IAF's Sukhoi jets to be upgraded to fifth generation fighters

[IceCold]

if we done all these modifications... it will turned out be completely new fighter.....

Exactly my point and it should not be worth it because India already has a next generation fighter program and also the MRCA program.
The most the MKI will have is an AESA radar which i think is already planned to replace the PESA and second RAM coating on key areas to reduce frontal RCS of the plane.

 

[Laughing_soldier]

^^^^ The next generation fighter program will take time. So it may be an intermediate solution.

 

[rockstarIN]

If they can do some good stuff with 1 billion on 272 Su's, then its a good deal provided new cockpit, AESA + RCS reduction...

 

[Vibs]

What are those 5th generation features?
1 Stealth low observability?
2) Super Cruise?
3) next generation BVR missile?
4) AESA radar?

I have read what the article says, number 3 and 4 can be achieved but what about first and second?

We will never know the criteria for stealth. That will always be subject to debate. There have been reports of the nozzles being modified to reduce infrared signature. What most people miss is that RCS can never be zero and most advanced detection systemsas well as missile go for the tell tale IR signature.

As far as super cruise is concerned, Su 30mki at present is said to have a limited ability to super cruise while flying in areas of thin atmosphere and in a downward direction but the engines cannot help sustain the super cruise when levelling out. There has been developments in the engine front where the NPO Saturn is developing a supercruise-capable derivative of its AL-41 engine.

 

[kish]

i think its about super su 30 mki and article mislead with term 5th gen fighter ... it can get some tech from 5th gen but cannot modified to that level easily ..

 

[Vibs]

i think its about super su 30 mki and article mislead with term 5th gen fighter ... it can get some tech from 5th gen but cannot modified to that level easily ..

I think this single line should dispel any doubts of what the article meant. I believe the idea is to prevent obsolescence as compared to the other MMRCA players in the world today in terms of super cruise capability and stealth while increasing the level of customization to suit the Indian Airforce needs.

Fedorov said the ‘Super Sukhoi’ will be a potent aircraft similar in features to a fifth generation aircraft.

 

[PoKeMon]

........

 

[sancho]

Again one of these media reports that talks about more than there is actually, remember those of LCA getting 5th gen cockpit?

The 5th gen features doesn't mean only stealth, it also means NG cockpit design, AESA radar, NG EWS features and other avionics, or SC and TVC features of the engine. The MKI already have some of these and will get some other through the upgrade, but the most important 5th gen feature is stealth design and it won't get that, because too much of the general design would have been changed. It might get some new composites and RAM materials, but more feasable than an internal weapon bay, or slanted tailfins might be the addition of stealthy weapon pods in future (comparable to the Silent Hornet).

 

[Black Widow]

What are those 5th generation features?
1 Stealth low observability?
2) Super Cruise?
3) next generation BVR missile?
4) AESA radar?

I have read what the article says, number 3 and 4 can be achieved but what about first and second?

What ever you are saying is just speculation.

The upgrade will include a new cockpit, an upgraded radar and advanced stealth characteristics to make the plane less visible to enemy radar than the existing Indian Air Force (IAF) Sukhoi-30 fleet -->Irkut's president and chairman Alexy Fedorov

Alexi already said possible area of upgrade

'The upgrade will apply not only to the aircraft in service with the Indian Air Force (IAF) but also to those yet to be delivered to India and to be licence-manufactured by HAL,' Fedorov said.

Self explanatory

Fedorov said the 'Super Sukhoi' will be a potent aircraft similar in features to a fifth generation aircraft. However, he refused to provide specific details of the upgrade, stating that the exact nature of this was still to be decided between the Indian and Russian sides.

Hope every one understand what "SIMILAR" means.. So the point is few features of Super Su30 will be simialr to (no same) fifth gen fighter. Few feature will not be similar.. He has not open his complete card yet.

 

[kingofkings]

I would say this is a real worth it compared to the Mirage 2000 upgrade deal.

 

[angeldemon_007]

I thought only 40-42 fighters will be converted into Super Su30mki but according to the articles it looks like the number would be very high, may be all of them. Can anybody clear this latest statement during MAKS 2011 ? I mean how many MKI will be upgraded exactly ?

 

[sancho]

I thought only 40-42 fighters will be converted into Super Su30mki but according to the articles it looks like the number would be very high, may be all of them. Can anybody clear this latest statement during MAKS 2011 ? I mean how many MKI will be upgraded exactly ?

The upgrade is for the around 100 that are in service today and that from the early 2000s on + the 42 that we ordered new, while the other 130 will be upgraded later.

 

[Abingdonboy]

I thought only 40-42 fighters will be converted into Super Su30mki but according to the articles it looks like the number would be very high, may be all of them. Can anybody clear this latest statement during MAKS 2011 ? I mean how many MKI will be upgraded exactly ?

By the time all MKIs are delivered to IAF by ~2017-8 ALL MKI in IAF service will be "SUPER" standard.


And until the PAK FA/FGFA enter into IAF service these beasts truly will rule the skies over South Asia unimpeded.

 

[Jon Snow]

Fifth gen characteristics probably mean the radar, irst , missiles, cockpit etc which are going into pak fa - this will also increase commonality within iaf fleet. True stealth is impossible but with increase in composites in the structure and putting on RAM we can bring the rcs down from the current 15m2 to around 5m2 - which is a decent improvement.
In my mind though the biggest question is whether the engines will be changed or not - if we can get the 117s then it will be able to power a higher rating aesa radar and even supercruise might be possible - plus if we are adding ram then weight is also increasing and to compensate for that we need a more powerful engine.

 

[tvsram1992]

I want super duper mki . Make changes in Su30mki completely , make it look like pakfa with all mki features.
Lol that would be T50mki