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| Indian Air Force To Upgrade 150 Su-30MKI Fighters Worth $4 Billion |
New Delhi - The Indian Air Force (IAF) needs a budget of 4 billion US dollars (USD) to upgrade 150 units of Su-30MKI fighter jets. A modernization program has been proposed by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) and IAF, which is expected to be approved by the government soon.
According to HAL, around 150 Su-30MKI were upgraded to the fifth generation level known as "Super Sukhoi". Through this program, it is hoped that the IAF's capabilities will increase rapidly. HAL and IAF will finalize the equipment and systems for the Sukhoi Su-30MKI. After that 150 aircraft will be upgraded.
Read Also: India Plans To Develop Domestic Version Of AESA Radar For Su-30MKI Fighters
The Super Sukhoi program has been approved by Russia because the Su-30MKI is a joint product of India and Russia. Many components and parts will come from Russia for the upgrade to the Super Sukhoi. Most of the upgrades cover avionics and sensors, making the 150 fighters technically compatible with fifth-generation jets.
HAL will develop the Uttam MK3 AESA radar in the proposed programme. The Super Sukhoi prototype is expected to be completed in 2025 and production can start in the 2027-28 period.
Read Also: After 20 Years of Operation, India's Su-30MKI Fighter Jets Will be Equipped With AESA RadarIn terms of armament, the aircraft will be modernized in cooperation with the BrahMos supersonic air-to-ground cruise missile program. Now, the Indian Ministry of Defense and the Russian company will complete the shared work on the modernization program.
After that it will be decided which work will be done in India and which will be done in Russia. It is stated that the Super Sukhoi will have advanced stealth features and can also be equipped with other versions of long-range infrared targeted missiles.