India May Expand Su-30MKI Order Beyond 272

[Agent_47]

We will not order more MKIs. because

1. 272 is more than enough number for a heavy dual engine jet because of high maintenance cost. IAF never operated these many maintenance heavy fighters in the past and they don't want more. Current MKI fleet is getting outdated upgradation is what needed.
2. We are getting same class fighter from 2020 onwards (FGFA).That is why IAF is not pushing the faster induction of PAKFA, Which is a clear option.
3. By the end of 13th plan (2022) we will be producing 50+ fighter per year ! ( LCA 20 +,Rafale 16+,FGFA 15+) ,our sqd problems are temporary.We will break our 34 sqd limit and will inducts more sqd from 2019-20 onwards and will reach 42 sqd mark by 2024-25.

What we need is single engine light/medium fighters to replace similar conf fighters ( Mig 21 ,Mig 27),
Which is LCA and whole problems originated there. Incompetency of DRDO/HAL made this mess.
If they again show the same attitude in case of LCA mk2 the backup option is the follow on rafale order of 63.
In fact i don't even see space for additional LCA mk2 orders.AMCA will replace M2k,Mig 29,jaugar from 2029+.
After 2017 very good days are ahead of IAF.
@sancho what do u think?

 

[madooxno9]

reading comments here makes me believe in aliens visiting earth too

Yeah by 2040 , India will boost 500 SU 30 MKI , 150 Rafale , 250 FAGFA ,200 LCA , 150 AMCA , 100 F-35 and 50 F-22

 

[he-man]

You would have done many things mr super man,I knpw that and I also know that each and every one of those things would be nonsense.It's among the few of the better things happened to our country that you do not own any commanding post anywhere (and most probably would never own in future).

And I would not have done more corruption than tyagi and other top bosses.
I would not have done tatra scam
I would not have tried to bribe an army chief after retiring as major general

So yeah u are right,i would have been different than current serving bosses as I am not saleable for a few bucks like them and that makes all the diff in this world man

 

[shree835]

It will be costly to operate 400 mki's as we have future projects like Rafale, Amca and Pak fa which are 5 gen and will have huge flying cost plus we have plan to Induct almost 300 Lca's it will also increase are Operational flying cost on per aircraft.I think 300 Mki's are enough for fulfilling IAF Requirements in coming Decades

Whatever option you have given that all is in future... We need more MKI , as you can see we are going down in terms to numbers... For this option we don have much fight to do....

431 to be precise.

Might be if we are not getting Rafale and LCA ...ASAP.

 

[NKVD]

Whatever option you have given that all is in future... We need more MKI , as you can see we are going down in terms to numbers... For this option we don have much fight to do.

Mki Cost is around 102 Million Each And Rafale 120-130 Million in MMrca So what your opinion now.It better to have more Rafale than Mki Its Add More quality and Tech To IAF

 

[shree835]

Mki Cost is around 102 Million Each And Rafale 120-130 Million in MMrca So what your opinion now.It better to have more Rafale than Mki Its Add More quality and Tech To IAF

Both role is different ... U cannot compare both...

 

[NKVD]

Both role is different ... U cannot compare both...

Rafale can Both operate Medium class and heavy Class role
Le Rafale emporte du lourd ! - AéroBuzz : Actualité et Information Aéronautique.
Rafale Tested with Maximum Weapons Load - 12 Guided Weapons Underwing | Defense Update:


But its Not the Problem is Funds We already committed to And Pak fa Which are Same Class of Mki

 

[Ronin]

We need more local production
Too many imports

 

[NKVD]

We need more local production
Too many imports

Where will be you find Tech for that

 

[arp2041]

reading comments here makes me believe in aliens visiting earth too

Yeah by 2040 , India will boost 500 SU 30 MKI , 150 Rafale , 250 FAGFA ,200 LCA , 150 AMCA , 100 F-35 and 50 F-22

What a BS.

Your nos. are totally wrong.

It's 431 Su-30s, 133 Rafale, 201 FGFA, 189 LCA, 141 AMCA, 91 F-35 & 41 F-22s.

We can't afford the huge nos. you gave.

BTW, You are missing 22 B-2 Spirit bombers.

P.S. Any Tom Dick & Harry becomes a Defense expert these days

 

[Parul]

Going by the pace at which the Indian Air Force (IAF) is expanding bases for the Sukhoi-30MKI fighters, ordering more of these Russian-made aircraft looks a distinct possibility.
The expansion of the Su-30MKI fleet may happen irrespective of the progress in the MMRCA deal in which negotiations with the French manufacturer Dassault are on. India had in 2002 ordered 230 fighters and a further 42 had been ordered in 2012.

The Ministry of Defense has already announced plans to set up new bases to house the aircraft that are expected to be delivered up to 2018-19. The rapid expansion of bases housing the Sukhois while at the same time curtailing MiG-21 operations is a clear indication of the important role the Su-30MKI is playing for the IAF and the need for even more aircraft of this type in future.

Some 100 Sukhois will be spread out to bases such as Thanjavur in the deep south, Chabua in the northeast and Pune in western India, according to media reports.

"Thanjavur airbase is going to be another strategically important airbase of the Indian Air Force. By stationing our frontline fighter aircraft Sukhoi at Thanjavur, IAF can protect vast area of interest", India’s defence minister, AK Antony said after inaugurating the airbase on March 27, 2013.



Aside of the air dominance function for which the Sukhois had been originally procured, they are being utilized for interception and for reconnaissance. Recently, a Su-30 MKI had been scrambled to intercept an unidentified flying object entering Indian airspace form the western border. Some 4-8 Su-30MKIs are being tasked with strategic reconnaissance along the India-Pakistan borders with EL/M-2060P SAR pods, various reports said.



The fitment of the BrahMos cruise missile to the Su-30MKI will add another dimension to this vastly capable fighter. Reports say that some 40 Sukhois will be modified to carry this lethal armament which can function as an air-launched precision strike missile.

The induction of the Su-30MKIs seems to have increased the confidence and capability of the IAF as can be noted from this statement of the former IAF Chief NAK Browne, “right now we have 34 combat squadrons and in spite of these draw downs of the MIG-21s, we are supplementing them with the Su-30 squadrons”. The former chief had told a television network on October 5, 2012, “What’s going to happen is that at least in the 12th plan which finishes in 2017 we will continue to maintain 34 squadrons. They go up a little bit, up and down but they will remain at 34 squadrons but with far greater capability than even what we have today.”



As of March 2013, the IAF had a fleet of 194 Su-30MKI aircraft but this number will grow to 272 after India placed another order in December 2012 for 42 aircraft about 10 months after declaring Dassault winner of the MMRCA competition.

The licence-manufacturing program of the Su-30MKI is expected to conclude in 2018-19. “We hope to form 14 squadrons of Su-30MKI fighters by 2018. By this time we will have 272 such planes in service”, an unnamed HAL official was quoted as saying by Itar-Tass on February 24, 2014.



With the Su-30MKI getting increasingly entrenched into the IAF’s combat capability, provisions will have to be made for maintaining SU-30MKI utilization levels. As the number of sorties increase, so also will the requirement for maintenance and overhaul for which aircraft will have to be withdrawn from service.



The Su-30 MKI planes have not been without their share of problems. Three crashes, in 2009, 2011 and 2013 have forced the IAF, Irkut and HAL to sit down and find solutions to the problems which came to fore after the accident investigations. The good news is that the past year has been relatively problem-free despite increased sorties.

https://www.google.co.in/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=2&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CC8QFjAB&url=http://www.defenseworld.net/news/10472/India_May_Expand_Su_30MKI_Order_Beyond_272&ei=UnRkU-bWD823uASGnIDoDw&usg=AFQjCNG0v4OEtNtnCkn8n93OdfHcdjvAXg&bvm=bv.65788261,d.c2E

Thank you for info.

 

[sancho]

@sancho Ahem

Please mate, find anything that has at least a little bit of credibility! This report is nothing but speculation, based on total nonsense. The author is trying to create a link between raising air bases to procuring more MKIs, the problem is only, that the air bases are not raised only for MKI, but for LCA, Rafale or even FGFA as well and mainly depending on where IAF sees additional need of bases (east and south) and not specific fighter types.
Moreover we know that the MKI production line will be diverted after 2019 to produce the FGFA, the whole point of adding the additional MKIs, was to extend the production line since FGFA is delayed and isn't available from 2017 onwards as earlier planned. Not to mention that by 2019 even LCA MK2 (hopefully) would be available for induction, let alone Rafale.

Edit: An older screenshot I saved from the HAL connect 65 issue:

http://s1.directupload.net/images/130412/wgn47ef3.jpg

 

[he-man]

Please mate, find anything that has at least a little bit of credibility! This report is nothing but speculation, based on total nonsense. The author is trying to create a link between raising air bases to procuring more MKIs, the problem is only, that the air bases are not raised only for MKI, but for LCA, Rafale or even FGFA as well and mainly depending on where IAF sees additional need of bases (east and south) and not specific fighter types.
Moreover we know that the MKI production line will be diverted after 2019 to produce the FGFA, the whole point of adding the additional MKIs, was to extend the production line since FGFA is delayed and isn't available from 2017 onwards as earlier planned. Not to mention that by 2019 even LCA MK2 (hopefully) would be available for induction, let alone Rafale.

No point in getting a rcs monster anymore when other options are available.
That disadvantage alone makes mki a bad buy.

It will be detected at much farther than say a rafale,ef or even su-35

 

[Su-11]

Mki Cost is around 102 Million Each And Rafale 120-130 Million in MMrca So what your opinion now.It better to have more Rafale than Mki Its Add More quality and Tech To IAF

the new 42 mkis cost only 38 million dollars in semi knock down condition. dont spread wrong info peddled by retarded desi media!!

 

[Abingdonboy]

Nope.
272 are simple ones,not super.
Deal for additional 42 has already been signed and they ain't super

Na,there is no aesa being selected as of now.
The only upgrade they will undergo in future is the ability to carry brahmos.
Nothing else has been selected and that fucking pisses me off

This isn't true, the 42 ordered ARE to be Super standard, the Super upgrade has all but been finalised. HAL are already testing most of the modifications in their facilitates like the new Cockpit, sensors etc