Indian Su-30MKIs are being prepared for confrontation with Chinese J-20 fighters, and one of the key elements of this modernization will be the new Virupaksha radar. India expects it to give the Su-30MKI more capabilities for detecting and tracking stealth targets amid the growing number of J-20s in the Chinese Air Force. This opinion was expressed by IDRW.

The new radar is intended for the deep modernization program of the Su-30MKI. It is designed to replace the currently installed N011M "Bars" station of Russian origin, based on a passive phased array antenna.

Virupaksha is being created as a multifunctional 4D radar system. It should determine the range to the target, its azimuth, elevation angle, and relative speed. Means for countering electronic interference are also provided.

For the Su-30MKI, this is especially important due to the size of the aircraft's nose section. It allows for a large antenna, and a large number of TR modules should provide a high density of the active array. In addition, a mechanism for changing the antenna's position was reported, which can expand the viewing sector compared to a conventional fixed AESA. The exact values of the operating sector have not yet been officially confirmed.

This is where Virupaksha becomes interesting in the context of Chinese J-20s. The stealthiness of such an aircraft reduces the level of the radar signal returning to the fighter, so greater power alone is not enough. The actual detection range is affected by the radar's operating frequency, signal shape, processing algorithms, transmitter power, the relative position of the aircraft, interference, and the target's effective scattering area.

Therefore, it is not yet possible to claim that Virupaksha will guaranteed detect the J-20 from any specific distance. DRDO has not disclosed the operating frequency and range of the new radar.