India is ready to invest almost $8 billion in upgrading the first 84 Su-30MKI fighters to the Super Sukhoi standard. Preliminary estimates suggest that the upgrade of one aircraft will cost approximately $95 million, according to the IDRW agency.
The central element of the modernization is expected to be the new Virupaksha radar with an active phased array antenna based on gallium nitride. The system will receive about 2600 transmit-receive modules.
At the same time, the Su-30MKI should receive new avionics, an onboard computer, an electronic warfare system, and an updated weapon integration architecture.
After the program is approved, two aircraft are initially planned to be converted into flying testbeds. The modernization verification may take about 3 years, and flight tests are expected to be completed within 5 years. Earlier, the Russian Air Force had already refused to purchase new Su-30MKI.
It should be noted that such investments, coupled with the development of its own AMCA fighter, could effectively put an end to the idea of purchasing Su-57s from Russia. Indian media, meanwhile, reported on Russia's offer to transfer a small batch of 5th-generation fighters to India for evaluation of their flight characteristics.
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