Howard Gethin/LONDON
The Indian air force is looking for alternative suppliers for electronic warfare equipment for its second batch of 10 Sukhoi Su-30 strike aircraft, after Israeli firms were barred from supplying India following New Delhi's nuclear tests earlier this year.
The Indian air force has still not made a decision about the exact electronic equipment requirements for the Su-30, says Alexei Fedorov, director of the Irkutsk factory where the aircraft are built.
Delivery of the second batch of Su-30s was originally scheduled for the final quarter of 1998, but has been delayed until at least the first quarter of next year because of the electronics equipment issue.
Israel Aircraft Industries and Elbit were approached earlier this year by India, which wanted Israeli expertise in electronic warfare equipment for the Su-30MKI, as well as for its long-delayed Mikoyan MiG-21 upgrade programme (Flight International, 28 October-3 November).
The Israeli Government vetoed any involvement with the programme, following India's nuclear tests and the subsequent imposition of sanctions by the USA and others. French manufacturer Sextant Avionique, which supplied cockpit displays and avionics for the Su-30s and MiG-21s, is not subject to any embargo.
The air force has already accepted the first batch of eight Su-30s into service, to train pilots and maintenance crews, as well as to establish an initial operational capability with the nuclear-capable strike machines.
Aircraft in the first batch were initially built as Su-30PUs for the Russian air force, which could not afford them. India accepted the aircraft, but wanted subsequent Su-30s to be built to full MKI standard, with thrust-vectoring nozzles, Sextant Avionique cockpit displays, and advanced electronic warfare systems. The initial batch will eventually be upgraded to MKI standard.
Source: Flight International
