Su-30MKI at Cope India 2006

In 1996, India ordered 40 Su-30MK/MKI from Sukhoi in Russia along with an in principle agreement for future license production of the aircraft in India.

In 1998, India ordered  an additional 10 Su-30Ks bringing the total order to 50. 

On October 4, 2000, India and Russia signed an Inter-Governmental Agreement (IGA) for transfer of License and Technical Documentation to India, for production of 140 SU-30 MKI Aircraft, its Engines and Aggregates at HAL. 

The Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) accorded its approval for the Project on December 18, 2000.

The Government sanctioned the license manufacture project in January 2001. 

As per govt. sanction, HAL was to produce 12 aircraft per Year, with production starting in 2004-05 and wrapping by 2017-18. 

In June 2005, Air Headquarters requested HAL, to explore the feasibility of compressing the delivery program by three years. Accordingly, HAL submitted a Proposal which envisaged compressed delivery of 140 aircraft by 2014-15 at the rate of 16 ac / yr. CCS accorded its approval for the compressed delivery program on March 31, 2006 and a fresh contract was signed between HAL and the IAF.

Subsequently, the government sanction was increased to 180 aircraft and the IAF concluded a follow-up contract with HAL for the supply of an additional 40 Su-30MKIs. HAL agreed to deliver the additional aircraft also by 2014-15.

On December 16, 2011, during the annual summit between the Indian PM and Russian President, India and Russia signed a Rs 20,000 crore agreement for license production of an additional 42 Su-30MKI Super 30 variants. [via PIB]

The first Super 30 variant is to be delivered in 2014 and the last by 2018.

Of the initial 50 aircraft procured, 8 were basic Su-30MKs, 10 Su-30Ks, 10 Su-30MKIs with canards, and the remaining 22 Su-30MKIs with canards and AL-31FP engines, the thrust vectoring version of AL-31 engines fitted on the earlier aircraft.

The first batch of Su-30MKIs were delivered to the IAF in the beginning of 2002.

The AL-31FP engine is 110 kg heavier and 0.4m longer than the AL-31F but retains the same thrust.

All the 50 aircraft acquired have since been upgraded to Su-30MKI standard.

HAL had assembled 42 MKIs from the total order of 140 to be assembled by the end of 2012.

As of December 2009, the IAF was operating five Su-30MKI squadrons, with two squadrons flying HAL assembled aircraft.

HAL had delivered 74 of of the 140 aircraft on order. It delivered 23 Su-30MKI in 2009 and is expected to deliver 28 in 2010.

Three aircraft from the follow-up order for 40 placed on Russia had been delivered by December 7, 2009. Delivery of the remaining is expected to be completed by 2011-12.

A total of two aircraft were lost in crashes on 30 April 2009 and 30 November 2009. 

The IAF will eventually be equipped with 15 Su-30MKI squadrons.

As in February 2012, seven Su-30MKI squadrons have been raised - two in Lohegaon in Pune (20, 30), one in Jodhpur (31), two in Bareilly (8, 24), and one each in Tezpur (2) and Chabua (102).

Two Su-30MKI squadrons are planned to be deployed in Jodhpur under SWAC, by 2013. [Reference]

Additional Su-30MKI squadrons will be deployed in Halwara.

The Bars radar fitted on the Su-30MKI is a hybrid radar that fits between a PESA and contemporary AESA radar. It features a detection range of 76 nm (50 nm form the rear hemisphere). It has 0.9m diameter antenna The phased array can electronically steer the mainlobe through +/-70 degrees in azimuth and +/-40 degrees in elevation. The whole array can be further steered mechanically. Polarisation can be switched by 90 degrees for surface search modes.

The radar can simultaneously track both air and ground targets and engage 4 to 8 targets.

The radar can transmit targeting information to 4 other aircraft operating their radars in the passive mode.

The Su-30MKI is being manufactured from raw materials in India and its engine is being locally produced.

The 'Super' variant of the Su-30MKI will feature an AESA, be capable of carrying the Brahmos missile and feature a radar, onboard computer and EWS to launch the airborne version of the Brahmos, and later the strategic subsonic Nirbhay cruise missile with a range of 1,000 km.

The air launched version of Brahmos weighs 2.5 tons and there is some doubt the Su-30 Super 30  will be able to land back with the missile safely. Aircrew may be instructed to drop the weapon before landing, if it is not launched in flight.

India and Russia have reached an agreement for the eventual upgrade of the BARS N011M radar to AESA, but no contract has yet been signed.

An enlarged version of the Phazotron Zhuk-AE radar fitted on the MiG-35D prototype fielded for the MMRCA competition is likely to be fitted to the Super 30, but Irkut could also go for Tikhomirov’s NIIP AESA shown at MAKS-2011.

During MMRCA trials the Zhuk-MA AESA radar demonstrated significant capabilities, including ground-mapping modes and the ability to detect, track and shoot at aerial targets. During demonstration flights, a MiG-35D destroyed an aerial drone with an air-to-air missile launched by an Indian pilot.[via ainonline.com]

India Today reported in its June, 2010 issue that the project to modernize the initial batch of Su-30s delivered to India by Russia has been finalized. 

The aircraft are due for major overhaul and Russia has proposed incorporation of the latest technologies during the major overhaul.

Defence Ministry sources told Economic Times on July 4, 2010:

"As part of IAF's modernisation programme, we are going to upgrade 50 Sukhoi-30 MKI aircraft with help of original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) from Russia.

"Su-30 MKIs have been inducted into the IAF in four phases. The ones to be upgraded are from the first phase and the project is likely to be completed in the next three to four years," they added. 

Of the 50 aircraft, around five would be sent to the Russian facilities while the remaining would undergo upgrading within India, they said. 

"The airframe of these aircraft would also be strengthened to equip them with air-launched version of the 290 km range BrahMos supersonic cruise missile," the sources said. 

The SU-30s were inducted into the IAF in late 90s and at present six squadrons of the aircraft are in service.

The Bars phased-array radar of the aircraft will be upgraded in two phases. In the first phase, advanced operating modes will be introduced based on computer and other hardware upgrades.

In the second phase, the passive array will be replaced with a AESA.

The upgrades are to be carried out jointly by Russia, Hindustan Aeronautics Limited and Defence Research and Development Organisation.

In a written reply in the Rajya Sabha on August 18, 2010 Defence Minister Shri AK Antony said the current estimated cost for the upgrade is Rs. 10920 crores and the aircraft are likely to be upgraded in a phased manner from year 2012 onwards. 

IAF is already upgrading its two main fighter aircraft fleet of 60 MiG-29s and is about to sign an around USD two billion deal with France to modernise its 50 Mirage aircraft. The Jaguar, MiG-27 and MiG-21 fleets have already been upgraded by the force.