Indian Defense Minister Rajnath Singh held talks with his Russian counterpart Andrei Belousov on modernizing the Su-30MKI fighter fleet. This was reported by The Military Watch Magazine, citing the Indian defense department.
French Rafale (36 units) and Russian Su-30MKI (more than 270 units) constitute the elite of the Indian fighter fleet.
According to experts, the Su-30MKI was considered the most combat-capable fighter in India. Thanks to its long range and AL-31F turbofan engine with afterburners, the fighter was ahead of its competitors for a long time.
However, since then, the engine, avionics, and armament of the Su-30MKI have become obsolete and cannot provide an advantage over Chinese J-16 and J-10C fighters. Moreover, the latter was exported to Pakistan.
The Indian Air Force expects the Su-30MKI to remain in service until the 2040s, so they are ready to invest in its modernization.
The author of The Military Watch Magazine suggested integrating the Russian AL-41F-1S engine into the Indian fighter. In his opinion, the new engine "will significantly improve the flight characteristics and range of the Su-30MKI."
The main disadvantage of the Su-30MKI remains its air-to-air armament, with the R-77-1 missile significantly inferior to modern Chinese and American missiles such as PL-15, PL-16, AIM-120D, and AIM-260.
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