VLADIMIR KARNOZOV / IRKUTSK
Air force aims to get multi-role fighters ready for operations by the end of next month
Deliveries to the Indian air force of the next batch of Sukhoi Su-30MKI multi-role fighters with extended ground attack capability began on 16 October from NPK Irkut's IAPO plant in Irkutsk.
India has received 18 Su-30Ks and 10 Su-30MKIs. The current batch of 12 aircraft is being shipped in semi-disassembled form on Volga-Dnepr Antonov An-124-100s.
The Indian air force intends to have the aircraft fully operational by the end of November. The current batch features enhanced ground strike capability and incorporates new software providing for the integration of additional types of anti-ship and air-to-ground guided weapons. Earlier Su-30MKIs delivered to India had limited ground attack capability, with unguided weapons.
The remaining 10 Su-30MKIsare due for delivery by the end of 2004. These will act as specimens for aircraft by Hindustan Aeronautics (HAL). Flight testing of the final Su-30MKI variant is set for completion by the mid-2004.
NPK Irkut has begun transfer of tooling to HAL as part of the Su-30 licence-assembly contract. HAL will begin assembling fins, stabilisers and wings and expects to complete 140 Su-30MKIs between 2004 and 2017. Together with direct deliveries from Irkut and licence production, the deal is valued at more than $5 billion.
Meanwhile, Israel Aircraft Industries (IAI) has been invited to join NPK Irkut, Ilyushin and HAL to develop the Multi-role Transport Aircraft (MTA).
NPK Irkut president Aleksei Fiodorov says IAI involvement would require revision of the earlier Russo-Indian interstate agreements that specify 50:50 distribution of project workload among Russian and Indian firms. Russian and Indian partners are continuing talks on establishing a formal joint venture to handle the MTA project, which would probably be registered in India.
The MTA team aims to complete initial design work on the twin-jet transport by the end of this year and proceed immediately to full-scale development.
Source: Flight International
