Govt eyes Su-30MKI ‘Super Sukhoi’ upgrade push as IAF’s combat strength falls: Report

Su-30 MKIs have been inducted into IAF in four phases.

As the Indian Air Force’s (IAF) fighter squadron strength dropped to 29 following the retirement of the MiG-21 fleet in September, the demand to upgrade the Sukhoi Su-30MKI fleet has gathered pace, officials told The Sunday Express.

A senior official told the publication, “It is currently being examined by the Ministry of Defence. Efforts are on to send it soon to the CCS for its sanction for the design and development phase.”

IAF plans major ‘Super Sukhoi’ upgrade for Su-30MKI fighter fleet

Earlier, according to a report by news agency ANI, the Indian Air Force (IAF) is planning to extend the service life of its Russian-origin Su-30MKI fighter jets by more than 20 years.

The IAF, which began inducting the twin-engine Su-30MKI about two decades ago, currently operates 272 aircraft of this type. These jets are expected to remain the mainstay of the force for the next 15–20 years, the report said.

“Indian Air Force is looking to extend the service life of the fighter jets by another 20 years or more. Indian Air Force carries out extensive tests on the airframe and other parts of the aircraft to extend their service life and has had earlier experience in doing so,” defence officials told ANI.

They added, “Service life extension would help the Indian Air Force to maintain the fleet of its mighty Su-30s around 2045–2050.”
The report said the IAF is also working on upgrading the aircraft with indigenous radars, avionics, and weapon systems as part of a broader effort to boost combat capability.

It plans to equip the fleet with an indigenously developed radar named ‘Virupaaksha’, which is being designed to meet the IAF’s operational needs across different sectors.

“Virupaaksha radar is being developed indigenously, keeping in view the requirements of IAF in different sectors and would be the most advanced one among all the Sukhoi-30 variants being flown around the globe,” government sources told ANI.
According to the report, the IAF is working in mission mode to indigenise its equipment, with plans to procure systems worth over Rs 3 lakh crore from Indian firms in the coming years.

The Su-30MKI, a multi-role air dominance fighter, can carry a wide range of weapons — including the Astra Mk-1 long-range air-to-air missile, BrahMos air-launched missile, and various precision-guided bombs.

*With Agency Inputs