India's Sukhoi Jets to be upgraded to Fifth Generation Characteristics

Source : IDRW

News source : IANS

India’s air superiority Sukhoi-30MKI fighters will soon be converted into ‘Super Sukhois’ by upgrading them with fifth generation combat jet features, the Russian original equipment manufacturer Irkut Corporation has announced. 

The upgrade will include a new cockpit, an upgraded radar and advanced stealth characteristics to make the plane less visible to enemy radar than the existing Indian Air Force (IAF) Sukhoi-30 fleet, Irkut’s president and chairman Alexy Fedorov said at the Moscow Air Show here.

The IAF currently has five operational Sukhoi 30MKI squadrons numbering around 100
aircraft. It will ultimately have over 230 Sukhoi-30MKIs or 13 squadrons in its fleet.

The fleet is under licenced production at the Bangalore-based Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) and the entire fleet will be upgraded to the ‘Super Sukhoi’ configuration.

“The upgrade will apply not only to the aircraft in service with the Indian Air Force (IAF) but also to those yet to be delivered to India and to be licence-manufactured by HAL,” Fedorov said.

Most significantly, the aircraft will be able to carry a heavier weapon load, including the airborne version of the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile, he added.