Sukhoi Su-30MKI
- Thread starter Ashwin
- Start date
During MLU 78% of MKI shall become fully Indian. I think we are on the right track as breaking free from Russian dependence is imperative. Also, MKI with fully Indian next-gen avionics is going to be multiple times more lethal than continuing the old process of procuring kits from Irkut and assembling in India(at HAL or BRD notwithstanding).
So my wishlist would be to sign the contract of 40 MKI with UAC and manufacture them completely in India from scratch with full-Indian made parts/skin/engine/avionics. Maybe just import some raw materials like Titanium etc. from Russia and that's about it. These MKIs need to be fully Indian and of UPG. spec.
MKI UPG.'s dual-band IRST is about to start its flight tests soon. If it works as conceived then our desi-upgrade is going to be quite potent. Now waiting for some news about Uttam MK3 trials
@marich01, @vstol Jockey, @randomradio
Black radome? There were talks about development of new Frequency Selective Radome for MK2, TEDBF & AMCA programmes. Has MKI got one too? If yes, then its frontal RCS shall reduce significantly, me thinks!
There are some programs related to FSS & radomes in general but its hard to distinguish from general info in sow, at least for me. MKI radomes come from Rus still or HAL makes those/some msme ?
With inclusion of new AESA radar, new Radome is a must. So far we've only seen silver/grey radome on MKI(of Russian origin). This is the first time that a new radome of black colour has emerged. It may seem trivial, but black colour is notoriously related/equated with "Stealth" and FSS surfaces reduce frontal Radar signature by magnitudes. So if we connect the dots then maybe it's what we're guessing
Tornado aircraft also having a black color nose cone and both f22 & f35 are not having black radom too . So there is is nothing like black radom is associated with stealth or pre testing for AMCA. I feel they were testing new aesa or may be shortage due to ongoing war we forced to import from UK or another country.With inclusion of new AESA radar, new Radome is a must. So far we've only seen silver/grey radome on MKI(of Russian origin). This is the first time that a new radome of black colour has emerged. It may seem trivial, but black colour is notoriously related/equated with "Stealth" and FSS surfaces reduce frontal Radar signature by magnitudes. So if we connect the dots then maybe it's what we're guessing
Its a test aircraft that IAF has stipulated for trials purpose, one of 2 jets specific for weapon testing with kam-500 das attached each time. Highly unlikely that it is a forces use case. Perhaps it was ngarm test with warhead so they painted the radome black so radar freq do not mess with test parameters or data acquisition process. Just guessing.With inclusion of new AESA radar, new Radome is a must. So far we've only seen silver/grey radome on MKI(of Russian origin). This is the first time that a new radome of black colour has emerged. It may seem trivial, but black colour is notoriously related/equated with "Stealth" and FSS surfaces reduce frontal Radar signature by magnitudes. So if we connect the dots then maybe it's what we're guessing
Upgraded Mirage 2005 also had similar black nose cone..
Even Darin 3 Jaguar with aesa radar also had black nose cone..
May be it's just a test / trial nose cone.
Until specific quartz nose cone is made.
We are developing FSS radomes for all our future fighters. MKI UPG. is feeding off from such updates. With new radar, FSS radome is a given.
Now whether its black coloured radome is FSS or not is a different proposition. But if what @marich01 is saying is true, then it's a definite FSS as normal radomes can't choke a particular frequecy while allowing others to pass.
Timeline is ok imo. Estimated before that IAF would like to keep the su30 till at least 2055 and this also hints at the same. Plus it needs professionalization of all the upgrade hardware which is multi LRU based , and would take 3-5 years to be scaled into a product, on average 4 years. Then you get usual qualification process etc.
OK as in the sense that its logical per our industry work ethos, estimated time needed matches with projected timeline.
OK as in the sense that its logical per our industry work ethos, estimated time needed matches with projected timeline.
Fifteen years to upgrade 84 airframes is not okay. Currently, they overhaul 30 airframes per year. They have the capability, entire fleet should have been upgraded in that timelines.
Also, it will take 7 years just for development. I believe that after the development phase, they will fund the remaining airframes.
Timelines are a joke. IAF top brass, MoD and Prime Minister has succeeded in destroying what little aerial warfare edge we had over Pakistan in 2014 to almost lagging now.
15 years for the whole phase ie entire IAF inventory of su30, out of which first phase of 84 to be cleared soon, then next phase & so on. I think there was a miscommunication there.
Yes whole lot of miscommunication..
Just a day back, read 140 cr per aircraft upgrade.. Now 63,000 cr for 84 aircrafts??
If they take 15 years for first batch including 7 year development time, then next 2 nd and 3 rd batch together will take 15 years ie 2055.
Timeline is not correct. Or we may retire some without upgrade.
Like u have said, it makes sense only if entire 240+ Su30 get upgraded in 15 years with 63000 cr. .. 630000 / 240 = 260cr
