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For the second time this year, India has grounded its Su-30 fighters because one of the aircraft crashed. This time, the grounding of the 98 Su-30s in service is expected to last only a few days. Earlier this year, in May, its Su-30 fighters were grounded for a month after one of them appeared to develop engine problems and crashed. One of the pilots survived, but the parachute of the other failed to open. Four days before the Indian Su-30 went down, a Russian Su-35 also crashed because of engine problems. The Su-35 is an advanced version of the Su-30,...

For the second time this year, India has grounded its Su-30 fighters because one of the aircraft crashed. This time, the grounding of the 98 Su-30s in service is expected to last only a few days. Earlier this year, in May, its Su-30 fighters were grounded for a month after one of them appeared to develop engine problems and crashed. One of the pilots survived, but the parachute of the other failed to open. Four days before the Indian Su-30 went down, a Russian Su-35 also crashed because of engine problems. The Su-35 is an advanced version of the Su-30,...

‘Natasha’ alerted Sukhoi pilots of fire Rahul Singh, Hindustan Times The second-ever crash of a Sukhoi-30 fighter jet in Rajasthan on Monday may have been caused by engine fire, air force sources said, ruling out the possibility of human error. A female voice warning system in the twin engine Su-30 cockpit, called Natasha in the Indian Air Force, alerted the pilots about the engine fire. The air force sources said on Tuesday, “The pilots also spotted the fire and took a decision to eject. The cause of the fire will be established by a Court of Inquiry.” The plane’s flight...

What's wrong with IAF's Sukhoi? New Delhi December 4, 2009 Even if temporary, the grounding of Sukhoi- 30MKI fighters of the Indian Air Force ( IAF) has opened up a huge gap in the country's air defence system. Our Sukhois are currently located in the following manner - two squadrons in Pune, Maharashtra, two in Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh, and one in Tezpur, Assam. A sixth squadron was forming up in Jodhpur, Rajasthan, and it was from this squadron that the aircraft that crashed this week belonged. Each squadron has roughly 20 aircraft and the total India has is about 105...

Russia has completed delivery of 28 Su-30MKA fighters to Algeria. These were ordered three years ago. Algeria has also bought 22 Su-24 bombers and six Il-78 aerial tankers. There was also a purchase of 28 MiG-29 fighters, but this turned into a major scandal. Russian prosecutors recently tried and convicted several aviation company executives for passing off defective, or used, aircraft parts as new. Many of these parts made their way into MiG-29 jet fighters that were sold to Algeria. Two years ago, Algeria told Russia that it was cancelling the 2007 purchase of 28 MiG-29 fighters (for $1.3 billion),...

Indian president becomes first woman leader to fly fighter jet Indian President Pratibha Patil on Wednesday became the first woman leader in history to fly in an Air Force fighter jet. Patil, 74, left the Lohegaon Air Force base near Pune in western India on a two-seat Su-30MKI for a 30-minute flight, where she was decked out in a G-force grey suit for her 0.9 Mac (700-800 km/hr) flight. Patil's fighter jet was escorted by two additional fighters so she could get a feel of how the planes fly and look in tactical operations. Her flight was broadcast live over...

Malaysia admitted that it is getting rid of its MiG-29 fighters because the aircraft are too expensive to maintain. It costs about $5 million a year, per aircraft, to keep them in flying condition. Three years ago, Malaysia bought two more MiG-29s, in addition to the 18 it got in the 1990s. Two of those were lost due to accidents. Malaysia has since ordered 18 Su-30 fighters, and will apparently order more to replace the MiG-29s. Malaysia also bought eight F-18Ds in the 1990s, and is getting rid of those as well. Russia has offered better prices on maintenance contracts...

Russia now claims to have the #1 fighter plane in the world... SU-30- Vectored Thrust with Canards... As you watch this airplane, look at the canards moving along side of, and just below the canopy rail. The "canards" are the small wings forward of the main wings. The smoke and contrails provide a sense of the actual flight path, sometimes in reverse direction. This video is of an in-flight demonstration flown by the Russian's-30MK fighter aircraft. You will not believe what you are about to see. The fighter can stall from high speed, stopping forward motion in seconds. (full stall)....

MOSCOW, May 14 (RIA Novosti) - Russia will supply 12 Su-30MK2 Flanker multi-role fighters to Vietnam under a contract worth more than $500 million, a Russian business daily reported on Thursday. Vedomosti said the contract, which does not include weaponry, was signed between Russian arms export monopoly Rosoboronexport and the Vietnamese Defense Ministry in January, but was not disclosed until now. Deliveries are to start in 2010. Experts say the price of missiles, guns, and other equipment could run to an additional several hundred million dollars. Last month, Admiralty Shipyards in St. Petersburg announced it would build six Kilo class...

I swear by our dear dog, Ma, I am safe: officer on crashed Sukhoi SiddharthKelkar Posted: May 01, 2009 at 0138 hrs Pune “I panicked a bit when I heard about the crash. But around 1 pm I managed to contact Siddharth and he said he was safe,” said Aparajita Munje, mother of Wing Commander S V Munje (35), who survived the Sukhoi crash on Thursday morning. “I was initially not entirely convinced by what he was trying to tell me, but then he swore by his beloved German Shepherd Simba,” she said at her home on Prabat Road. Munje’s...

MOSCOW, January 26 (RIA Novosti) - Russia's Sukhoi holding said on Monday that a third Su-30MK2 fighter, delivered to Indonesia last week, had passed flight tests at an airfield on the island of Sulawesi. Under a $300 million contract, signed in 2007, Russia has supplied three Su-30MK2 planes and will deliver three Su-27SKM fighters to Jakarta in addition to the two Su-27SK and two Su-30MK planes that are already in service with the Indonesian air force. "During a 1-hour flight, the Russian military pilots checked the performance of all on-board systems. Two Su-30MK2 fighters, delivered in December, were tested on...

Opposition defends Joint Strike Fighter over simulated dogfights September 11, 2008 THE federal Opposition has dismissed new doubts about the multi-billion dollar Joint Strike Fighter project and the jet's performance. The JSF jets, for which Australia is likely to pay $16 billion, were comprehensively beaten in highly classified simulated dogfights against Russian Sukhoi fighters, it has been reported. The war games, conducted at Hawaii's Hickam airbase last month, were witnessed by at least four RAAF personnel and a member of Australia's peak military spy agency, the Defence Intelligence Organisation, The West Australian said. Opposition defence spokesman Nick Minchin said he...

Indian Su-30 fighters depart for Red Flag exercise By Radhakrishna Rao An Indian air force contingent with eight Sukhoi Su-30MKI combat aircraft, two Ilyushin Il-78 air-to-air refuellers and one Il-76 transport has left India to participate in the 9-23 August multinational exercise Red Flag '08 at the US Air Force's Nellis AFB in Nevada. It will be the first time that the Russian-made Su-30MKI will participate in multinational manoeuvres involving US and other NATO fighters. India expects to spend around Rp1 billion ($23 million) on its participation in the air combat exercise. Sources in India's state-owned Defence Research and Development...

To protect Sukhoi secrets, IAF will switch off radars during exercise Manu Pubby Friday, December 28, 2007 at 0000 hrs New Delhi, December 27: India’s defence ties with the US may be reaching new heights, but the Air Force is keen to protect the secrets of its latest fighting machine, the Su 30MKI, from probing eyes during the high profile ‘Red Flag’ exercise scheduled to take place at the Nellis airbase in US in August next year. The Air Force is sending six Su 30s for the prestigious exercise — the first time the latest fighter from the Russian stable...

Russian SU fighters find a home in Malaysia 16:17 | 12/ 12/ 2007 MOSCOW. (Yury Zaitsev for RIA Novosti) - One of the highlights of the LIMA-2007 international maritime and aerospace show, held December 4-8 on Langkawi Island in Malaysia, was the Russian built Su-30MKM multirole fighter. This aircraft is designed to win air supremacy and engage land and sea targets with guided and unguided missiles. The jets were flown by Malaysian pilots. The contract to supply 18 Su-30MKM fighters to the Malaysian Air Force was signed in August 2003 during a visit to the country by Russian President Vladimir...

An eye in the sky Sukhoi-30 MKI moves in to monitor movements on Chinese border By Anandan S. A crouching MiG 25 adorns the lawn in front of air traffic control terminal at Air Force Station, Bareilly. As an exhibit, the once mighty third-eye of Indian Air Force is now resting on its laurels, after it was phased out of service last year. On the tarmac, in contrast, is a multi-role Sukhoi-30 MKI Phase-III 'air dominance' fighter, which with its snooping capabilities will soon replace the legendary MiG 25 in the force. "The aircraft will be fitted with electronic optical...

/begin my translation Chinese Fighter with Stealth Feature Developed Body of Russian Sukhoi-27 used, indigenously development which took 10 years Lee Myung-jin posted: 2007.09.13 23:52 China developed Jian-10B, a first indigenously developed fighter employing stealth technology(see photo below,) and plans to unveil it in public. According to Chinese media on Sept. 13, it took 10 years to develop Jian-11B, based on Russia-made 'Sukhoi-27' fighter, which China assembles in Shenyang, Liaoning Province, since 1996. Especially, while 15 square meters of Sukhoi-27' surface can be detected by radars, only 3 square meters of Jian-11B are. Jian-11B's radar can track 20 targets...

Russia aims to sell India 40 fighters in Sept -Ifax MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia hopes to sign a contract next month to sell India 40 Sukhoi fighters, the president of the Irkut warplane maker said on Friday, Interfax news agency reported. "We hope to sign a contract in September to deliver another 40 Su-30MKI fighters to India," Irkut president Oleg Demchenko told Interfax. The Su-30MKI is a long-haul Sukhoi fighter specially modified for the Indian air force. Indian officials had said they planned to sign a deal to buy 40 Sukhoi fighters by the end of March. India's air force,...

Malaysia to receive brand-new Russian fighters 13:09 | 18/ 07/ 2007 MOSCOW. (Yury Zaitsev for RIA Novosti) - Malaysia will receive the first 12 of its order of 18 Sukhoi Su-30-MKM Flanker fighters, the most advanced versions of the Su-27 warplane, before the year is out. The Su-30-MKM embodies the best achievements of the Russian aircraft industry and has the most advanced European avionics. The Malaysian version is based on the Su-30-MKI, earmarked for India, but features different equipment and an electric remote control system. Unlike the Indian version, the Su-30-MKM features a laser warning system and missile detectors. Two...

DID usually restricts its coverage to procurements, but issues of doctrine and lessons and innovations from the field also qualify. Drawing conclusions from exercises is always tricky, and can never replace combat experience. Even so, in the absence of state-on-state conflicts, the expansion of multi-national training (where "gaming" is less likely) occasionally offers an interesting window into platform capabilities and national trends. With a number of air forces around the world contemplating their future fighter options, and India emphasizing the value of force multiplier/ force projection platforms in its air force, the matchups at Exercise Indra Dhanush 2007 at Waddington,...

RMAF Takes Delivery Of Sukhoi SU-30MKM Fighter Aircraft From Mohd Haikal Mohd Isa IRKUTSK (Russia), May 23 (Bernama) -- After a four-year wait, the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) will take delivery of two Sukhoi SU-30MKM multi-role fighter aircraft Thursday. They will be the first two of 18 aircraft ordered by Malaysia in May 2003, being the most sophisticated aircraft of its kind in Southeast Asia. Chief of Air Force Jen Datuk Seri Azizan Ariffin and Defence Ministry Secretary-General Tan Sri Ahmad Latffi Hashim will receive the aircraft on behalf of the Malaysian government at the Irkut Aircraft Corporation manufacturing...

RMAF's Sukhois to arrive in May — one year late 15 Feb 2007 Adrian David KUALA LUMPUR: After a one-year delay, the first six Sukhoi Su-30MKM jets will be delivered to the Royal Malaysian Air Force in May. The RMAF ordered 18 of the Russian jet fighters in 2003 in a US$900 million (RM3.24 billion) deal. After India and Vietnam, Malaysia will become one of the largest operators of the high-tech jet. Indonesia has ordered 12, while Thailand is mulling the purchase. Defence industry sources said the RMAF was ready to take delivery of the jets as the crew of...

Russia starts supplies of Su-30 fighters to Venezuela 10:24 | 30/ 11/ 2006 MOSCOW, November 30 (RIA Novosti) - Russia has shipped the first two Su-30MK2 multi-role fighters to Venezuela under a contract signed in July 2006, an aircraft manufacturing industry official said Thursday. Russia signed $1-billion contracts on supplies of 24 Su-30MK2 Flanker fighters and 30 helicopters to Venezuela prior to this year's visit to Russia by Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, triggering criticism from Washington, which regards the Venezuelan regime as a potential security threat in the region. "The first Su-30MK2 fighters for the Venezuelan air force have been...

Venezuela activates Fighter Air Group 13 with Russian warplanes At least two of the 24 Sukhoi-30 warplanes President Hugo Chávez' Government purchased from Russia will be in Venezuela at the end of November or early December this year, the Venezuelan ruler announced. Such fighters are to fly over the Venezuelan territory for the first time next December 10, the date when the National Armed Force (FAN) both is commemorating the Aviation Day and is launching "a rocket as part of the projects the Center for Airspace Investigation and Development (Cidae) is advancing," the FAN said in a press release. The...

In the first ever exercises between India and the UK in 43 years, British pilots are doing just that, flying the Indian Air Force's Sukhoi 30s. They are being candid enough in admitting that their own jets are being outgunned by the IAF's best. A Royal Air Force (RAF) AWACS plane over Gwalior is a part of Exercise Indra Dhanush. For the RAF, which fielded some of their senior most pilots it was an opportunity to train with the IAF's Sukhoi 30. India has never been a world-beater in the field of aviation but with the Sukhoi 30, the Indian...

Rapped in the Raptor: why Australia must have the best October 2, 2006 A former Top Gun is right to set his cross-hairs on key defence spending, writes Gerry Carmen. THE Peter Criss known to many Australians is the "catman" drummer of iconic band Kiss, whose theatrics include poking out tongues. But there's an Australian namesake who has just stepped out of the shadows and deserves even closer attention because he, too, is poking a mighty important metaphorical tongue — at the government. Retired RAAF air vice-marshal Peter Criss has put aside usual conventions to openly question the wisdom of...

Air Force Association August 2006, Vol. 89, No. 8 By Robert S. Dudney, Editor in ChiefBack to Demolition Derby? The Air Force should prepare itself for budget combat. Critics frequently dispute USAF’s claim that it needs to modernize its aircraft fleets. For anyone who may have harbored an honest doubt, though, the question was answered by a June exercise in Alaska. Twelve super-sophisticated F-22s, in simulated combat, posted a startling 108-to-zero record against current-generation “enemy� fighters, reported Gen. John D.W. Corley, USAF’s vice chief of staff. Against the same foes, older F-15s and F/A-18s did one-tenth as well as the...

Iran's Mix-and-Match Air Force Still May Have Bite Aviation Week & Space Technology 09/11/2006 Authors: Douglas Barrie and Andy Nativi Israel's 1981 strike against Iraq's Osirak nuclear site was achieved without loss of any aircraft. But it is far from guaranteed that an attack intended to degrade any Iranian nuclear weapons program would have the same outcome. The Iranian air force inventory is a mix of Western, Russian and Chinese combat aircraft--most of them obsolescent. Any spares for Western aircraft will have to be bought surreptitiously, or be work-arounds found using local technology because an arms embargo remains in place....

Russia signs $1bln aircraft contract with Venezuela-Ivanov 18:01 | 21/ 07/ 2006 MOSCOW, July 21 (RIA Novosti) - Russia has signed a contract on supplies of military planes and helicopters to Venezuela worth over $1 billion, the defense minister said Friday. Sergei Ivanov said 30 Su-30 Flanker air-superiority fighters and 30 helicopters would be supplied to Venezuela. The Russian Su-30 Flankers will replace a Venezuelan contingent of U.S. F-16 multi-role fighters after Washington imposed an embargo on arms sales to the country May 15, which it says poses a threat to regional stability. Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, who has moved...

London: The head of state-owned Sukhoi aircraft manufacturing holding said Tuesday he hoped the talks on the possible sales of Su aircraft to Venezuela would yield positive results. "We will be speaking later about any concrete results but I believe that they [the results] will be positive," Mikhail Pogosyan said at the 2006 Farnborough International Airshow. A source in the talks said the two countries had been negotiating the sales of 24 Su-30MK Flanker C air superiority fighters to replace Venezuelan contingent of U.S. F-16 multi-role fighters after Washington imposed an embargo on arms sales to the country. Venezuelan President...

06:42 GMT, Jul 03, 2006 Latest Headlines... Two Russian Su-30 fighter jets arrive in Venezuela MOSCOW/CARACAS. July 3 (Interfax-AVN) - Two Russian Su-30 fighter jets have landed in Caracas to join a military parade to mark the anniversary of Venezuela's independence from Spain on July 5, an official with the Russian defense and industrial complex told Interfax- AVN. "It has yet to be decided whether the planes will remain in that country until a contract is signed for the sale of 24 Su-30 fighter jets to Venezuela, or they will return home after the celebrations," the official said. sd md

President turns pilot, flies the SU-30 MKI Flanker Haima Deshpande Friday, June 09, 2006 00:27 IST PUNE: “I am a contented man. My childhood dream has been fulfilled,” gushed President A P J Abdul Kalam after his 30-minute joy ride in the rear cockpit of a fighter aircraft (SU-30 MKI Flanker) on Thursday. This feat has made the President the oldest Indian to fly a fighter aircraft. As he was helped out of the aircraft by “co-pilot” Wing Commander Ajay Rathore, after it touched base at the Lohegaon Air Force station, the President’s eyes gleamed with excitement. So affected was...

Belarus to buy 18 Sukhoi jets from India Moscow, Feb 03: In an estimated USD 300 million deal, Belarus is to buy 18 second-hand Sukhoi SU-30k fighters from India for the modernisation of the aging Air Force of this former Soviet Republic. According to influential financial daily "Vedomosti", 18 SU-30k fighters with limited capabilities were supplied to the Indian Air Force in 1997-98 at the initial stage of USD 4.9 billion Sukhoi deal for the development of a multi-role warbird SU-30MKI specially tailored for its specific requirements. Cash-strapped Belarus would modernise the SU-30k jets to the su-30kn at its facilities...

WASHINGTON: The United States is deploying its F-16 fighter jets for large scale air exercises with India to be held at the Kalaikunda Air Base outside Kolkata in November this year. Twelve F-16 CJs and an E-3 AWACS from the Misawa and Kadena Air Base on Okinawa in Japan will be flying down for the ten-day Cope India exercises starting November 7, according to defence sources. It is the first time the US is deploying F-16 fighter jets for exercises in India. Washington held back its F-16s and sent six F-15 Eagles from the Elmendorf Air Base in Alaska during...

Future Fighter Aircraft Requirements in Emerging Economies Date Published: 29 Mar 2005 By Marko Lukovic In the next ten years there will be a continued growth in purchases of new fighter aircraft. Outside North America and Western Europe (Eurofighter and/or JSF buyers), this will especially be the case in Asia where up to US$ 7 billion may be spent on new fighter programs. In Eastern Europe and Latin America several countries will be making important strategic decisions about the future of their air defence capability in the near future and this could lead to contracts potentially worth hundreds of millions...

China Plans Sophisticated Line of Military Exports Aviation Week & Space Technology 11/08/2004, David A. Fulghum Washington China plans a more sophisticated line of military exports as it continues to buy Russian technology Trading Up U.S. officials are closely studying what was displayed at the Zhuhai air show. They're looking for clues about what China is selling and buying, and how those transactions may change the makeup and tactics of its military forces. At the top of the items of interest that have already caught the U.S. Defense Dept.'s collective attention is a 7% increase in value in arms agreements...

India is concerned about reports of a renewed Pakistani effort to buy F-16 fighter jets from the United States, saying the advanced aircraft could spark an arms race in South Asia even though Washington maintains that no such sales are being contemplated. "We are against introducing such advanced weaponry into South Asia," an Indian government official said Tuesday on the condition of anonymity. "They are not useful in the war on terror, and experience has shown that they could be used against India. ... They could spark a buildup or a weapons race in the region." In September, the Pakistani...

SUKHOI´S “FLANKER” IS SELLING WELL By Piotr Butowski/KS Mikhail Pogosyan, General Director of Sukhoi Holding, is optimistic about the prospects of further sales before the end of the decade of the Su-27 family, by far the best combat aircraft produced in Russia. Originally launched as a long-range fighter with outstanding agility, since then, like its western counterpart, the F-15 Eagle, the Flanker has blossomed into an extra-class multi-role fighter aircraft. F-15C pilots of the US Air Force's 19th Fighter Squadron, stationed in Elmendorf, had the opportunity to take a closer look at the capabilities of the Su-30K during a visit...

3rd Wing Explains 'Cope India' Exercise Aviation Week & Space Technology 10/04/2004, page 50 David A. Fulghum Elmendorf AFB, Alaska 3rd Wing explains what happened when U.S. pilots faced innovative Indian air force tactics Indian 'Scare' The losing performance of F-15Cs in simulated air-to-air combat against the Indian air force this year is being perceived by some, both in the U.S. and overseas, as a weakening of American capabilities, and it is generating taunts from within the competitive U.S. fighter community. The Cope India exercise also seemingly shocked some in Congress and the Pentagon who used the event to renew...

WASHINGTON: The United States and India have held four joint military exercises since the Sept 11, 2001, terrorist attacks when Washington decided to engage New Delhi as a strategic partner. The two countries already have a pilot exchange programme, a US instructor is at the Indian Air Force training academy and their air force surgeons are also working together. Earlier this month, Indian pilots participated in war games in Alaska hosted by the US Pacific Command. Exercise Cooperative Cope Thunder 04-01 was a multinational Dissimilar Combat Training Exercise that involved air forces from Asia-Pacific and Nato countries - Britain, Canada,...

ZHUHAI: The most eagerly anticipated exhibit of the Zhuhai Airshow, being held here this week, had been China's top secret multirole fighter, the F-10. But while the official unveiling will not in fact take place at the Fourth International Aviation and Aerospace Exhibition, its existence has finally been officially confirmed and for the first time people are beginning to speak more openly about it. In what industry observers say was the first time the Chinese authorities have acknowledged it even existed, a senior official at China's Commssion of Science, Technology, and Industry for National Defense said Sunday that the F-10,...

MOSCOW: Russia has started the deliveries of the final modification of multirole Su-30 MKI fighters to India. First two Sukhoi Su-30 MKI were shipped to India on board a Russian cargo plane on Saturday by the Irkutsk-based IAPO aircraft corporation, according to a news report. Russia will dispatch 10 fighters this year, while another 22 are to be delivered next year. Under the deal for 50 aircraft signed in November 1998, Russia has already delivered 18 Su-30k fighters which would be upgraded to MKI in 2004 with the simultaneous production of 140 fighters by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited under license. The...

Russian fighters for the USAF/USN? The ultimate irony … by Robert W. Kress with Rear Adm. Paul Gillcrist, U.S. Navy (Ret.) Editors’ note: In this wonderful piece of aeronautical and political irony, it seems that our newfound but uneasy friends, the Russians, may be our best source of new fighter aircraft. Bob Kress, ex-Grumman VP of advanced programs and chief engineer on the F-14, and Adm. Paul Gillcrist, retired USN fighter pilot, make a convincing argument that rather than spend ridiculous sums for new fighters that will probably show up too late to do us any good, we should buy...

The Russian-built Sukhoi Su-30MK, the high-performance fighter being exported to India and China, consistently beat the F-15C in classified simulations, say U.S. Air Force and aerospace industry officials. In certain circumstances, the Su-30 can use its maneuverability, enhanced by thrust-vectoring nozzles, and speed to fool the F-15's radar, fire two missiles and escape before the U.S. fighter can adequately respond. This is according to Air Force officials who have seen the results of extensive studies of multi-aircraft engagements conducted in a complex of 360-deg. simulation domes at Boeing's St. Louis facilities. "The Su-30 tactic and the success of its escape...