The Sukhoi Su-30MKI [3] (NATO reporting name: Flanker-H) is a variant of the Sukhoi Su-30 jointly-developed by Russia’s Sukhoi Corporation and India’s Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) for the Indian Air Force (IAF). It is a heavy class, long-range air superiority fighter which can also act as a multirole, strike fighter aircraft. The development of the variant started after India signed a deal with Russia in 2000 to manufacture 140 Su-30 fighter jets. [4] The first Russian-made Su-30MKI variant was integrated into the IAF in 2002,[5] while the first indigenously assembled Su-30MKI entered service with the IAF in 2004. 6] In 2007, the IAF ordered 40 additional MKIs. [7] As of July 2010, the IAF has 124 MKIs under active service with plans to have an operational fleet of 280 MKIs by 2015. [8] The Su-30MKI is expected to form the backbone of the Indian Air Force’s fighter fleet to 2020 and beyond. [9] The aircraft is tailor-made for Indian specifications and integrates Indian systems and avionics as well as[10] French and Israeli subsystems. [11] It has abilities similar to the Sukhoi Su-35 with which it shares many features and components Aerodynamics Two Sukhoi-30MKIs during a Thach Weave maneuver.
Su-30MKI aerodynamic configuration is an unstable longitudinal triplane. The canard increases the aircraft lifting ability and deflects automatically to allow high angle-of-attack (AoA) flights allowing it to perform Pugachev’s Cobra. The integral aerodynamic configuration combined with thrust vectoring results in extremely capable maneuverability, taking off and landing characteristics. This high agility allows rapid deployment of weapons in any direction as desired by the crew. The canard notably assists in controlling the aircraft at large angles-of-attack and bringing it to a level flight condition.
The wing will have high-lift devices featured as deflecting leading edges, and flaperons acting as flaps and ailerons The Sukhoi Su-30MKI is the most potent fighter jet in service with the Indian Air Force in the late 2000s. [41] The MKIs are often fielded by the IAF in bilateral and multilateral air exercises. India exercised its Su-30MKIs against the Royal Air Force’s Tornado ADVs in October 2006. [42] This was the first large-scale bilateral aerial exercise with any foreign air force during which the IAF used its Su-30MKIs extensively. This exercise was also the first in 43 years with the RAF.
During the exercise, RAF’s Air Chief Marshall, Glenn Torpy, was given permission by the IAF to fly the MKI. [43] RAF’s Air-Vice Marshall, Christopher Harper, praised the MKI’s dogfight ability, calling it “absolutely masterful and unbeatable”. [44] In July 2007, the Indian Air Force fielded the MKI during the Indra-Dhanush exercise with Royal Air Force’s Eurofighter Typhoon. This was the first time that the two jets had taken part in such a exercise. [45][46] The IAF did not allow their pilots to use the radar of the MKIs during the exercise so as to protect the highly-classified N011M Bars. 47] During the exercise, the RAF pilots candidly admitted that the Su-30MKI displayed maneuvering superior to that of the Typhoon. [48] An earlier variant of the Su-30MKI, the MK, took part in war games with the United States Air Force (USAF) during Cope-India 04. The results have been widely publicized, with the Indians winning “90% of the mock combat missions” against the American force’s F-15C. [citation needed] When questioned on the capabilities of IAF pilots, Col Greg Newbech, USAF Team Leader made the following remarks: – “What we’ve seen in the last two weeks is, the IAF can stand toe-to-toe with best AF in the world.
I pity the pilot who has to face the IAF and chances the day to underestimate him; because he won’t be going home. Indian hospitality from everyone has been truly overwhelming. The greatest compliment we heard from an IAF pilot, ‘You American pilots are just like us, simply down to earth people. ‘ We depart India with great respect for the Indian Air Force. Your pilots, maint and support crew are exceptional professionals. “[49]. In July 2008, the IAF sent 6 Su-30MKIs and 2 aerial-refueling tankers, the Il-78MKI, to participate in the Red Flag exercise. [50].
The IAF again did not allow their pilots to use the radar of the MKIs during the exercise so as to protect the highly-classified N011M Bars. In October 2008, a video surfaced on the internet which featured a USAF colonel, Corkey Fornoff, criticizing Su-30MKI’s high friendly kill rate and serviceability issues during the Red Flag exercise. [51][52] Several of his claims were later rebutted by the Indian side. [53] [edit]Notable accidents A Su-30MKI aircraft crashed on 30 April 2009 in the Pokhran region of Rajasthan after it took off from Pune during its routine sortie, killing one of its two pilots.
Defence minister A. K. Antony, stated that the likely cause of the April 30 crash was “failure of the fly-by-wire system”. The Sukhoi fleet had then been grounded for around three weeks. [30] However it was found that this crash at Rajmathai village, around 170 km from Jaisalmer, in April was because of the position of the various critical switches of the aircraft. The switches were behind the pilots and they would have to turn them on and off without looking back. At one point, a wrong switch was turned on, leading to the crash on April 30.
Wing Commander PS Nara was killed in the mishap, while Wing Commander SV Munje was injured. After investigators identified the problem, a couple of difficult switches were sealed off. [54] Another Su-30MKI aircraft crashed on 30 November 2009 in Jathegaon, about 40 km from Jaisalmer. The pilots ejected after they saw fire alarm buttons glowing red. [30] Both the pilots are unharmed. This is second such crash of this fighter. The Sukhoi mishaps have come as a setback to the 12 year safety record IAF had achieved with the aircraft which was inducted into the force in 1996. 55] As a result the entire fleet of Su-30MKIs was grounded while the cause of the problem was investigated. It was attributed to accidental ingestion of a foreign material in the engine intake. [ General characteristics Crew: 2 Length: 21. 935 m (72. 97 ft) Wingspan: 14. 7 m (48. 2 ft) Height: 6. 36 m (20. 85 ft) Wing area: 62. 0 m? (667 ft? ) Empty weight: 18,400 kg[59] (40,565 lb) Loaded weight: 24,900 kg (54,895 lb) Max takeoff weight: 38,800 kg (85,600 lb) Powerplant: 2? Lyulka AL-31FP turbofans with thrust vectoring, 131 kN with afterburner (27,557 lbf) each Performance
Maximum speed: Mach 1. 9 (2,120 km/h, 1,317 mph) Range: 3,000 km (1,620 nmi) at altitude; (1,270 km, 690 nmi near ground level; with no external fuel tanks) Endurance: 3. 75 hrs (up to 10 hrs with in-flight refueling) Service ceiling: 17,300 m (56,800 ft) Rate of climb: ;230 m/s (;45,275 ft/min) Wing loading: 401 kg/m? (82. 3 lb/ft? ) Thrust/weight: 1. 0 Armament Guns: 1 ? GSh-30-1 gun (30 mm caliber, 150 rounds) 12 hardpoints: 2 ? wing-tip AAM launch rails, 6 ? pylons under-wing, 2 ? pylon under-engine nacelle, and 2 ? pylons in tandem in the “arch” between the engines.
It can be increased to 14 using multiple ejector racks. It can carry up to 8 tonnes of external stores. Air to Air Missiles: 10 ? R-77 (AA-12) active radar homing medium range AAM, 100 km 10 ? Astra missile active radar homing medium range AAM, 120 km 6 ? R-27P (AA-10C) semi-active radar guided, long range AAM 130 km 6 ? R-27P (AA-10D) Infrared homing extended range version, long range AAM 120 km 2 ? R-27R/AA-10A semi-active radar guided, medium range AAM,80 km 2 ? R-27T (AA-10B) infrared homing seeker, medium range AAM, 70 km 6 ? R-73 (AA-11) short range AAM, 30 km 3 ?
Novator KS-172 AAM-L 400 km/Russian air-to-air missile designed as an “AWACS killer” Air to Surface Missiles: 3 ? Kh-59ME TV guided standoff Missile, 115 km 3 ? Kh-59MK active radar homing anti-ship missile, 285 km 4 ? Kh-35 Anti-Ship Missile, 130 km 1 ? PJ-10 Brahmos Supersonic Cruise Missile,300 km 6 ? Kh-31P/A anti-radar missile, 70 km 6 ? Kh-29T/L laser guided missile, 30 km 4 ? S-8 rocket pods (80 unguided rockets) 4 ? S-13 rocket pods (20 unguided rockets) Bombs: 8 ? KAB-500L laser guided bombs 3 ? KAB-1500L laser guided bombs 8 ? FAB-500T dumb bombs 28 ? OFAB-250-270 dumb bombs 32 ? OFAB-100-120 dumb bombs 8 ? RBK-500 cluster bombs
