IAF Su-30MKI to get the indigenous Virupaaksha AESA radar named after Bhagwan Mahadev

[Mav3rick]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1715007961331073509

@CallSignMaverick @Raj-Hindustani @Cheepek @Hellfire2006 @migflug @mig25 @Faceless @Skull and Bones @protean @kmc_chacko @JaneBhiDoYaaron

Use of indigenous platform is either because of political/financial reasons or because the product is just better than the Russian alternative. It is hard to believe that the new radar would be better than the Russian one on offer because of experience and expertise in the field. Is it possible that IAF is footing political decisions being imposed on them?

 

[indushek]

Use of indigenous platform is either because of political/financial reasons or because the product is just better than the Russian alternative. It is hard to believe that the new radar would be better than the Russian one on offer because of experience and expertise in the field. Is it possible that IAF is footing political decisions being imposed on them?

The original radar on SU30 is a PESA radar, Bars something is the name. The new one is a AESA radar, so I would say a step up. Now there is a big argument, between PESA and AESA of course but most of the world is going towards AESA.

 

[Mav3rick]

The original radar on SU30 is a PESA radar, Bars something is the name. The new one is a AESA radar, so I would say a step up. Now there is a big argument, between PESA and AESA of course but most of the world is going towards AESA.

I was actually referring to the AESA being offered by Russia which would be more advanced and better for the IAF. The Super Sukhoi program it was or Super II something?

 

[indushek]

I was actually referring to the AESA being offered by Russia which would be more advanced and better for the IAF. The Super Sukhoi program it was or Super II something?

There is a bit of confusion here

I mean, when Russia offered this super sukhoi upgrade way back in 2017 or 18 - the upgrade was to bring these planes to some SM standard.

Russia offers to Upgrade Indian Su-30MKI along with its own Su-30SM

Russia offers to Upgrade Indian Su-30MKI along with its own Su-30SM

www.defensemirror.com

Most of these old articles don't clearly mention, what is the radar on offer.

Russia to counter pitch its own ” Super Sukhoi” Upgrade Program to India – Indian Defence Research Wing

idrw.org

This article though, seems to talk about a second pitch by Russians after IAF decided to go for desi upgrades I guess. That's Irbis E which isn't AESA, but they would probably give the one on SU57 perhaps.

 

[Moonaman.Varavayi]

I agree there are thousands of names better for lord Shiva in Sanskrit if they wanted or probably as we are no Sanskrit Pandit so cannot understand enough to get excited.

This particular name is very suited for a radar. "Aksha" is an all seeing eye. "Virupaksha" is (literally) "formless eye", or taken in context, the seer that cannot be seen. Very apt for an AESA radar with ECCMs and LPI and frequency hopping.

@NAVDEEP DHALIWAL

 

[MirageBlue]

Use of indigenous platform is either because of political/financial reasons or because the product is just better than the Russian alternative. It is hard to believe that the new radar would be better than the Russian one on offer because of experience and expertise in the field. Is it possible that IAF is footing political decisions being imposed on them?

There is no Russian AESA radar in service on their Su-30SM, Su-35s or on offer. The indigenous Uttam AESA radar on the other hand has completed all it's trials on the Tejas Mk1A prototypes and will be entering service with the IAF from the 41st Tejas Mk1A onwards.

The Virupaaksha radar will be a derivative of the Uttam AESA. Naturally it makes much much more sense to go with it since all future integrations between the radar, the MC and indigenous weapons will be managed in India. I don't think we'll see many Russian weapons integrated with India's Su-30MKIs in the future.

There is the other issue of defence deals with Russia now, given the Russo/Ukranian war. It's best avoided.

The original radar on SU30 is a PESA radar, Bars something is the name. The new one is a AESA radar, so I would say a step up. Now there is a big argument, between PESA and AESA of course but most of the world is going towards AESA.

There is simply no comparison between the capabilities that an AESA radar brings versus MSA or even PESA. It is FAR superior. Interleaved modes, simultaneous operations, and much more maintenance friendly as well with elegant degradation in capabilities as a few T/R modules stop working out of a thousand over time.

 

[MirageBlue]

Virupkasha means - a person who can see everything without having physical eyes. This is not god name.

It is however one of the names with which Lord Shiva is referred to.

Year 2050: IAF Su-30s to get indigenous automated toilets, coin operated version..

Just think what will be the condition of Pakistan and it's citizens in 2050..all the indicators are pointing backwards.

 

[JaneBhiDoYaaron]

This particular name is very suited for a radar. "Aksha" is an all seeing eye. "Virupaksha" is (literally) "formless eye", or taken in context, the seer that cannot be seen. Very apt for an AESA radar with ECCMs and LPI and frequency hopping.

@NAVDEEP DHALIWAL

Thank you for explaining, someday would like to learn as many languages as I can and Sanskrit is top of list.

Virupkasha means - a person who can see everything without having physical eyes. This is not god name.

Seems like you are right , it is Shiva temple name in Hampi. @indushek clarified this one in previous post.

Virupaksha Temple, Hampi - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

Every language die or changes so much that it becomes totally different within 200-300yrs , i forgot dude name who gave this theory .
That's how it has been since humans came to existence.
I seriously doubt majority hindi speaking will start using sanskrit, it doesn't make any sense. Few speaking sanskrit doesn't means its alive.
What I wanted to say was mainstream . Dead/alive might have been the wrong word.

Same thing happened to English, if u read old English, it's difficult to understand properly.

But I do agree that art of speaking and writing is slowly dying. Fk even the art of story telling is dying, in my friend circle only me & 1 other friend tells stories to his kids. Rest don't have the imagination, time or skill if u can believe it .

I am not disagreeing with you but Sanskrit officially does not fit anywhere near dead language criteria. Sure there are not as many people compare to other major language but thousands of priest , people and enthusiasts across India and world understand and can converse in Sanskrit. Everyone one who can read Hindi can also read Sanskrit fluently because it is Devnagri script. Another beauty of Sanskrit is unlike other language Sanskrit has not changed after Pāṇini established grammatical rules for Sanskrit around 6th BCE . So you can read and understand oldest Sanskrit literature as easily as it is written yesterday but to read Shakespeare is impossible even if you know English.

 

[Mav3rick]

There is no Russian AESA radar in service on their Su-30SM, Su-35s or on offer. The indigenous Uttam AESA radar on the other hand has completed all it's trials on the Tejas Mk1A prototypes and will be entering service with the IAF from the 41st Tejas Mk1A onwards.

The Virupaaksha radar will be a derivative of the Uttam AESA. Naturally it makes much much more sense to go with it since all future integrations between the radar, the MC and indigenous weapons will be managed in India. I don't think we'll see many Russian weapons integrated with India's Su-30MKIs in the future.

There is the other issue of defence deals with Russia now, given the Russo/Ukranian war. It's best avoided.

That is surprising that the Russians don't have an AESA upgrade for MKI's. They could have offered something if IAF had made a request. Anyway, I guess the matter is past all that since IAF has an indigenous option. Good going.

 

[sutton999]

read somewhere Israel writes software for this India AESA.

 

[MirageBlue]

That is surprising that the Russians don't have an AESA upgrade for MKI's. They could have offered something if IAF had made a request. Anyway, I guess the matter is past all that since IAF has an indigenous option. Good going.

As I recall they had been pushing their Irbis radar for the upgrade, which is what the Russians have on the Su-35. They do have an AESA on the Su-57 but it was never offered for the Su-30MKI upgrade.

The delays in the negotiations only worked in India's favor eventually. Instead of going in with a Russian radar which would then require source codes (which the Russians would be hesitant to provide) for all integrations, we now can be independent in this crucial area.

Once this radar is in service in large numbers there will be many new variants, improvements, fixes, etc. possible since it is home grown. Whereas with an imported radar, the IAF would've been been stuck with what it got with Russian OEMs being slow to respond.

Plus the Ukrainian war has put a big question mark on importing weapons from Russia. Spares are another thing too, which the IAF is trying to indigenise as much as possible.

read somewhere Israel writes software for this India AESA.

Source please.