Building on the successful BrahMos model, which helped it be exported to a third country, India and Russia are in talks to revive the production of Sukhoi Su-30MKI in India and export it to foreign buyers.
The Indian aircraft maker Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) has already completed the supply of 272 Su-30MKIs to the Indian Air Force (IAF). The aircraft will be the backbone of the country’s airpower for decades.
India had contracted to acquire 272 Su-30s from Russia in batches, of which 222 were assembled by HAL at its Nasik plant under Transfer of Technology (ToT) since 2004.
Of the 272 fighters, 40 are being modified to carry the air-launched version of the supersonic cruise missile BrahMos. The IAF has already deployed its BrahMos-equipped squadron ‘Tiger Sharks’ at Thanjavur Air Base in Tamil Nadu in 2020. From here, the aircraft will be the sentinels of the Indian peninsula and the Indian Ocean Region (IOR).
The IAF has been contemplating ordering 12 Sukhois to replace the aircraft it has lost in crashes over the years. The purchase of the additional Sukhoi-30 MKIs has come as the IAF is grappling with a shortage of fighter squadrons. Presently, the IAF has 31 fighter squadrons against the sanctioned strength of 42.
The Sukhoi Su-30MKI (NATO reporting name Flanker-H) is a twinjet multirole air superiority fighter. In addition to India, various versions of the Su-30 are operated by China, Algeria, Indonesia, Malaysia, Uganda, Venezuela, and Vietnam.
After finishing the production for the IAF’s order, the Su-30MKI production line at Nasik has been undertaking overhauls and scheduled servicing of the aircraft. Restarting the production lines with an eye on exports will help India bolster its defense exports while utilizing its existing capabilities.
Sources have confirmed that HAL and original equipment manufacturer (OEM) Russian Sukhois are in talks to build these fighter jets for export. Russia has agreed to support the production effort. During Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent visit to Russia, the two sides agreed to work on joint manufacturing and technology transfer.
In the absence of any more orders, the HAL’s Sukhoi assembly line will wind down, and the Aircraft Overhaul Division at Nasik will continue repairing and overhauling the MiG series fighter jets and Su-30MKIs in the IAF’s inventory.
Over the past several years, the HAL has developed a vendor base of over 2000 Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSME) for the Sukhoi project.
Upgrading The Sukhois
A major upgrade of the entire IAF Sukhoi fleet is also underway. The aircraft are likely to fly for the IAF until 2050-60. The most lethal punch of the upgraded Sukhoi pack is the three BrahMos air-to-ground missiles integrated with the aircraft.
The aircraft’s enormous size, considered an impediment in the present electronic warfare-driven battlefield, has just been turned into a massive advantage. It is the only IAF fighter jet capable of carrying the mighty BrahMos.
The Sukhoi Su-30MKI (I stands for India) has undergone significant indigenization efforts by the IAF and HAL. After recent upgrades, the aircraft has 78 percent indigenous components. This transformation aims to reduce reliance on Russian origins, making the Su-30MKI predominantly Indian-built and maintained.
Indian Gas Turbine Research Establishment had upgraded the Su-30MKI’s AL-31F engines domestically, increasing its service life by an additional 1,500 flying hours.
Apart from weapons, the new Electronic Warfare Suite has given more teeth to the Super Sukhois. EW Capabilities of Sukhoi-30MKI would be enhanced by indigenous High Band Jammer Pod (HBT), Dhruti Radar Warning System, and a Dual Color Missile Approach Warning System.
The Jammer Pod works by offensively denying, disrupting, and degrading the enemy’s air defense systems and communications. It can non-kinetically attack more targets and at greater distances. So, if there ever is a next engagement with F-16s, the Indian Super Sukhois will be a more formidable adversary than in 2019.
The latest 12 Su-30MKI to be acquired by the IAF will be the most advanced of the type. These fighter jets will be manufactured in India with the help of a Russian OEM. They will have a greater percentage of indigenousization and use the latest Indian weapon systems and radars.
In such a scenario, producing the Russian-origin fighter jet under the Make-in-India program to be exported to a friendly third country would be prudent. Recently, India has exported BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles to the Philippines. The missiles are manufactured under an Indo-Russian Joint Venture.
The Indian Su-30MKI
The Su-30MKI deal was dictated by not only India’s geopolitical compulsions but also to lend a helping hand to the Russian defense industry reeling under the aftershock of the Soviet Union’s collapse in 1991. The Russian economy was in shambles, and defense production facilities were fragmented and scattered in different countries not under Soviet control.
At this stage, India tried to bail out the Russian Defence Industry. With the IAF already flying the MIG series fighter jets, India opted for Su-30 Flankers. The aircraft was customized for the IAF and was designated Su-30 MKI.
The three-billion-dollar deal with India in 2000 to grant a “deep” license to New Delhi paved the way for indigenous production of all components of SU-30MKI over 20 years, including ‘AL-31FP’ thrust-vectoring engines. A few years before the Indian deal, Russia sold Su-30s to China but did not give a license to manufacture the aircraft.
The Kommersant-Vlast Weekly described the Indo-Russian project as Russia’s “most successful” defense deal specially tailored to meet the buyer country’s strict requirements. Moscow cannot sell this jet to any third country without New Delhi’s “written” consent as it has been developed on Indian money, and India has a share in technology rights.
The Indian Sukhoi has advanced Israeli avionics and electronic warfare systems, which distinguish it from the standard Su-30s or the Chinese versions. Additionally, the SU-30 MKI has various missiles, including the Russian-origin R73/77 and the Indian-made Astra and Brahmos.
- Ritu Sharma has been a journalist for over a decade, writing on defense, foreign affairs, and nuclear technology.
- The author can be reached at ritu.sharma (at) mail.com
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