HAL to Receive Major Order of 230 AL-31FP Engines for Sukhoi 30-MKI Upgrade

In a significant boost to India's indigenous defence capabilities, Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) is set to receive a major order for around 230 AL-31FP engines, destined to power the Indian Air Force's Sukhoi 30-MKI fighter fleet.

The deal, valued at approximately Rs 21,000 crore, will see HAL manufacture these engines domestically, replacing the ageing ones nearing the end of their operational life.

Deliveries of the engines are expected to be staggered over several years, catering to the total requirement of nearly 950 AL-31FP engines that propel the entire fleet of twin-engine Su-30MKI fighters.

HAL's production of these engines under a licensed arrangement with a high degree of localization ensures not only self-reliance but also a significant economic boost, with a large portion of the order value benefiting the local vendor and supplier base.

Beyond the engine replacements, the Su-30MKI fleet, which forms the backbone of the Indian Air Force, is also slated for a comprehensive upgrade. This upgrade encompasses the integration of new avionics, radars, and electronic warfare suites, modernizing the fighter jets to maintain their combat edge.

The first phase of this upgrade, focusing on close to 100 fighters, will be executed entirely within India, with HAL taking the lead in collaboration with the Indian Air Force and other partners. The entire upgrade program is estimated to be valued at over Rs 60,000 crore.

Currently, India operates a fleet of 272 Su-30MKI fighter jets, originally ordered from Russia. The defence ministry has also greenlit an additional order for 12 more jets, worth nearly Rs 11,000 crore, to compensate for aircraft lost in accidents, although the deal awaits formal signing.

 

[R. Singh]

We should make additional 130+ Super Su-30MKI ! Major upgrade needed like plasma coating to reduce RCS, laser weapon POD, Triple and double missile launch pylons (Aerodynamic shaped) ! Also make its bomber variant (10-11 ton weapon load) powered by AL-41 engines ! Buy and make FAB series of glide bombs for Suer Su-30MKI ! Aerodynamic shaped triple and double missile launch pylon should be fitted with French support !

 

[PKPRS]

Great idea, AL-41F1 would have been even better.

 

[Vf Feb]

Make this engine indigenous

 

[Mithu Roy]

Get entire tot and buy AL41

 

[NSR]

Russia is not making AL-31FPs for its own Airforce anymore. It moved completely to AL-41F-1C and upgrading all of its SU-30s to SU-30SM standard with AL-41F-1Cs.

So perhaps India should pay some fee to Russia to buy full rights to remaining TOTs that Russia did not supply.
It would be a fair and win-win solution for India and enriches Russia too.

And then India can develop it further to create new variants and may be one of them will power our Tejas IA and Tejas MK2 and TEDBF too if they show promise in some of them.

 

[Ranjeet Singh]

We should ink deal with Russia to make AL-31 engine with 100% TOT not licence built kit assembly !

 

[Koorma]

We should ink deal with Russia to make AL-31 engine with 100% TOT not licence built kit assembly !

Should have been done long ago.

 

[War is good for business]

For such a large order AL-41 with 60-80% ToT should have been acquired.

 

[kurtwallis wallis]

If MoD orders AL41 engines from Russia then, USA sanctions HAL next and no more GE engines for HAL...

 

[Kira]

We should ink deal with Russia to make AL-31 engine with 100% TOT not licence built kit assembly !

Does not make much sense as this engine is rather old and inefficient and harder to maintain(all Russian aero engines share this trait),the Russians have better variant in AL-41F,but procuring that powerplant for the MKI would be very costly and time consuming(IAF had abandoned this route a few years ago) and not to mention the small issue of sanctions.
So there is no point in acquiring and paying for ToT for a already obsolete engine,it's prudent to simply produce it for the MKI with higher domestic substitution for Russian components that currently going it's assembly.

 

[kurtwallis wallis]

For such a large order AL-41 with 60-80% ToT should have been acquired.

You think USA will allowed this purchases really....??

 

[Anant]

If MoD orders AL41 engines from Russia then, USA sanctions HAL next and no more GE engines for HAL...

Nonsense! The GE engines and the AL-31 are not substitutes for each other. Take that nonsense elsewhere.

 

[Sridhar]

Make this engine indigenous

How could this engine become indigenous ? At best this can be manufactured locally under licence manufacturing or under ToT.

 

[vasu gali]

Perhaps acquiring AL 41 with full TOT even at a price would have been better as SU 30 MK I wiill last for more than 30 years

 

[Parimal Pandya]

Indian army bagging to old engines shamefully claiming to get self reliance when Chinese eyes of getting skipping hypersonic missile development of fifteen Mach speed as per the newsletter

 

[Aravind Raveendran]

Should have changed the engine years ago AL41 would have been ideal , considering that we will be depending on these fighters for the next 30 years.

 

[Chand Ashok]

How could this engine become indigenous ? At best this can be manufactured locally under licence manufacturing or under ToT.

Rather only half of required should be manufactured. Rest should be replaced with indigenously developed high thrust engine to replace AL-31.

 

[Sandeep]

If India upgraded the engines to the AL 41 with a high amount of ToT and manufacturing it in India would have still costed over $2 billion with the large amount of engine we would need.

While the current engine's technology is old we have already received a large amount of ToT and manufactured it in India. We should instead make improvements to the engine and modernise it as much as possible with indigenous parts and components. In this deal we should ask for a higher amount of technology and making more of it in India.

 

[Santosh Kumar pal]

It's totally wrong decision that lndia has chosen old generation AL 31 FP Jet engine for SU 30 MKl fighter jets.
lndia should go with new generation AL 41 F1S Jet engine for SU 30 MKl fighter jet and AMCA fighter jet.