India is set to modify 40 Su-30MKI fighters to use the Russian RVV-BD missile — an export version of the R-37M family. The project will cover about 15% of India's fleet of these aircraft and is intended to provide them with heavy long-range air combat weapons capable of engaging targets at great distances.
The RVV-BD significantly differs from most air-to-air missiles in its dimensions and mass. According to Rosoboronexport, it is designed to engage aerial targets at a range of up to 200 km, and the missile's speed reaches approximately Mach 6; the warhead mass is 60 kg. Such a weapon is intended not only for fighters but also for large targets — AWACS aircraft, reconnaissance aircraft, tankers, and cruise missiles, on which the operation of an air group depends.
The Indian project involves not just a simple purchase of a new missile, but the modification of the Su-30MKI themselves. The aircraft will need to be adapted in terms of weapon control systems, onboard electronics, radar equipment, and software, after which the complex must undergo the necessary tests.
It is important here to distinguish between the characteristics of the export RVV-BD and the Russian R-37M. In open sources, range estimates of 300–400 km are found for Russian R-37M variants, but the official export specification for the RVV-BD indicates up to 200 km.
The appearance of the new missile expands the capabilities of the Su-30MKI against the most valuable aerial targets. However, the actual engagement range will depend on the launch altitude and speed, flight conditions, radar and targeting system capabilities, as well as electronic countermeasures.