India is planning to Modernise its Air fleet of SU- 30 to Fifth generation Aircrafts. This option is seen as more cost effective since each Rafale Jet costs around Rs.2000 Cr. Upgrading each Sukhoi-30 to near 5th Gen will cost only Rs.125 crore.
Crisis Situation
Indian Air force is facing significant crisis. The Indian Air Force requires a total of 42 squadrons. This is necessary to effectively address threats from both China and Pakistan. However, it currently operates only 29 squadrons. In comparison Pakistan has 25 squadrons, whereas China has 66 squadrons.
Both unfriendly nations have 5th Gen Aircraft but even India’s most modern aircraft Rafale is of 4.5th Generation.
Limited Options for 5th Gen Aircrafts
In today’s world only three countries manufacture Modern 5th Gen Aircrafts which includes China, Russia and US. Due to hostile relations with China, India is limited to only two viable sources for acquiring fighter jets. These sources are Russia and the United States. F-35 Fighter Jets of the US are very expensive. They are incompatible with India’s existing Military systems. The F-35’s stealth effectiveness is also questioned in the face of advanced radar systems like the S-400, which India operates. These factors combined have undermined confidence in the F-35, leading India to favor other options for fighter jets.
Also read: F-35 vs. Su-57- What’s Better For India?
There is internal mistrust on procuring 5th Gen Aircrafts from Russia. There is apprehension of sharing critical military information from Russia to China. Russia’s Sukhoi-57 is yet to be tested in combat. This has prompted concerns among Indian experts for its effectiveness on challenging battlefields like India. Therefore, the only reliable option left with India is AMCA programme which at least will take 10 years.
Effective Alternative
In 2023, the government approved a budget of Rs 19,000 crore for the upgrade of SU-30. This budget initially covers 84 fighter jets. This upgrade involves installing more powerful Saturn AL-31F Series 3 engines. It also includes indigenous Virupaksha AESA radars. These changes increase engine thrust from 12.5 tonnes to 14.5 tonnes and extend the service life to 4,000 hours. These improvements will enhance the jets’ performance in challenging terrains like Ladakh.
The government now plans to upgrade 200 Sukhoi jets at an estimated cost of Rs 25,000 crore. This is seen as a highly cost-effective move. Each Rafale jet purchased from France in 2016 now costs around Rs 2,000 crore. Upgrading a single Sukhoi will cost only about Rs 125 crore.
The Virupaksha AESA radar system developed by DRDO system is an advanced radar featuring Gallium nitride technology. It can effectively detect and track 40 enemy targets at distances of 250 to 300 km. It can also electronically jam enemy aircraft. This is a critical capability of fifth generation jets.
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