IAF's Su-30MKI Jets to Receive Israeli Scorpius Escort Jammers, Boosting Electronic Warfare Capabilities against China-Pak Defences

The Indian Air Force (IAF) is taking a significant step to upgrade the electronic warfare (EW) capabilities of its Su-30MKI fighter fleet with the integration of the advanced Scorpius Escort Jammer from Israel.

According to defence sector sources, this strategic enhancement is designed to neutralise the increasingly sophisticated air defence systems deployed by China and Pakistan.

The move also continues the IAF's practice of equipping its aircraft with cutting-edge Israeli technology, similar to the self-protection jammers already fitted on the indigenous Tejas Mk1A combat aircraft.

Developed by ELTA Systems, a subsidiary of the state-owned Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), the Scorpius Escort Jammer is engineered for a specialised and critical role.

Its primary function is to escort formations of strike aircraft by creating a safe corridor through hostile airspace. It achieves this by actively suppressing and disrupting a wide spectrum of enemy radars, including those used for surveillance and targeting.

Unlike self-protection jammers that defend a single aircraft, the escort variant is powerful enough to shield an entire mission package, and can be mounted as a pod on fighters like the Su-30MKI or on larger support aircraft.

The system's effectiveness stems from its use of advanced Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) and Digital Radio Frequency Memory (DRFM) technologies.

AESA technology allows the jammer to detect and engage multiple radar threats simultaneously and in different directions. The DRFM capability enables it to generate highly deceptive counter-signals, confusing advanced surface-to-air missile (SAM) systems such as the Chinese-operated S-400 and the homegrown HQ-9.

This "soft-kill" ability to electronically blind enemy defences is considered essential for conducting offensive operations in heavily contested zones.

This upgrade is a key component of a wider modernisation program for the Su-30MKI, which serves as the backbone of the IAF's fighter fleet with over 270 aircraft in service.

The integration of the Scorpius Escort Jammer complements other major enhancements, including the installation of the indigenous 'Uttam' AESA radar and the equipping of BrahMos and Astra air-to-air missiles.

Carried in a pod on the jet's centerline station, the jammer has a minimal impact on the aircraft's aerodynamics, allowing the Su-30MKI to retain its formidable combat radius of over 1,500 km while providing powerful electronic protection for accompanying forces.

 

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[sanket]

Nice, that's what I always say. Whether it is Indigenous or third-party, upgrades should be customised, unlike Dassault, who signed the deal for Rafale in 2016 with ISEO.

All 36 Rafale deliveries were completed by 2022. After that, ISEO was started. That means Dassault, which is a well-experienced, well-established Western OEM, has taken more than 75 months to fulfil the ISEO on Rafale. Still, Meteor supply is pending after nine years of signing the deal.

Russian platforms are open architecture, while French can't even fulfil what they have been paid for. SPICE-ER is pending, while Dassault has been forced to integrate its own brand, called HAMMER, on Rafale, which has half the range of SPICE-ER. This is how Western OEMs milk money for the lifespan of a fighter jet, as they know selling a fighter jet is a one-time profit, while selling weapons is a lifespan profit for fighter jets. Second, Dassault knows once they share the source code, it's all over.

 

[Bks98]

Indian pvt players have vast opportunities to jump into this area of creating electronics warfare, which will have strong future demand. All modern wars will be fought with fighter jets, hypersonic missiles, electronics warfare, air defence systems, ultramodern radar, and self-destruction stealth drones.

 

[P.K Senapati]

This Electronic Warfare system (EW), called the Escort Jammer (EJ), is already in use in Tejas and is now being considered for Su-30. It will be better if DRDO and ADA can make an indigenous system equivalent to or better than this in a short span, as all required technologies are available in India.

 

[SURESH RAO]

Instead of buying 272 Su-30 MKI, IAF should have bought 172 Su-30 MKI and 200 advanced MiG-29s. Then IAF would have had a good mix of heavy and medium fighters.

 

[Jabberwock]

As I said before, this confirms the Israeli EW installed on SU-30MKI worked successfully. Eight PL-15E were jammed and evaded.

 

[KPSingh]

Instead of buying 272 Su-30 MKI, IAF should have bought 172 Su-30 MKI and 200 advanced MiG-29s. Then IAF would have had a good mix of heavy and medium fighters.

Even now, we could buy MiG-35 if we wanted to.

 

[SURESH RAO]

Even now, we could buy MiG-35 if we wanted to.

MiG-35 is Super MiG-29. Great. What I meant was, from 2001 till date, IAF should have gone for only 172 Su-30MKI. And again from 2001 till date, IAF should have gone for 200 new and advanced MiG-29. They took a wrong decision from 1996-2001, and now repenting for their blunders.

 

[Mc Addy]

We are set with Su 30 MKI , so we can do what's needed . These jets have many plus points so electronic warfare suit is good for the ecosystem made for Su. Any jet that can lift 4500kgmunition, has range of 4000km combat radius ,is powerful.