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Sorry Sancho ! I don't have a particular link, i collected the info randomly ! :confused: I can help you, On which specific info do you need more detail / citation ? :)
No problem, I just was interested about the reduced RCS. If only coating is new, this could be done with the IAF Mig 29 too right? If I'm not wrong, 4-5 times lower RCS should mean somewhere between 1 and 2 m² and that would be a big benefit for IAF Mig 29 if they want to stay in service for another 15 years.

These fighters are good, but I am a bit disappointed that they seem to come without TVC and AESA. The new AESA radars seems to be very important for IAF, wonder why IN don't share that view.
 
No problem, I just was interested about the reduced RCS. If only coating is new, this could be done with the IAF Mig 29 too right? If I'm not wrong, 4-5 times lower RCS should mean somewhere between 1 and 2 m² and that would be a big benefit for IAF Mig 29 if they want to stay in service for another 15 years.

These fighters are good, but I am a bit disappointed that they seem to come without TVC and AESA. The new AESA radars seems to be very important for IAF, wonder why IN don't share that view.

genuine doubt ! :)

Considerable increase of flight range is also gained due to increased capacity of drop fuel tanks and in-flight refueling capability (with the possibility to refuel from the aircraft of the same type). Due to special coatings Mig-29K radar reflecting surface is 4-5 times smaller than of basic MiG-29. The aircraft has modern 4-channel digital “fly-by-wire” flight control system. MiG-29K/KUB flight and navigation system is built on an open architecture principle around MIL-STD-1553B standard Databus.

full article
 
Mig 29K/KUB tests aboard the Kuznetsov

 
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India set to discuss overhaul of Su-30 fighter jets with Russia

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NEW DELHI, October 9 (RIA Novosti) - India will discuss the modernization of the Russian-made Su-30MKI aircraft in service with its air force during an upcoming military-technical cooperation meeting in Moscow, the country's Defense Ministry said on Friday.

The Indian Air Force currently has 105 Su-30MKIs mainly deployed at airbases close to the Chinese border.

"The aircraft, contracted in 1996, are due for overhaul shortly and Russia has offered an upgrade of the aircraft with incorporation of the latest technologies during the major overhaul," the ministry said in a statement.

The IAF originally ordered 50 Su-30MKI aircraft from Russia in 1996 and an additional 40 planes in 2007. India's Hindustani Aeronautics (HAL) was also contracted to build 140 aircraft in India between 2003 and 2017 under a licensed production agreement.

India previously said it was satisfied with the performance of Russian Su-30MKI fighters and has recently expressed interest in buying another 50 Su-30MKIs.

The 9th meeting of the Russia-India Inter-Governmental Commission on Military-Technical Cooperation will be held on October 14-15 in Moscow and will be chaired by Russian Defense Minister Anatoly Serdyukov and his Indian counterpart A. K. Antony.

The main focus of discussions during the meeting will be the extension of the existing bilateral agreement on military-technical cooperation for another 10 years, from 2011 to 2020.

Russian-Indian intergovernmental commission sessions are held annually and alternate between New Delhi and Moscow.

The current cooperation program until 2010 comprises about 200 joint projects, including the modernization of the Vikramaditya aircraft carrier (formerly the Admiral Gorshkov) for the Indian navy, the transfer of technology for the licensed assembly of T-90 tanks in India, the production of BrahMos missiles and the purchase of Smerch MLRS by India.

India set to discuss overhaul of Su-30 fighter jets with Russia | Top Russian news and analysis online | 'RIA Novosti' newswire
 
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Outsourcing is a Reasonably New Area for Us’
General Manager, Aircraft Manufacturing Division, Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, Nasik, V. Balakrishnan

Can you give us an overview of the Su-30MKI manufacturing process in Nasik?

The contract for Su-30 was first signed in 1996 with Russia. Subsequently, there were talks about license production, which is when HAL came into the picture. HAL has been in dialogue with Russia since 1998. In 2000, the Inter-Government Agreement and general contract was signed. In December 2001, the bifurcation of responsibilities between the Indian and the Russian side took place, implying that both sides decided on the documents that would be given to us, which side would do how much tooling and testing and so on. HAL also decided on the minimum number of aircraft needed to be made by it to have a cost-effective production line. Various figures were discussed and till we finally agreed on an appropriate number. Consequently, in March 2002, HAL submitted its project report to the government.



What is meant by establishing the Su-30MKI production line?

Five HAL factories were nominated for the Su-30MKI production. In Nasik, we make the airframe structure and all electrical items and various assemblies made elsewhere are brought here for final integration of the aircraft.After this, flight-testing is done here before the aircraft is given to the customer. At the Koraput HAL plant, we make the AL-31FP engines for the aircraft. In Hyderabad, HAL makes the radar and radio equipment. In Lucknow, all systems are made, which includes mechanical and electrical instruments (looms), as well as pumps and oxygen systems. The Navigational and Attack Complex, Korwa, HAL makes all navigational systems, which includes optical laser systems. Hence, the Nasik factory with the strength of about 5,500 people does the design and manufacturing. In addition, there are about 30 Russian consultants. The Nasik HAL comprises three divisions: the Aircraft Manufacturing Division (AMD), the Aircraft Overhauling Division (AOD) and Aircraft Upgrades Research and Development Centre (AURDC).

What is meant by designing Su-30MKI here?

As the aircraft is the licensed-production, we have to maintain the documentation including designs, drawing and specifications. Liaison work is also important as both sides have to agree on the exact specification of parts which are being made here.

Does the raw material for Su-30MKI come from Russia?

Yes, the kits come from Russia which includes 100 per cent raw material, casing and forgings, standard parts and bought-out ready material like bearings, connectors, switches, circuit-breakers and so on. These parts, though small are not economical enough to be made here. While in the earlier Russian aircraft, we were making nuts and bolts here, in the case of Su-30MKI, the Russians insisted that everything come from there, including readymade articles for which license has not been transferred. These include undercarriage and the ejection seats. This decision is based on cost-effective analysis and time frames. But there are still nearly 40,000 parts like brackets, panels and major structural frames, spars, longerons, wings, control surfaces and fins that are made here.

Where exactly are the Russians assisting in the project?

They come in at various stages of the project. For example, they help during the testing of the fuel pumps, radars and the final flight testing. Su-30MKI has seven profiles for system testing where the Russians are involved intimately. Painting of the aircraft done at the flight hangar is another critical area. They are also there during the final assembly of the aircraft as well in the earlier stages when sub-assemblies are manufactured. In short, the Russians are there in a supervisory capacity at each stage, for transfer of technology. This is part of the license agreement and is called ‘defence of their technology processes’. This means that it is their responsibility to ensure that all the licensed items that they have transferred to us can be produced here to the required specifications.

Does the radar come directly from Russia?

No, initially N011 radar of Su-30MKI used to come from Russia, but once the license was transferred to HAL, it is now being manufactured in Hyderabad. Like the aircraft, the manufacture of the radar is also a phased process.

Can you explain the phases in which the aircraft is being manufactured?

The whole process of the aircraft manufacture is in four phases. In phase I (2004-2005) the aircraft was manufactured and tested in Russia before being flown to India. It was again tested here in Nasik and then painted before the aircraft was handed over to the Indian Air Force. In phase II (2005-2006) 100 per cent of the kits came from Russia. In Nasik AMD, it meant the kits for the entire fuselage, wings and the pipelines. Assembling the kits here took nine months before the aircraft rolled out of the production line. Phase III of the process involved making all items from raw materials except the fuselage. The materials manufactured here included the empennage, canards, wings and the air intake. These were manufactured under Russian supervision and the process took 30 months. The fuselage that came from Russia was in three parts: F1, F2 and F3 or the front, centre and rear fuselage. These parts were assembled here. Phase IV, which has just begun, will take a total of 36 months and will involve making the entire fuselage from the Russian supplied raw material. Indian manufacturers for raw material, like Midhani, can make some of the raw material to required specifications. Present contract for the Su-30MKI aircraft mentions raw material to be delivered by Russia and we will stick to the license agreement terms. Indigenous material will be used for making spares.

As the phases become time-consuming, will this affect the aircraft production rate?

No, this will not happen. For example, phase III which we entered in March this year was actually started in 2006. We are certain to meet our commitment of giving 140 aircraft to the customer by March 2015.

What are the technical highpoints of Su-30MKI?

Su-30MKI is a 4.5 generation aircraft with a twin engine and twin cockpit. This ensures that redundancy is taken care of. It has 12 weapon stations, which is a large number. It has a state of art engine with thrust vectoring capability. This makes the aircraft highly unstable with immense manoeuvre-capabilities. It has a high fuel-carrying capability and can undertake air to air refuelling. Its fuel tank design is special and is self-sealing. This means that if a bullet hits the wing, the fuel will come out of the tank slowly, instead of gushing out as is the case in other aircraft. The aircraft engine has single crystal blades which are capable of withstanding very high temperatures. Considering that the aircraft is huge and has to operate in hot conditions, and its twin engines have the 11,500kg thrust each, the single crystal blades ensure that the thrust remains optimum. The Russians have given this technology to us for the first time. Another thing about the aircraft is the extensive use of titanium for machining, forming, welding and chemical milling. Titanium is both light and strong as compared with aluminium used in the earlier Russian aircraft. Absorption of the Titanium technology is a complex process. Most of the work on titanium is done at high temperature to stabilise the metal and this process is called isothermal forming. There is a need for special tools and jigs for the cutting, welding and machining of titanium.

Another unique feature of this aircraft manufacture is its rotables. It has sturdy locks, made of titanium, which are very complex. For example, when the undercarriage of the aircraft comes down, it is held firmly by down-locks which are manufactured here. Similarly, there are certain hydro-pneumatic valves which are complicated and are made here. The spars (members that hold heavy loads like wings) in this aircraft are huge and are complex structures to make.
A very interesting aspect of this aircraft-building is that nearly 25 per cent of the aircraft components have been outsourced by us. About 10,000 parts of the aircraft are being made by Indian companies and are being supplied to HAL Nasik. We give them the raw material and the designs, after which we inspect their products before accepting them. In a matter of speaking, we ensure quality control of the outsourced components. This helps us to concentrate on the assembly aspect of the parts here at AMD, which is a very critical process. As mentioned earlier, both we and the Russians, ensure the quality control of the manufacturing here.

Considering that the aircraft uses a lot of titanium, does this affect its stealth capabilities?

Stealth is a different issue altogether. This involves two things. First, the rays that come to the aircraft should get deflected so as not to send the signal back to the source. This is achieved by the geometry of the aircraft which ensures maximum deflection and hence stealth. The other issue is about the aircraft radar itself that should not emit unnecessary signals. Both these issues have been taken care of adequately in this aircraft.

What is the reason that in a given time frame, more aircraft can be made in Russia than at HAL?

This depends upon the number of machinery, jigs and fixtures that one has. The other aspect is about technology absorption. Considering that the Russians have been making aircraft of various kinds for so many years, their infrastructure, facilities and technology absorption processes are better than what can be achieved at HAL. For example, if the Russians are making about 1,400 aircraft and HAL is to make much lesser number in 100s, the disparity in infrastructure between the two places will be glaring. Moreover, given their experience, they have more partners to outsource work. As much as 70 per cent of their aircraft components would be outsourced in comparison to about 25 per cent that HAL is doing for the Su-30MKI. Earlier, HAL used to make 100 per cent components for the MiGs. Thus, outsourcing is a reasonably new area for us.

Which other companies are contributing components to Su-30MKI?

Thales of France has given the multi-functional display and stand-by instruments like the visual omni-range instrument landing system. The GPS in the aircraft comes from Israel. The radar warning receiver has been designed by DARE in Bangalore and is being produced by BEL. These systems are being sent to Korwa HAL from where we receive them.
 
India set to discuss overhaul of Su-30 fighter jets with Russia

NEW DELHI, October 9 (RIA Novosti) - India will discuss the modernization of the Russian-made Su-30MKI aircraft in service with its air force during an upcoming military-technical cooperation meeting in Moscow, the country's Defense Ministry said on Friday.

The Indian Air Force currently has 105 Su-30MKIs mainly deployed at airbases close to the Chinese border.

"The aircraft, contracted in 1996, are due for overhaul shortly and Russia has offered an upgrade of the aircraft with incorporation of the latest technologies during the major overhaul," the ministry said in a statement.

The IAF originally ordered 50 Su-30MKI aircraft from Russia in 1996 and an additional 40 planes in 2007. India's Hindustani Aeronautics (HAL) was also contracted to build 140 aircraft in India between 2003 and 2017 under a licensed production agreement.

India previously said it was satisfied with the performance of Russian Su-30MKI fighters and has recently expressed interest in buying another 50 Su-30MKIs.

The 9th meeting of the Russia-India Inter-Governmental Commission on Military-Technical Cooperation will be held on October 14-15 in Moscow and will be chaired by Russian Defense Minister Anatoly Serdyukov and his Indian counterpart A. K. Antony.

The main focus of discussions during the meeting will be the extension of the existing bilateral agreement on military-technical cooperation for another 10 years, from 2011 to 2020.

Russian-Indian intergovernmental commission sessions are held annually and alternate between New Delhi and Moscow.

The current cooperation program until 2010 comprises about 200 joint projects, including the modernization of the Vikramaditya aircraft carrier (formerly the Admiral Gorshkov) for the Indian navy, the transfer of technology for the licensed assembly of T-90 tanks in India, the production of BrahMos missiles and the purchase of Smerch MLRS by India.
 
IAF helicopters carrying combat commandos armed with snipers and assault rifles are likely to be roped in to keep a hawk-eye vigil over Delhi during the next year's Commonwealth Games.

The Home Ministry has approached the Defence Ministry to provide at least seven to eight helicopters for surveillance of the Delhi sky during the fortnight-long sporting event which will be attended by 8,000 athletes, 1,00,000 spectators and nearly 30 heads of states.

"We hope that the IAF helicopters will be available to us on time," a Home Ministry official said.

A request to the Defence Ministry has been sent as the Home Ministry choppers, which are with the BSF, have been made
available to the Naxal-affected states.

The helicopters will be stationed at key locations in the capital and will be deployed whenever the security agencies feel it necessary.

However, Home Secretary G K Pillai had already said that as of now there was no specific terror threat to the sporting
extravaganza.

Pillai had said India will take all necessary measures to ensure that mega sporting event passes off peacefully.

"On behalf of the organising committee and Sports Ministry and everybody in the government of India, we want to tell everyone that we are totally committed to secure and safe Commonwealth Games," he said.

IAF commandos may guard Delhi during Commonwealth Games- Hindustan Times
 
ZHUK-ME




VS. Phazotron

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The Phazotron NIIR Corporation's Zhuk is a family of advanced multifunctional multimode Doppler-pulse radars designed to provide air-to-air and air-to-surface combat modes for upgraded models of the Mig-29 Fulcrum and Su-27 Flanker aircraft families. Zhuk radars feature a maximum detection range from 110 to180 kilometers for airborne targets and 300 kilometers for sea targets. These radars can track and engage several targets simultaneously guiding sophisticated air-to-air and air-to-surface weapons. Zhuk family utilizes both steered and phased array antennas.

In the air-to-air mode, the Zhuk radar can provide guidance for the latest generation of Russian-made missiles such as R-77, R-73 and R-27 as well as detection of a wide spectrum of airborne targets including hovering helicopters. In addition, the Zhuk radar also provides weather information. In the air-to-surface mode, the radar provides a 3x3 meters resolution ground mapping and support for low-altitude navigation. In the air-to-sea mode, the radar system can detect a destroyer-sized target at ranges of 300 kilometers or a small target, such as a patrol boat, at 150 kilometers.

The Zhuk-ME features steered array radar antenna and is intended for the Mig-29 aircraft. It can detect airborne targets with a five square meter Radar Cross Section (RCS) at ranges of 110-120 kilometers in the forward hemisphere or 50 kilometers in the rear hemisphere while tracking 10 targets and engaging four of them simultaneously. It can track up to two ground/sea targets simultaneously. In the air-to-ground mode, the Zhuk-ME is capable of detecting armored formations at ranges of 25 kilometers and railway bridges at ranges of 120 kilometers.

To date, the Zhuk-ME radar system has been installed on the Mig-29K, Mig-29KUB, Mig-29SMT, Mig-29M, Mig-29M2 and Mig-29UMT aircraft replacing the N-019E radar which features a detection range of 80 kilometers against airborne targets.
 
IAF to induct upgraded Migs next year

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In a move to beef up air defence capabilities, the Indian Air Force (IAF) is going to station all its MiG 29 squadrons at Adampur Air Force Base in Punjab.

The IAF also plans to induct upgraded MiG 29 aircraft sometime next year. The first lot of six upgraded MiG 29s is expected to reach Adampur by mid-2010, said an Air Force officer.

“We consider ourselves to be a strategic air power establishment of the IAF in the western sector, ever ready for operations. We are fully geared up to operate in any given time frame like any other Air Force station of the country,” said Air Commodore H S Arora, Air Officer Commanding of the Adampur air base.

The Adampur base, the second largest IAF base in the country, already has two frontline fighter squadrons and will see another squadron moving from Jamnagar in Gujarat soon.

The IAF is also working on extending the service life of MiG 29s from 25 to 40 years, for which the Russian Aircraft Corporation MiG has signed a contract with the MoD to upgrade over 60 fighters in service with the IAF since 1980. The upgrade is taking place under the $950-million contract signed in March 2008.

IAF to induct upgraded Migs next year

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Great! With more powerful engines, radar and avionics, the MiG-29s will be even more lethal. :yahoo:
 
1971 war machine on display in Mumbai - India - The Times of India

India is celebrating its 77th Air Force Day on October 8. Mumbai does not have a fighter aircraft permanently parked here. And Mumbaikars do
not get much glimpses of a fighter aircraft. But the Diamond Garden in Chembur has a Gnat from the 1971 Indo-Pak war put up on a pedestal.

This aircraft came in from Number 2 squadron to Halwara forward air base in Western Punjab. Interestingly, two Air Force pilots who flew the same aircraft, Flt Lt Suhas Godse (63) and Group Captain O P Sharma (64), stay in Mumbai and Navi Mumbai.

Reminiscing the 1971 war, Godse said: "Around the third week of Jan 1971, one small single engine propeller driven aircraft had flown into the Indian territory and was spotted over Faridkot-Amritsar. Two Hunter aircraft were scrambled to intercept the alien aircraft. This aircraft was shot down as it did not respond to the messages sent over the radio. This set out a high alert in the western sector.''

Around that time, two Gnats were flown in to the forward fighter base and one of these was the Folland Gnat Mk I bearing the Air force Serial No E 325. This aircraft participated in the war till the end of 1971 hostilities. It is now parked in the civic body-owned garden, he added.

Group Captain O P Sharma said: "I was in the 9th squadron in the 1971 war. We had accompanied other fighter aircraft as escorts during the bombings of Changamanga and Khudian areas in Pakistan.''

It's a rare coincidence that the squadron from which this aircraft flew from the forward fighter base was commanded by Squadron Leader Azgar Khan before the partition and by Squadron Leader I H Latif, who both rose to the rank of Chief of Air Staff in the Pakistan Air Force and Indian Air Force, respectively.
 
LiveFist - The Best of Indian Defence: Indian Defence Minister Off To Russia, MTA JV Agreement On Anvil
The long-awaited agreement to incorporate a joint venture company to develop and build the Ilyushin-214 based Multirole Transport Aircraft (MTA) is almost certain to be signed when Indian Defence Minister AK Antony arrived in Moscow for an official visit on October 14-15 to chair the the 9th meeting of the India-Russia Inter Governmental Commission on Military Technical Cooperation (IRIGC-MTC), the annual platform that the two countries use to review and discuss bilateral defence cooperation. Antony's delegation will meet with a delegation led by his Russian counterpart, AE Serdyukov. Both sides will also review the progress on the MTA, on which the Inter-Governmental Agreement was signed during the visit of PM Manmohan Singh to Moscow back in November 2007.

Antony is also all set to put down a hard stipulation that that the Fifth Generation Fighter Aircraft (FGFA), being developed in cooperation with Russia, should complete its full development phase by 2016, and inductions into the Indian Air Force must begin by 2017. Going by Russia's new penchant for delays and fantasy projections, it is not surprising that he will emphasise this point on at the commission meeting itself.:agree:

The co-development and co-production of the FGFA with Sukhoi Design Bureau Russia has been progressing, with several rounds of discussion already completed to finalize the technical requirements. In addition, the modernisation of the Su-30 MK1 aircraft is also expected to come up for discussion in the Commission’s meeting. The aircraft, contracted in 1996, are due for overhaul shortly and the Russians have offered an upgrade package that incorporates the latest relevant technologies. A deal for 50 additional Su-30MKIs (to take the total number to nearly 300 with options) is also likely to be progressed, but not signed.

The continuation of the India-Russia joint venture BrahMos is also likely to be discussed, in the context of on-going discussion for the development of the next generation hypersonic cruise missiles – BrahMos-2 and the on-going proposal to integrate the BrahMos with the Su-30 MKI fighter platform.

The extension of the existing India-Russia Long Term Inter-Governmental Agreement on the programme for Military Technical Cooperation for a further 10 years, from 2011 to 2020, will be the main focus of discussions during the meeting of the commission. India and Russia had concluded an agreement in December 1988 which envisaged a programme for defence cooperation between the two countries up to the year 2010. The anticipated discussions at the commission level would pave the way for conclusion of the Agreement during Dr Singh’s forthcoming visit to Russia in December 2009 for the Summit meeting between him and President Medvedev.
 
NEW DELHI - India is negotiating the purchase of three more Airborne Early Warning and Control Systems (AWACS) from Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), a Defence Ministry official here said.

The news arrived just days before the expected delivery of the first of three AWACS ordered in 2004 for $1.1 billion, the official said. The Indian Air Force AWACS planes will be Russian-built Ilyushin Il-76s equipped with Phalcon radars made by Elta, an IAI subsidiary.

New Delhi wants to buy three more Phalcon radars for mounting on aircraft, but IAI is asking for 30 percent more money than the first batch, the official said. IAI officials were not available for comment.

The Indian Air Force plans to beam data from the AWACS through a dedicated satellite under the nascent joint Aerospace Command.

The Phalcon radar can track 60 targets simultaneously out to 350 kilometers, an Air Force official said.

The AWACS' electronics must include a Multi-role Electronically Scanned Array radar system that can simultaneously handle fighter control, and air, sea and area search; 300-nautical-mile Identification-Friend-or-Foe system; electronic warfare defenses; and electronic support subsystems, a senior Air Force official said.

The aircraft should have a payload of 9,831 kilograms, an empty weight of 46,606 kilograms and a maximum takeoff weight of 77,564 kilograms. The aircraft should also have a cruise speed of 853 kilometers per hour, a range of 7,000 kilometers and a service ceiling of 41,000 feet.

While awaiting the AWACS planes, the Air Force has been relying on UAVs, including the Searcher-I, Searcher-II and Heron.
 

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