-engine-trouble-747483

New Delhi:  Sukhoi-30 MKI, the most powerful and modern fighter jets in Indian Air Force's stable, has been hit by mid-air engine failures. Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar said in Parliament today that as many as 35 instances of engine failures were reported in 2013-14 - that's nearly three a month.

In all, there are 69 instances of engine failure in the last four years, the minister said. Inquiries by the Air Force have revealed that in as many as 33 instances, the engines failed because of impure fuel, in another 11 cases, the problem was caused by excessive vibration and in eight others, engine failures were reported because of low pressure in the lubricant tanks, the Defence Minister said. About five SU-30 MKI have crashed since 2009.

India report to have problems with engine failures in their Su-30MKI fleet. Half of failures was because of bad quality fuel and 8 cases of low pressure in lubricant tanks. Interesting is, that Malaysia and Algeria didn't have much problems with the same engines. India will have to improve the quality of their maintenance, quality of fuel and of lubricants they use. Also there could be a question of quality in HAL production and this could be the reason, why Dassault doesn't want to give guaranty on HAL build Rafales, but only on those produced in France.

It's ridiculous how media in India postures like it's the problem with design of the aircraft, when it's actually a problem with their ridiculously poor quality control within in India itself.