Russia has completed a series of deals with its traditional customers China and India. China is to acquire additional Sukhoi Su-30MKs while India will participate in development of a fifth-generation fighter.
China's $1 billion deal for another 24-28 Su-30MKs includes an option to increase the order to 50 fighters. Russian reports suggest the latest batch of Su-30s will be equipped with the Zvezda Kh-31A anti-ship missile and probably the new Raduga Kh-59MK long-range anti-ship weapon.
The aircraft is also likely to have the upgraded Tikhomorov-NIIP N001 radar, although Phazotron-NIIR is also offering the Zhuk-MSE.
ASukhoi design bureau source says the AVPK Sukhoi conglomerate has been picked as the prime contractor and the latest batch of Su-30s will be built at the KnAAPO factory in Komsomolsk-na-Amur. KnAAPO built China's earlier Su-30MKK batches, but rival IAPO has also built two-seat members of the Su-27/30 family.
Meanwhile, India and Russia have agreed to develop jointly a fifth-generation fighter as one of 12 co-operative projects covered by a so-called "protocol for further development of military-industrial co-operation between Russia and India". The two countries are also collaborating on development of the Ilyushin/NPK Irkut/Hindustan Aeronautics (HAL)Il-214.
Indian defence minister George Fernandes says India wishes to participate in research and development and manufacturing. He also discussed the manufacturing equipment HALrequires for Su-30MKI licence production in Bangalore.
Victor Komardin, deputy general director of Russian arms sales agency Rosoboronexport, says no breakdown of each countries'responsibilities has been decided.
The next stage will be negotiations between the countries' governments and the companies to establish common requirements. "The results of those talks should be the understanding whether the main variant for the Russian air force can be suitable with minor modification to satisfy the Indians, in which case a common airframe would be produced. If the requirements are too different, then a special export version of the aircraft will be needed to meet the Indian requirements," says Komardin.
Russian air force commander Vladimir Mikhailov says: "We continue to study two [fifth generation] designs, the E-21 and T-50, from Sukhoi and RSK MiG, respectively."
Source: Flight International
