HAL Has Opportunity to Offer Advanced Version of 'Made in India' Su-30MKI for India's MRFA Program

While American defence giants like Boeing and Lockheed Martin vie for India's Multi-Role Fighter Aircraft (MRFA) contract with their F-15EX, F-21, and F/A-18 Super Hornet platforms, an intriguing possibility has emerged.

Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), in partnership with Russia's United Aircraft Corporation (UAC), could offer an advanced, indigenized version of the Su-30MKI – dubbed the "Super Sukhoi" – as a compelling contender.

This approach aligns seamlessly with India's 'Make in India' and 'Atmanirbhar Bharat' initiatives, promising a potent and cost-effective fighter with significant domestic input.

The Su-30MKI already forms the backbone of the Indian Air Force (IAF), renowned for its versatility, long range, and multi-role capabilities. By upgrading it to the "Super Sukhoi" configuration, HAL and UAC can deliver a solution tailored to India's specific needs while leveraging cutting-edge technology from the upcoming Super Sukhoi upgrade package.

This ambitious upgrade could encompass several key enhancements:

• Indian Weapons Package: Integrating indigenous weapons like the Astra Beyond Visual Range (BVR) missile and the BrahMos-A supersonic cruise missile would optimize the platform for India's operational requirements and simplify logistics.
• Indian Avionics Suite: Incorporating an advanced avionics package developed by India's Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) would bring the Su-30MKI on par with current-generation fighters, enhancing its situational awareness and combat effectiveness.
• Composite Airframe Components: Utilizing composite materials in the airframe would reduce weight, improve durability, and minimize the aircraft's radar signature, boosting its agility and stealth capabilities.
• Advanced AL-41 Engines: Replacing the existing AL-31 engines with the more powerful and fuel-efficient AL-41 engines would significantly enhance the Super Sukhoi's performance and reliability.

This "Super Sukhoi" offers several advantages over its American rivals:

• Technological Modernization: The proposed upgrades would bridge the capability gap between the existing Su-30MKI and future 5th-generation fighters like the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA), ensuring the IAF retains a potent and relevant air superiority fighter.
• Cost-Efficiency: Leveraging indigenous technology and existing infrastructure would make the Super Sukhoi significantly more affordable than its American counterparts, potentially saving India billions in procurement costs.
• Indigenous Content: The HAL-UAC partnership ensures a high degree of domestic manufacturing and maintenance, reducing reliance on foreign suppliers and boosting India's aerospace industry.
• Strategic Continuity: As the IAF already operates a large Su-30MKI fleet, integrating an upgraded variant would streamline training, operations, and logistics, ensuring a smooth transition and rapid deployment.

The Super Sukhoi presents a compelling proposition for India's MRFA program. It leverages the IAF's familiarity with the Su-30MKI platform, offers significant cost advantages, and aligns perfectly with India's strategic goals of self-reliance and indigenous defence production.

This "low-hanging fruit" could be the ideal solution for the IAF's modernization needs, providing a potent and cost-effective fighter while bolstering India's domestic aerospace capabilities.

 

[Garuda]

If it doesn't hinder development of upcoming indigenous engine for AMCA with Safran than its definitely good idea from Defense matrix.

 

[Surfer]

We already hv 2 mwf sqd of rafale and tejas mk2 in future, lwf (tejas mk1 & mk1a), hwf (su).
mk2 will fill the gap for mwf and in the meantime mk1a will perform peacetime patrolling a much better option for cost savings

Airforce Chrif himself said that MK2 is MWF compared to EF Typhoon and Rafale, we are missing Semi Stealth fighter jet like SSHWF Super-30 and SHWF SU-57 and SMWF AMCA, all will take time, for now ee have to dpeed up MWF Tejas MK2 and SSHWF Super-30.

 

[Rp]

Buying more Rafale is not cost effective. India needs TOT from Dassault to consider further orders. Down the road if supply chain disruption happens due to USA influence then India would only be affected. SU-57 is a better bet with all avionics/ewf suite, weaponry, etc to make Indian made weapons compatible. USA is unreliable, who will always remain a arm twister with continuing support to Pakistan, now Canada. Supply chain disruption even before our AMCA is developed. GE engine supply intentionally delayed to stop our AMCA development. Russia is more reliable and USA very high cost to supply old technology.

 

[Sriram Mahalingam]

The problem with Russian jets are they are cheap but will high maintenance issues.

 

[Dredd]

If filling the critical gap is the urgent requirement of IAF then Yes Super Sukhoi suits us more... Assembly lines are already in India. We have the positive experience. India should consider this...

IAF is considering retirement of majority of Su30MKi fleet from 2040 with few of the Super sukhoi serving till 2050. How much you update you won't be able to fix its fundamental flaws like RCS, IR profile, relic engines, old internals etc

 

[Dredd]

You are correct. 5th gen fighter purchase also needed. We are lagging very much in 5th gen fighter requirement. Even a financially weak country like Pakistan is going to get the 5th fighter in 5 years. The current govt worst policies of concentrating only on TOT and local manufacturing will definitely not good for security of india

They will be forced to go emergency direct purchase of fighter jet , Local production and development is long terms goal which unfortunately none of thwe prev govt took seriously, At most they think is for next 5 years. We should focus on AMCA for long term and fill the numbers keeping budget in mind, Anyway post 2035 all our adversory will have 5th gen jets and out 4th gen procurement will be just for numbers in peace time.

 

[Phantom]

MRFA concept was good 20 years ago. Now focus should be on 5th gen. Sooner we will have Tejas mk1A, and thereafter MK2 fulfilling most of our 4th gen requirements. But their production and induction in larger numbers will be accomplished in next 10 years or so. We have to have some jets which can fill up numbers for next 10 years. Why not buy used mirages if available at reasonable rates and upgrade them?. Talk to Greece, UAE, Peru.....for old mirages. Buy 36-48 Rafales for IAF. Procure equal number of 5th gen jets. Only 5th gen non USA jet available to us is SU57. Provide inputs and implement a SU27 like deal, integrate uttam GAN, if ready. Get 2-3 squadrons. Once Pakistan gets them, our air force will be in inferiority complex.

We definitely need SU-57, instead of wasting $20Bln on an obsolete 4th gen platform, we can make 114 of them, which will offer protection against emerging snd future threats and could use the same engine or a derivative of AL-51 for AMCA, we already have a homegrown 4.5 gen fighter jet Tejas MK2 that is comparable to jets like F21, Gripen-E/F, MIG-35, EF-Typhoon, F/A-18 and Rafale, so why to waste money on these 4.5 gen obsolete platform.

 

[Anuj]

Idiotic sugestion. We should upgrade Sukhoi or add for anything retired or lost.
But definitely we should increase more unless there is emergency.
If risk is manageable then go with Tejas Mk2.
However we should look at Su-57 but negotiate to get 100% Tot since we need something till AMCA joins in bigger number.

 

[Anant]

Order more 36 Rafael on g2g deal and cancel mrfa close this circus once for all focus on tejas mk2 and amca make it national priority

And what do you propose we do with the declining squadron strength? Your suggestion doesn't help with that.