Cabinet approves Rs 26,000 crore deal to procure 240 engines for Su-30 MKI aircraft from HAL

The Cabinet Committee on Security(CCS), on Monday approved the proposal for procurement of 240 aero-engines (AL-31FP) for Su-30 MKI aircraft of the Indian Air Force (IAF) under Buy (Indian) category from Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) at a cost of over Rs 26,000 crore inclusive of all taxes and duties. The delivery of these aero-engines would start after one year and complete over a period of eight years.  The SU-30 MKI is a frontline all-weather air-dominance fighter with multi-role capability, which can undertake varied air combat and ground attack missions.

"The engines will have indigenous content over 54%, enhanced due to indigenisation of some key components of aero-engines," a statement from the Ministry of Defence said These would be manufactured at Koraput division of HAL.

The Su-30 fighter jets are the mainstay of Indian Air Force with 260 of them already in service. The jets have been inducted in different batches and have now form around 50 per cent of the fighter fleet. Su-30 have already been upgraded by integrating Indian systems and weapons like the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile and the Astra air-to-air missile.

"Su-30 MKI is one of the most powerful and strategically-significant fleet of IAF"." The supply of these aero-engines by HAL would meet the fleet sustenance requirement of IAF to continue their unhindered operations and strengthen the defence preparedness of the country," the statement further said.