IAF's Sukhoi Su-30MKI

[Blademaster]

primarily because Sukhoi's life service costs are astronomical. Engine replacement, spares and fuel consumption of one squadron of Su30s is roughly equal to 2.5 squadrons of Tejas.

Not comparing them to Tejas but to other fighters that are in the MFRA competition such as Rafale eurofighter and f-15s.

 

[aim120]

Exactly, are the IAF babus not watching the war between Russia & Ukraine. The fighter jets that Russia is using most often are:
SU 35S <multi role>
SU 34M <as a bomb truck>
SU 25 <ground attack>
SU 57 <sparingly>
They have SU 30SM2, Mig 29, etc, but none of those are being used. I would rather have IAF take a closer look at SU 35S (apparently, the newer ones delivered to the Russian Air Force have gotten upgraded based on learnings on the battlefield. There is no light, medium, or heavy here. This is real war - everything is heavy.

Su30 of russia doesn't have the litening pod like the MKI. While the Su34 has the TV and IR opticals. SU34 also has a lower RCS than all other SU 27 derivatives including SU30.

While the SU35 has better thrust and a more powerful radar and lower RCS than SU30. It can stay in air for longer duration.

Russia has used the SU30, one of which was used to take out the patriot battery. Russian Navy also used the SU30 to take out several ukraine drones. Most of SU30 missions are flown by Russian Naval aviation.

 

[DumbPilot]

primarily because Sukhoi's life service costs are astronomical. Engine replacement, spares and fuel consumption of one squadron of Su30s is roughly equal to 2.5 squadrons of Tejas.

All the propulsion guys in DRDO/HAL probably tired of running MTBF simulations on the AL-31Fs

 

[r8rdarklord]

Su30 of russia doesn't have the litening pod like the MKI. While the Su34 has the TV and IR opticals. SU34 also has a lower RCS than all other SU 27 derivatives including SU30.

While the SU35 has better thrust and a more powerful radar and lower RCS than SU30. It can stay in air for longer duration.

Russia has used the SU30, one of which was used to take out the patriot battery. Russian Navy also used the SU30 to take out several ukraine drones. Most of SU30 missions are flown by Russian Naval aviation.

There have been many learnings from the Ukraine war and changes have been made to both SU 34M & SU 35s. The new fighter jets are being delivered to Russian Air Force with enhancements. The Su-35's high composite airframe, & absence of canards reduces its radar cross section to be 1/3rd of the flanker.

 

[r8rdarklord]

I don't understand why we are not getting more MKIs to boost up the squadron numbers. With the Sukhoi Super upgrade, we don't need the MFRA program. Nearly everything is 90-100% made in India including the engines and integration of Indian made missiles which is more than can be said for the MFRA program.

Get more SU 35s they are superior to MKIs.

 

[E-195]

The Indian Ministry of Defence (MoD) has contracted state-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) to produce 12 Su-30MKI fighter jets for the Indian Air Force.

The 135-billion rupee ($1.5 billion) contract is an effort to make up for losses.

The sanctioned strength of the Su-30 fleet is 272 aircraft but only 259 are in service.

“The supply of these aircraft would enhance the operational capability of the Indian Air Force and strengthen defence preparedness of the country,” the MoD stated in a press release.

HAL will manufacture the Russian-origin aircraft at its Nashik division with over 62.6 percent indigenous content. The aircraft are license-produced in India.

‘Super’ Sukhoi Upgrade​

An Indian-specific variant of the Russian Su-30, the Su-30MKI was inducted into the Indian Air Force in 2002.

The twin-engine aircraft has a takeoff weight of 38,800 kilograms (85,539 pounds) and a payload capacity of over 8 tons, including air-to-air missiles, air-to-surface missiles, and anti-ship missiles.

Earlier this year, an approximately $7-billion upgrade was approved by the government for 84 Su-30MKIs, including new avionics and radars in the initial phase, followed by flight control systems.

The upgrades will be carried out by HAL over the next 15 years with the help of Indian industry.

Meanwhile, the government signed a 260-billion rupee ($3.1 billion) deal with HAL in September for the supply of 240 AL-31FP engines for the aircraft.

Unlike the upgrade approval, the engine deal is more of a sustainment effort to keep the aircraft flying over the next few decades.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qzX3iYpci-s&t=27s

India Orders 12 Locally-Built Su-30MKI Jets for $1.5 Billion

The Indian government has contracted state-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Limited to produce 12 Su-30MKI fighter jets for the Indian Air Force.

thedefensepost.com

 

[r8rdarklord]

"The upgrades will be carried out by HAL over the next 15 years with the help of Indian industry". 15 years for upgrades of 85 fighter jets. Amazing! HAL engineering is beyond pathetic. Lockheed Martin is upgrading the 85 Greek F16s to Blk 70/72 standard in 4 years.

 

[Blademaster]

"The upgrades will be carried out by HAL over the next 15 years with the help of Indian industry". 15 years for upgrades of 85 fighter jets. Amazing! HAL engineering is beyond pathetic. Lockheed Martin is upgrading the 85 Greek F16s to Blk 70/72 standard in 4 years.

6 planes a year????? Geez. HAL is so fricking inefficient!!! At this rate, PLAAF will have a brand new 5th generation fleet in the thousands while IAF only has a couple hundred birds.

Heads need to roll.

 

[GaudaNaresh]

6 planes a year????? Geez. HAL is so fricking inefficient!!! At this rate, PLAAF will have a brand new 5th generation fleet in the thousands while IAF only has a couple hundred birds.

Heads need to roll.

heads rolling se kuch nahi hoga.
PLAAF and USAF are basically Ford and GM in infrastructure. We are basically jaguar's infrastructure ( but we dont make jaguars, we make marutis). You cant expect Jag to compete with Ford or GM's volume. Same applies here. HAL is a tiny player in manufacturing. HAL's main job/mandate is to be like Skunkworks - it does R&D, it develops prototype but we decided that no, Skunkwork must also be regular serial producer like Boeing or L&M and we must also have volume of Boeing or L&M. Which is absurd to begin with.

 

[r8rdarklord]

heads rolling se kuch nahi hoga.
PLAAF and USAF are basically Ford and GM in infrastructure. We are basically jaguar's infrastructure ( but we dont make jaguars, we make marutis). You cant expect Jag to compete with Ford or GM's volume. Same applies here. HAL is a tiny player in manufacturing. HAL's main job/mandate is to be like Skunkworks - it does R&D, it develops prototype but we decided that no, Skunkwork must also be regular serial producer like Boeing or L&M and we must also have volume of Boeing or L&M. Which is absurd to begin with.

HAL operates under the false assurance that all defense fighter jet products is going to come to them. This time one should ditch HAL give the project to one or many business houses, establish a JV with Sukhoi, and have them manufacture SU 35s in collaboration. HAL executives will cry maybe even plead to political parties to intervene. However, if the Govt. is strict and adheres to its decision. We will have a competitor to HAL that has reasons to deliver stuff on time.

 

[GaudaNaresh]

HAL operates under the false assurance that all defense fighter jet products is going to come to them. This time one should ditch HAL give the project to one or many business houses, establish a JV with Sukhoi, and have them manufacture SU 35s in collaboration. HAL executives will cry maybe even plead to political parties to intervene. However, if the Govt. is strict and adheres to its decision. We will have a competitor to HAL that has reasons to deliver stuff on time.

Yes i agree and that may be the situation couple of years down the road with HAL.
So far HAL has made good excuses on why they havent delivered decent volume.first it was inadequate production lines ( legit reason from operations pov), which took time to fix, then it was no GE engines -which well they are right on and can sit down twiddling their thumbs but we should soon see how good HAL is in delivery coz if Engine is only kakab me haddi, then even production line of 18/yr jet capacity that HAL claims to have should easily turn in at least 24+ in its first year from just clearing backlog of engine fitting and good to roll off ( takes few hours per plane fyi in refit bay). Once GE's engines show up, it will be 'karo ya maro' for HAL and its production desires.