Russia Courts India with Su-75 Checkmate Amid MiG-29 Replacement Push

In a bid to replace India's aging MiG-29 fleet, Russia has intensified its efforts to attract India's interest in its Su-75 Checkmate light fighter jet. The single-engine, lightweight stealth fighter, unveiled in 2021, is being positioned as the ideal successor to the MiG-29s, which India and several other nations are looking to replace.

Russia is particularly focused on India, a long-standing partner with a pressing need to upgrade its fighter jet fleet. A 2021 promotional video for the Checkmate, featuring pilots from potential buyer countries, including India, underscored Russia's strategic marketing approach.

Despite Russia's aggressive sales pitch, India has yet to commit to the Su-75. Several factors might be influencing India's cautious stance. The absence of a functional prototype is a key concern. While Russia claims a 2025 maiden flight for the redesigned Su-75, India may prefer a fighter jet with a proven track record.

Moreover, India is actively pursuing its own indigenous solution, the Tejas MkII, specifically designed to replace its MiG-29, Mirage-2000, and Jaguar fleets. This program aims to fulfill India's requirement for nearly 200 new fighter jets, potentially offering greater long-term benefits in terms of self-reliance and technology transfer.

Russia's renewed push to involve India likely stems from the lack of confirmed international buyers for the Checkmate program. High-profile marketing tactics, such as featuring pilots from potential buyer nations in promotional videos, highlight Russia's eagerness to secure partnerships.

Russia is offering the Checkmate at an attractive price point of $30-35 million per unit, with a cost per flight hour projected to be significantly lower than the Lockheed Martin F-35. The Su-75 boasts impressive specifications, with a designed maximum speed of Mach 1.8, a range of 2,800 km, and a maximum takeoff weight of 26,000 kg.

However, India's commitment to its indigenous defense programs, including the Tejas MkII and the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA), might influence its decision on the Su-75. With the Tejas MkII expected to replace a significant portion of its fighter fleet by 2035, and the AMCA slated to replace older Su-30MKI squadrons from 2040 onwards, India may prioritize self-reliance and domestic technological development.

While Russia's Su-75 Checkmate offers an attractive proposition on paper, India's decision will likely hinge on a careful evaluation of its operational capabilities, cost-effectiveness, and alignment with its long-term strategic objectives.

 

[Akshat]

Remember India has fought 4 wars with more than 70% of Russian armaments ?

We were talking about price, weren’t we?

Also, which 4 wars are you talking about? Just to be clear.

 

[Puneet]

Checkmate is best avoided

 

[shrey]

Looking at things as they stand I expect AMCA to be so delayed that we will be in 10 years time running like headless chicken to secure a 5th gen jet like it happened in the case of Rafale after China kicked us awake and we might need to be kicked awake by the Chinese again, these days I'm praying that Bhagwaan Xi ko sadbudhi de and he mounts an operation on India every 2 years because if there is no pressure on these lazy bums we will suddenly find ourselves staring down the barrel of a gun when these idiots are jolted out of their hibernation next.

 

[NSR]

Bro, you are still in India because these Migs bombed, battled, and CAP the fk out of PAF from 1971-2006 (their original service life).
Migs crashed becase of HAL and IAF and not because of Russia....IF you inisist on flying junk tin cans long after their designed service life, nobody will be able to provide any guarantees...HAL maufactured shoddy sub-standard parts, no QC, old air frames, IAF's nonsensical approach to train rookie pilots on Mig-21s instead of trainer jets all contributed to that fiasco...Not because Russia designed a bad jet.

Long stories but nothing good comes out of these HAL stories.

So I wrote hundreds of times that HAL must be privatized and hiring must be on merit only.

 

[wallisk]

The base version, actual price is expected to be ~65m

It is a MUST DO, effort to jointly re-design and confirm stealthiness by HAL-ADA-Sukhoi expert engineers scientists using AI super computers and co-develop and co-produce these jets soon!! BUT, Russia MUST give at least 85% ToT's and local manufacturing of ALL parts of this jet or else, NO deal!

 

[wallisk]

If it is lesser in cost than Tejas MK2, ask Russia to improve it with its own funds then buy 36-48 instead of buying second hand jets from Qatar. Experience of 5G jets in IAF may provide lot of inputs for AMCA and TEDBF programs. Check if we can get ToT for izdeliye 30 engine, if they are way better than AL31's used in MKIs then use them for 2nd or 3rd batch upgrades of MKIs.

main reasons are- France NOT giving 100% ToT or rather, NOT ANY western world country will give 100% ToT on any of their fighter jets! So, India needs a partner for 5th gen. fighter productions. If Dassault can give at least 80% ToT's then, it is really good to standardize Rafales for IN and IAF as their base platform jets....

 

[Double Tap]

India has no other option , better take this deal cancel MRCA and buy in bulk negotiate fair price

 

[vasu gali]

If it is lesser in cost than Tejas MK2, ask Russia to improve it with its own funds then buy 36-48 instead of buying second hand jets from Qatar. Experience of 5G jets in IAF may provide lot of inputs for AMCA and TEDBF programs. Check if we can get ToT for izdeliye 30 engine, if they are way better than AL31's used in MKIs then use them for 2nd or 3rd batch upgrades of MKIs.

Yes. Your suggestion is reasonable as SU 75 can, in no way be inferior to Mig29/SU 30 and thus offers an economical 5 th gen substitute. Russia has to live upto expectations and ensure success of SU 75 or be a flop internationally

 

[Anant]

No, this jet is designed to be the Mig-21 of 5th Gen....cheap, simple to produce, in numbers without breaking the bank. There is a reason why Mig-21 is the largest produced jet in the world

The Su-75, if ever produced, may well be the cheapest 5th generation jet. However, it's not going to cost 30 million USD. That is only a dream. At the very least, it will cost 2-2.5 times that amount.

Oh, and the MiG-21 was actually exceptionally cheap. In today's world, the Su-75, try as it may, will not reach that level of affordability unless Russia manages to sell a few thousand of those as well.

 

[abhinav srivastava]

main reasons are- France NOT giving 100% ToT or rather, NOT ANY western world country will give 100% ToT on any of their fighter jets! So, India needs a partner for 5th gen. fighter productions. If Dassault can give at least 80% ToT's then, it is really good to standardize Rafales for IN and IAF as their base platform jets....

Still it will be a 4th gen tech. We already have few of them. Now it is upto us to learn and make Tejas MK2 better than Rafale.
We need stop gap till 2035-40. By this time Tejas MK2 and TEDBF may enter production. Our western neighbor may get 5th gen jets in a few years. Which will leave us vulnurable. Also, operating few SU-75s will help get some crucial experience of handling 5th gen jets. This feedback if received early can help AMCA.

 

[Satheesh Santhamurthy]

Currently India Needs to focus on engine development.,

As India have some sort of experience in Airframe, Avionics & Weaponry.

So my suggestion would be truncate the MRFA deal to 36 numbers and divert the funds to Indigenous production and Engine development.

 

[Sandeep]

Looking at things as they stand I expect AMCA to be so delayed that we will be in 10 years time running like headless chicken to secure a 5th gen jet like it happened in the case of Rafale after China kicked us awake and we might need to be kicked awake by the Chinese again, these days I'm praying that Bhagwaan Xi ko sadbudhi de and he mounts an operation on India every 2 years because if there is no pressure on these lazy bums we will suddenly find ourselves staring down the barrel of a gun when these idiots are jolted out of their hibernation next.

China can’t attack India because of the nuclear weapons we have. We have now activated a defence along the entire LAC now along the similar lines of the LOC with defensive weapons, radars, bunkers, drones, troop number increases etc.

 

[shrey]

China can’t attack India because of the nuclear weapons we have. We have now activated a defence along the entire LAC now along the similar lines of the LOC with defensive weapons, radars, bunkers, drones, troop number increases etc.

Both of the countries have a no-first-use policy for nuclear weapons and even if China comes in 200 kms into India, India would still not dare to use nuclear weapons and vice-versa in case of India going into China. Nuclear weapons are a last resort weapon and are useless even if the war between India and China last for a few months and in those few months our cities would be destroyed and our army would have already lost and we would still choose surrender over a nuclear war and that surrender would still be our best option unless we go suicidal.

At present in a full fledged war IA can barely last for a month and that is it and we will absolutely loose in 3 months at most, not because our troops are badly trained or can't fight but because China's industrial strength is many times stronger than us and they can out produce us out of the conflict just like Americans did to Germany. Jaishankar in an interview said to the effect that China is five times our economy and we can't afford a conflict with them and that meant its industrial strength not just the spending power. All the preparedness you mentioned is to buy time for troops from our hinterland to come to the frontline, they are meant to slow down a determined advance from Chinese troops and are not meant to grind it to a halt, today's wars are the most unfair to ground troops, rocket artilleries are accurate and can be fired from 100 kms away, gun artilleries can be fired from 30 kms away and accurately forget about an assortment of missiles which China will certainly have more than us, they have bombers which gives them the right to blackmail us into not going too deep in their territory for an air raid because they can come and bomb the cants of Lucknow, Ambala, Kolkata and Delhi, etc which most definitely will cause collateral damage which our politicians can't afford. Our planning today is hinged on the assumption that in case of a war we will go and beg around the world for weapons and use their industrial strength to counter China's just like Ukraine, the only difference would be that we will be paying a premium instead of free weapons.

Indian system is incompetent don't give them the benefit of the doubt.

 

[Sandeep]

India should take a close look at the technology, capabilities, life span, maintenance, spares, LRU, engine, ToT, local production and amount and type of weapons we can use. It might be a good idea to see and buy just a small number to bolster and increase our 5th generation fighting capability until our AMCA enters production. We can just buy around 36 and keep them along the LAC which will give time until we can produce more Tejas MK 2 jets.

 

[Dredd]

Su-75 at 30 Mn $ is that True ...............???

early bird offer, only one with invite can avail, however you can participate in BS and Propaganda competition to get a chance for an invite.

 

[Bikramjeet Goswami]

Not a bad proposition considering depleting fleet, timeline of AMCA...but IAF must ensure it meets all qualitative requirements, with focus on Engines

The Checkmate is still in design phase and Russia lacks the money to develop it on its own. Say India invests today, it will take around 10 years to fully develop and certify the aircraft, another 5 years before it can be inducted in significant mumbers. And that's an optimistic view.
Also given the current sanctions, its doubtful if Russia can develop top quality avionics and sensors.

 

[Bikramjeet Goswami]

yes , IAF is more Interested in buying old Fighters & upgrading old jets Jaguar fleet Instead at Half price of old Qatari Mirage-2000 jet Brand New 5th Gen Su-75 is on offer.

Mirage is a proven design, India has experience of flying and maintaining them and they are being offered at a discount.
SU 75 exists ONLY ON PAPER. Its abilities are speculative, its price is unknown and Russian ability to develop a brand new platform while under sanctions is doubtful.

 

[Pad UwU]

Su-75 at 30 Mn $ is that True ...............???

Introductory price but it might go to $40~50m IMHO 😺, but that's still cheaper than Tejas mk1a if its prototype perform well

 

[Pad UwU]

It is a MUST DO, effort to jointly re-design and confirm stealthiness by HAL-ADA-Sukhoi expert engineers scientists using AI super computers and co-develop and co-produce these jets soon!! BUT, Russia MUST give at least 85% ToT's and local manufacturing of ALL parts of this jet or else, NO deal!

Do we have super computer to do that?🤔🧐

 

[ramdas]

It is of limited value for Russia to continue pursuing its current course of action. It would be more beneficial for them to redirect their efforts toward hypersonic missile collaboration. Additionally, the Indian government appears to be mishandling the expenditure of millions of dollars on the AMCA project.