Indian Air Force Advances: Su-30 MKI Upgrade with Indigenous Technologies and Strategic Partnerships

The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), under the leadership of Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, has approved the Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) for the indigenous upgrade of Su-30 MKI Aircraft by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), a state-owned company.

In a recent media interaction, the Air Chief hinted at plans to enhance 84 Sukhoi-30MKI fighter jets, estimating the cost to slightly exceed Rs 60,000 crore. HAL, in collaboration with the Indian Air Force and other partners, will oversee the upgrades, excluding modifications to the airframe and engines.

According to reports, the initial phase will involve upgrading the first batch of 100 SU-30s, incorporating improvements in electronic warfare suite, avionics, and radar systems.

The design and development phase is anticipated to span four to five years, followed by the commencement of fleet modernization. The Su-30MKI fleet has been undergoing a continuous "spiral upgrade" for over a decade, integrating new weapons and sensors.

Indigenous additions to the Su-30MKI weaponry include BrahMos and Astra air-to-air missiles, with further integration expected, involving new generation anti-radiation missiles (NGARMs) like Rudram-1, Rudram-2, Rudram-3, and Astra-2. These missiles are designed to neutralize various enemy surveillance, communication, and radar targets from stand-off distances.

The successful flight test of Rudram-1 NGARM in October 2020 marked a significant milestone. Subsequent plans by the Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO) involve the development of Rudram-2 (350 km range) and Rudram-3 (550 km) air-to-ground missiles.

During Aero India 2023, a schematic for an electronic warfare suite hinted at efforts to replace the current Russian SAP-51 pods on the Indian Air Force Su-30 MKI fleet.

Regarding the involvement of Russia in the upgrade, talks since 2017 have focused on aligning with India goal of maximizing indigenous systems. Russia committed to supporting the development of a prototype for an upgraded Su-30MKI at HAL after a meeting in Moscow in November 2019.

Contrary to engine upgrades, efforts seem to be directed at minimizing costs, with a focus on beyond-visual-range (BVR) combat. The planned upgrade includes a new radar, potentially the Tikhomirov NIIP N035 Irbis E, comparable to an AESA radar.

Director General of Electronics & Communication Systems (ECS) at DRDO, BK Das, outlined plans to integrate the Uttam Radar with fighter jets like Sukhoi-30MKI and Mig-29 by 2025. However, challenges in new development projects may introduce uncertainties in the timeline for the Su-30MKI upgrade variant.