India set to buy 40 Super Sukhoi jets for $3.5 bn

[r1MM0n]

Concerned over recurring problems in MiG-27 combat aircraft engines, Indian Air Force is planning to phase out these Russian-origin planes by 2017.

IAF operates about 80 (four squadrons) of these aircraft in its fleet and due to the recurring problems in their engines, it had to ground all of them after a crash about two years ago.

“We are planning to phase out the MiG-27s, of which around 80 are still in service, by the year 2017,” senior IAF officials said.

IAF has deployed two squadrons each of the aircraft in Jodhpur in Rajasthan and Kalaikunda in West Bengal at present.

About two years, a study was conducted to check the problems in the engines of the aircraft and it was found that the R-29s engines have developed some defect which was very difficult to be corrected, they said.

After the report, IAF took a considered decision about retiring these aircraft from operational service in a phased manner, the officials said.

“The first to be phased out would be the two squadrons based in Kalaikunda and then by 2017, the remaining two deployed in Jodhpur would also be on their way out of the force,” they said.

The squadrons based in Jodhpur had undergone upgrades at Hindustan Aeronautics Limited recently and that is why they have more life left in them, the officials said.

IAF is also planning to phase out the crash-prone MiG-21 combat aircraft around the same timeframe. MiG-23 fighter and bomber aircraft which were inducted in the 1980s have already been phased out.

India set to buy 40 Super Sukhoi jets for $3.5 bn | idrw.org

 

[Rajaraja Chola]

we need more

 

[Fanling Monk]

Where you guys get all these money on a military budget of $40 billion plus? A few billions here, a few billions there and now this plus personnel and maintenance. Talking about hiding the spending.

 

[IndoUS]

Where you guys get all these money on a military budget of $40 billion plus? A few billions here, a few billions there and now this plus personnel and maintenance. Talking about hiding the spending.

The amount is not paid in one go, it is broken down over a span of years.

 

[Fanling Monk]

The amount is not paid in one go, it is broken down over a span of years.

By the same token how about the unpaid bills of yesteryears. That's the usual way of accounting by other countries as well.

 

[Gessler]

IAF will ultimately have 311 of these ac.

 

[tvsram1992]

Perfect i knew Rafale deal was to replace Mig27s and Jaguars , though it was for replacement for Mig21 officially .

 

[AGENT 47]

can anyone give details of Super Sukhoi .

 

[rashtriya.rifles]

Is this over and above the 271 for which India has a deal with Russia ?

 

[mfreak]

Where you guys get all these money on a military budget of $40 billion plus? A few billions here, a few billions there and now this plus personnel and maintenance. Talking about hiding the spending.

Yeah I believe India does hide its actual spending alright. No doubt. They must be spending atleast 75-80 billion imo. I dont know what the defense budget actually stands for. Is it to purchase new stuff or is it to spend for existing stuff? Does it include military personnel salary and maintenance? Not sure. So if it does not include salary, maintenance, food, electricity, infrastructure costs etc. then does it mean 40 billion exclusively for purchases? Lots of unanswered questions.

 

[Paan Singh]

Is this over and above the 271 for which India has a deal with Russia ?

no..........

230+40

 

[UKBengali]

Yeah I believe India does hide its actual spending alright. No doubt. They must be spending atleast 75-80 billion imo. I dont know what the defense budget actually stands for. Is it to purchase new stuff or is it to spend for existing stuff? Does it include military personnel salary and maintenance? Not sure. So if it does not include salary, maintenance, food, electricity, infrastructure costs etc. then does it mean 40 billion exclusively for purchases? Lots of unanswered questions.

I think that the 40 billion a year includes everything - salaries, maintenance and new purchases.

Remember that some of the bills like the up to 20 billion for Rafales will be paid over a period of around 10 years and hence the cost will become cheaper relative to the Indian GDP as the country's GDP keeps growing.

It looks like a lot but India could easily afford to spend around 200 billion dollars on overseas arms imports in the next ten years from the officially published budget.

 

[OrionHunter]

So, 4 squadrons of MiG 27s are to be replaced by 2 squadrons of Super Sukhois? The math doesn't add up....or is it a force multiplier thingie?

 

[rashtriya.rifles]

I think that the 40 billion a year includes everything - salaries, maintenance and new purchases.

Remember that some of the bills like the up to 20 billion for Rafales will be paid over a period of around 10 years and hence the cost will become cheaper relative to the Indian GDP as the country's GDP keeps growing.

It looks like a lot but India could easily afford to spend around 200 billion dollars on overseas arms imports in the next ten years from the officially published budget.

and considering the size of India's GDP .. it's not that significant as well..

 

[IndoUS]

So, 4 squadrons of MiG 27s are to be replaced by 2 squadrons of Super Sukhois? The math doesn't add up....or is it a force multiplier thingie?

I guess these will be the firs batch, so after IAF gets to test the upgrade we could buy more.