Deep down was quite confident about the extra 12 given how HAL repeatedly mentioned this back 7-8 months ago, but not a lot since. 
Sukhoi Su-30MKI
- Thread starter Ashwin
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Wasn't DAC approved before?Deep down was quite confident about the extra 12 given how HAL repeatedly mentioned this back 7-8 months ago, but not a lot since.
I think that was vanilla MKI and this is upgraded MKI.
The doubt was due to different factors. This batch was always penciled for replacing the lost machines, so I doubt upgrades are a condition , can happen should IAF want. But normally they do batch wise upgrade separately so fingers crossed its just the basic new built jet.
11k crores for 12 aircrafts like MKI. Its nothing but day light robbery.
No AESA radars.
The 12 jets were always to be specially upgraded. It's been pending since before the war began, delayed thereafter.
HAL employees need to be paid their salaries. Govt can not fire all of them.
HAL also wanted FGFA but IAF said no and that was it. No one can force IAF to choose anything. People forget that MKI is IAF's brainchild and despite all the service woes, they love the plane.
If anyone thinks that IAF ordered 272(and now +12) planes just to keep HAL happy and paid is flat out wrong.
HAL will have their hands full with MKI MLU, huge Tejas & Prachand orders. We already have enough MKIs, they know it.
any idea whats the cost break up, 11k for 12 jets seems pretty expensive. Is the cost of sub systems so high ?
India to order 12 more Russian-designed Su-30MKI fighter jets
Although it denounced “the use of force to obtain territorial gains, the final declaration of the last G20 summit, which was held last week in New Delhi, did not explicitly condemn the Russian invasion of 'Ukraine… to the great dismay of Kiev.
And this tends to show that Russia still has support... starting with India, a country with which it maintains a privileged relationship, which has also been accentuated at the economic level, as evidenced by the scale of its trade. trade – boosted by oil – since the start of the war in Ukraine.
Obviously, the United States [but not only] would like things to be different... But they are obliged to put up with this situation because of their increasingly assertive rivalry with China. This is why they did not sanction India for the purchase of Russian S-400 air defense systems under the so-called CAATSA law [Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act]. In addition, another reason for this American caution is the importance of the Indian arms market...
In any case, this September 15, and while the Indian Air Force [IAF] recently deplored the delay in the delivery of Russian military equipment due to the war in Ukraine, the Indian government has just Approve the purchase of 12 additional Sukhoi Su-30 MKI air superiority aircraft.
However, these devices will be assembled under license in India, by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited [HAL]… which undoubtedly needed this order to ensure its load plan. Indeed, in 2019, the Indian manufacturer warned that it would probably be forced to close its Nasik factory if it did not obtain a new contract for this type of aircraft.
The amount of the order approved by the Indian Defense Acquisition Council amounts to approximately 1.3 billion euros. This sum includes “other associated systems” whose nature has not been specified.
However, four years ago, an Indian Air Force official told the specialist site Defense News that “each Su-30MKI fighter built by HAL cost around $70.3 million, while a fighter supplied by Russia cost about $42.15 million.” Also, if the bill promises to be heavier for the 12 devices ordered, it is probably because the share of locally manufactured components will increase from 51 to 60%.
The fact remains that this further “indigenization” of the Su-30MKI will make it possible to reduce the supply of spare parts from Russian industry… And also the cost of maintaining operational condition [MCO], described as particularly high. “Sources report that the Russian plane costs three times more for its maintenance than a plane of Western origin, taking into account the number of manpower hours necessary for it to be usable,” had thus reported the daily India Today in 2018. /deepl
Only electronics upgrade nothing else.
Mig-29 no longer makes sense. Its too late and too difficult. All will be decommissioned by early 2030's.
MIDHANI and HAL have already somewhat improved the engine. So, further improvements are to be expected. We have developed very good RAM/RAS too. Its usage on our primary ASF is a given, IMO.
As per some reports, IAF is going to enhance its life by further 10 years. So, it should serve us till 2037. Mig-29 with an all Indian avionics is still a potent fighter, especially over the Himalayas.
I'm talking about whats currently under pipeline. Not what can happen after some development success. Which could be decade from now. If it is upgrade batch, 84 MLU will share same configuration. Which is specifically electronics.
Nope, All upgrades done few years back thus retirement early 2030s. Its better to induct Mk2 at this point.
Check this link: Indian Air Force’s MiG-29 Fleet to Undergo Extension
Ok i missed it.
Found the original source: https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/n...service-span-from-40-years-to-50-years-441845
Still it's a study by BRD, let's see how it goes.
Should include R&D. These 12 jets are expected to be a bit special, not just MLUs, although it's unclear to what extent. They may even be the template for the MLU.
Extending the life of older Mig-29s and buying an additional squadron have become more important due to the delays in other programs. They can all be upgraded with LCA Mk2 avionics as well, including Uttam. The Jaguar DARIN IIs also need to be upgraded. It will help the IAF retain 6 squadrons and make the LCA Mk2 even cheaper.
Very likely to be taken up. The decision is based primarily on whether the airframes can handle the extension.
We need Mig-29s retiring alongside PAF F-16s, 'cause the aircraft has a proven superiority over the Falcons, and that advantage transfers over to the JF-17 as well. Stick an AESA on it, and we get a J-10C killer too.
Feasibility study was done last year. Latest update is that IAF is fully on-board extending Mig-29 UPGs life. They are impressed by its quick reaction time and thrust(to weight) against both PLAAF and PAF.
It's the only jet which has been specifically optimized to deal with the PAF.
One of the puzzles for me is - If IAF likes MKI so much, then that plane must have been used for A2G and A2A roles. But for balakot, IAF used M2000.....and Modi said "agar Rafale hota......". So, I have hard time believing that SU30 MKI is super duper plane that we like to think it is.
My reasons for IAF purchasing 12 more MKIs:
a) To give some $$$ to Russia during their difficult times [it is easy for India to buy replacements from Russia Vs new equipment during this times].
b) Give some work to HAL, so that employees can be paid.
c) 12 losses of MKI means some squadrons have less number of planes and must be replaced by MKI only. So, the new ones will be in the same standard as the old ones. Since, they can not have mixed technology within the same squadron (please tell me if I am wrong).
However - purely from war-fighting perspective, IAF should have bought Rafales instead of SU-30.
My 0.00002 cents